Empire Theatre, Eden Court, Inverness, 12 March 2010

Kathleen MacInnes

FOUNDED in 1871, the Gaelic Society of Inverness (Comunn Gàidhlig Inbhir Nis) has survived some difficult periods, but with over 500 members today, it’s in good shape. Its annual evening of Gaelic entertainment is always well attended, and that’s not surprising with artists of the calibre of the Society’s honorary piper, Dr Angus Macdonald, and internationally renowned singer Kathleen MacInnes on the programme.

This year’s entertainment was themed around the seasons, though from the good doctor’s inclusion of ‘Will the Minister not Dance?’ in his first set, it was apparent that the theming was occasionally somewhat loosely interpreted.

The evening was structured more as a recital than as a concert, with each performer appearing in both halves of the entertainment. One of the three piping Macdonald brothers of Glenuig, who are responsible for some of the loveliest pipe tunes of the modern era, Dr Angus Macdonald opened the show in fine form with two sparkling sets of tunes before the Society’s Chair, Allan Campbell, as presenter/Fear an Taighe, made the audience welcome; non-Gaelic speakers were catered for with simultaneous English translations projected at the back of the stage.

‘Waulking on a May Morning/Dh’eirich mu mich madainn Cheitein’ was Maggie Macdonald’s first song; with one gesture she had the audience singing with her. Waulking songs are the feminine land-based equivalent of sea-shanties, strongly rhythmic, catchy and designed to keep everyone working at the same pace. Paul MacCallum followed with a sign of summer, a Gaelic ode to the cuckoo, followed by the unaccompanied ‘Snows of Drumochter/Tha sneachd air Druim Uachdair’ which showed off his fine tenor. Arthur Cormack, another Mod medallist, treated us to some well-loved tunes including ‘Salute to the Isle of Skye’.

The highlight of the evening was Kathleen MacInnes. There are few voices in any kind of music to touch hers, with its rare mix of clarity and husky warmth. When she sings from the seemingly infinite repertoire of Gaelic laments, even the hardest of hearts must surely melt. In the second half, Maggie Macdonald joined her for another waulking song, ‘The First Night of Autumn/Nochd a’chaid oidhch ‘n fhogar’, from South Uist. It was an irresistible combination, and there cannot have been a foot in the Empire Theatre that wasn’t tapping.

Canntaireachd, tutored by Eilidh Mackenzie, are a group of young girls who exemplify the comeback of Gaelic. Smartly dressed in red, black and white, they sang beautifully judged harmonies, and threw in their own Gaelic translation of American band Low Anthem’s ballad ‘Charles Darwin’ for good measure.

In the second half they provided an utterly enchanting moment as they danced, apparently spontaneously, to the excellent Monach Isle Ceilidh Band. Gaelic culture, alive and well and tripping the light fantastic in Eden Court.

© Jennie Macfie, 2010

Links

• Gaelic Society of Inverness
• Jennie Macfie