Review by Northings
EALASAID ROSS OF RAASAY – HER POETRY, SONGS AND COLLECTIONS (Tarskavaig Communities Hall, Isle of Skye, 5 August 2009)
7 Aug 2009 in Gaelic, Highland, Music, Writing
TERRY WILLIAMS joins a voyage of discovery in serach of Ealasaid Ross.
Donald Mackenzie (fiddle) and Decker Forrest (reed chanter) - (© Terry Williams)
WHO WAS Lady d’Oyly of Raasay? Cousin of the last MacLeod laird of Raasay, highly literate Gael of the 19th century, accomplished musician…a fascinating lady, little known. David MacFadzean and the Tarskavaig team gave her a “world premiere”, as a prestigious group of performers took a full house in search of Ealasaid (Eliza) Ross and her world.
Meg Bateman’s landmarks were poems and songs written by Eliza on her return to Raasay after years in Edinburgh, Italy and India. Her sea is filled with fish, her land with corn and cattle, and Raasay House with music and dancing, When John MacLeod emigrated to Australia in 1843, this happy way of life disappeared and Eliza mourned.
Decker Forrest and Donald MacKenzie introduced the music of the time, on home-made instruments – Donald’s left-handed fiddle and Decker’s practice chanter made from a reed. The Blind Piper’s Obstinacy flowed soft and sweet from the tiny instrument. Iain Mac Ruairidh (John MacKay) of Eyre played a similar feadan sealastair (ragwort or bullrush chanter). Eliza transcribed, from Iain’s playing, 146 tunes – a collection that gives a vital insight into pipe music at the time, said historian Hugh Cheape.
For the audience, it was a magical interlude. For Meg, it inspired a poem: ‘Chanter’. For Iain MacInnes, piper and BBC music producer who first recorded Eliza’s music, it might solve a mystery. Decker’s feadan sealastair was a tone higher than a traditional chanter; the collection’s six pibrochs were set a tone higher than a traditional pibroch… This was becoming a voyage of discovery!
From pibroch to dance music, as Iain played samples from Eliza’s original manuscript of 1812, all pre-dating any other known dance tunes. And to song. Christine Primrose had not met Eliza before, and had enjoyed choosing what to sing. As everyone joined in the chorus of ‘Thainig an Gille Dubh’, they wished there were time for more. But Decker took up his wee reed chanter and gave us the tune one more time, bringing our journey to a very happy close.
Tarskavaig Feis Aos Dana events continue through to Saturday’s late night ceilidh (8 August). Aos Dana is supported by Highland Council and the Royal Celtic Society. Tarskavaig Feis thanks the Gaelic Book Council and Sabhal Mor Ostaig
© Terry Williams, 2009
