1899—Bett—A Collection of Pibrochs, Marches, Strathspeys, and Reels, consisting of 198 tunes. Edited and published by James Bett, Strathtay. Price, £1 1s.
1899—Logan—A collection of Marches, Quicksteps, Laments, Strathspeys, Reels, and Country Jigs, consisting of sixty pieces. Logan & Co., Inverness. Price 1s.
1900—Glen—The Music of the Clan Mac Lean, consisting of 25 pieces, compiled under the auspices of the Clan Mac Lean Society of Glasgow. Edited and published by David Glen, Edinburgh. Price, in paper, 5s., in cloth gilt, 7s. 6d.
1900—Henderson—Henderson’s Tutor for the Bagpipe and collection of Marches, Strathspeys, Reels, Country Dances, Jigs, etc., consisting of 197 pieces. Peter Henderson, Glasgow. Price 7s. 6d.
1900—Thomason—A collection of Piobaireachd as played on the Great Highland Bagpipe—Ceol Mòr—compiled, edited, and rendered in a new and easily acquired notation by Major-General C. S. Thomason, R.E. (Bengal). Published by C. S. Thomason, c/o S. Sidders & Co., 17 and 19 Ball Street, Kensington, London, W.
IV.—GOLD MEDALISTS OF THE HIGHLAND SOCIETY OF LONDON.
In 1781, the Highland Society of London instituted competitions in pibroch playing. It was not, however, until 1835 that the gold medal now so well known as the highest honour attainable by pipers, was first awarded. The following is a list of the first prize winners and gold medalists so far as it has been found possible to obtain them. Unfortunately for the absolute authenticity of the list, the records of the Highland Society were lost in a fire sometime ago, and the secretary, therefore, could not supply them officially. It has, however, been carefully compiled from Angus Mac Kay’s book of pipe music, the files of the Glasgow Herald and those of the Inverness Courier, and it may be relied on as thoroughly accurate:—
1781 —Patrick Mac Gregor, Ardradour, Perthshire. 1782 —John Mac Allister, West Fencible Regiment. 1783 —Neil Mac Lean, Airds. 1784 —John Mac Gregor, senr., Fortingall. 1785 —Donald Mac Intyre, senr., Rannoch. 1786 —Roderick Mac Kay, North Berwick. 1787 —Archibald Mac Gregor, Glenlyon. 1788 —John Mac Gregor, Strathtay. 1789 —Duncan Mac Nab, Lorne. 1790 —Robert Mac Intyre. 1791 —Donald Mac Rae, Applecross. 1792 —John Mac Kay, Raasay. 1793 —John Mac Gregor, Breadalbane Fencibles. 1794 —Angus Cameron. 1795 —Peter Mac Gregor. 1796 —Donald Fisher, Breadalbane. 1797 —Alexander Mac Gregor, Glenlyon. 1798 —Donald Mac Earchar. 1799 —Dugald Mac Intyre. 1800 —George Graham.
[17]. In Chapter XIX., page [278], the date 1838 is given by mistake instead of 1835, as the year of this competition. Also, on page [284], it is stated that John Bane Mac Kenzie and Donald Cameron were the only players who held the title of “King of Pipers.” That there were at least two others is, however, shown by this list.
There is a blank between 1844 and 1859 which it has not been found possible to bridge. In 1844 we leave the competitions being held triennially at Edinburgh; in 1859 we find the Gold Medal being competed for at the Northern Meeting, Inverness, as “a new feature.” Several other competitions are reported during these fifteen years, and well-known names are given as prize-winners, but there is no mention of the Highland Society’s Gold Medal. It would be interesting to know if the competition was discontinued during these years.