Flower Of The West

9 May 2005 in Music

Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Friday 6 May 2005

GLASGOW ROYAL CONCERT HALL was the venue for the culmination of many months of logistical and artistic acrobatics with the production of ‘Flower of the West’. This flagship event, undertaken by ‘An Lochran’ – Glasgow’s Gaelic Arts organisation – was a celebration of the music and contribution made to the Gaelic Arts scene by the Gaelic song writing duo, Calum and Rory Macdonald of Runrig.

The programme was based around the much acclaimed songbook written by the brothers, ‘Flower of the West’, and was produced under the musical direction of Mary Ann Kennedy, Bruce MacGregor, Brian MacAlpine, Phil Cunningham and Kenneth Thomson.

With the cast of Gaelic singers and musicians involved, it would be hard for this project to fail. Seldom has there been a roll call of Gaeldom’s finest artists such as this and the atmosphere in the hall was testament to the audience’s expectations.

The programme was opened by an unaccompanied rendition by Rona Lightfoot, Kenna Campbell and Mairi Macinnes of that beautiful emigrant song based on a pibroch air, ‘Fraoch a Ronaidh’. This was the only non-Runrig song of the evening, but it was a fitting opening, encapsulating the spirit and history of the islands of Uist where the Macdonald brothers grew up.

This was followed by a moving performance of ‘Chi mi’n Geamhradh’ by traditional singer Donnie M. Macleod , accompanied on haunting harmonies by Maggie MacDonald of Cliar. Not all of the songs included were the well known ones and it was particularly pleasant to hear some of the lesser known songs, such as ‘Pòg aon Oidhche Earraich’, performed by Arthur Cormack, also of Cliar.

Contemporary treatments were also given by Iain Morrison of the band Poor Old Ben, which were particularly enjoyed by the younger members of the audience and the members of the Glasgow Gaelic Primary School Choir, who accompanied several songs together with a 100 strong choir provided by an amalgamation of the Cumbernauld Gaelic Choir, the Glasgow Islay Gaelic Choir, Govan Choir, Stirling Choir and Kenneth Thomson’s’ own choir, the Glasgow Gaelic Musical Association (or the GG’s).

“The new, and future, generation of singers and musicians will be using this legacy of music for many many years to come.”

Karen Matheson’s beautiful rendition of classic ‘Cearcall a Chuain’, accompanied by the choirs, painted stunning mental images of the seas around the islands and its connection to all our lives. It was worth Cathy Ann MacPhee’s long journey home from Canada just for us to hear her sing ‘An Ubhal as Aìrde’ – a song which has become a classic of the Gaelic tradition in its short lifetime.

The first half of the evening was a relaxed introduction to the music of the brothers. The action on stage was complemented continuously by stunning images projected onto a back screen, of the islands and events which had an effect on the lives and work of the MacDonald Brothers.

Poetry, read by Angus Peter Campbell and Aonghas Dubh MacNeacail, was complemented by subtitled translations for those – in the words of Rona Lightfoot – ‘who don’t speak the two spokes’.

The second half of the programme took on a definitely more up-tempo nature, and in particular featured the new generation of Gaelic singers, including James Graham and Jenna Cumming, and Kathleen Macinnes.

Julie Fowlis provided totally stunning vocals and energy in the performance of the song ‘Fuaim a Bhlàir’ (Sound of War) and Deidre Graham, Katie Mackenzie and Sineag Macintyre – all Gaelic singing students at the RSAMD – were joined by Rachel Walker in what was one of the highlights of the concert, ‘Fichead Bliadhna’ (Twenty Years), written by the brothers when they themselves were students in Glasgow. Full of energy and life, excitement and enjoyment, this was a definite promise of things even better to come from these young singers.

They were joined by Jenna Cumming for a surprise treatment of ‘Cum ar n’Aire’- normally sung as ballad but here sung in an upbeat and ‘siubhlach’ manner. Dick Gaughan also gave us a different treatment of that Runrig classic ‘Dance Called America’.

This emphasised one of the major points of this concert, in that this was NOT a Runrig ‘Tribute’ as such – yes, they were Runrig songs, but we were shown how these songs have become classics in their lifetime, and adapt and change to fit the current repertoire. The new, and future, generation of singers and musicians will be using this legacy of music for many many years to come.

The concert culminated with everyone joining in ‘Oran’ (Song), providing a fitting end to a exciting and moving evening. The singers were accompanied brilliantly by a star cast of musicians including Duncan Chisholm, Marc Clement, Christine Hanson, Hector Henderson, Iain Macdonald, Charlie McKerron, Angus Macphail, Ross Martin, Anna Massie, Donald Shaw, Andrew Stephenson, Mairearad Green, Kathleen Boyle, Jen Butterworth, John Carmichael, Stevie Jackson, James Mackintosh and Lawrie Macmillan. It was just a pity that Calum and Rory Macdonald were unable to be there on the night to enjoy this tribute to their songs.

Meal do Naidheachd to all involved in this great evening’s entertainment– definitely worth the logistical nightmares provided by trying to coordinate all these singers and musicians – a worthy project and we look forward to future productions such as this from ‘An Lochran’.

Fiona MacKenzie is the Mairi Mhor Gaelic Song Fellow.