This slow air was written by Pipe Major John Wilson (1906-1979), an Edinburgh piper who emigrated to Canada. Lochboisdale is the main village on the island of South Uist in the Outer Hebrides -- the title may suggest an emigrant's lament, but it was actually written on the last day of PM Wilson's stay at the Lochboisdale Hotel after competing at the nearby Highland Games at Askernish. Still, it made a nice slow air which has been picked up widely, most prominently in the recording by Old Blind Dogs in 1997. My recording uses low and high harmonies by Peter Macfarlane/Vermont Fiddle Orchestra: https://www.cvsfc.org/VFOtunes/2020D...sdale-lead.pdf http://www.cvsfc.org/VFOtunes/2020De...le-harmony.pdf Mid-Missouri M-0W mandolin (x2) Suzuki MC-815 mandocello Vintage Viaten tenor guitar https://youtu.be/FA7tpjZ3Vwg Martin
A fine rendition of this lovely air, Martin. The arrangement you have used here really suits the tune and the instruments you are playing. I note the absence once again of tremolo as you let the accompaniment fill the long note spaces and you have a couple of hammer-ons in this one too. Very well played.
Thanks, John! It's an enjoyable air to play. Martin
I thought I had recorded this one previously, but when Martin posted his version here I realised I had not done so and decided to rectify my omission. Here is my version, played on mandolin, octave and guitar, with pictures from near my home in the Cowal peninsula, a long way from Lochboisdale (which I have only once visited many years ago)! https://youtu.be/cbEzZrkSxjE
Two beautiful Slow Airs by yous, Martin and John, lovely to hear you playing so finely before breakfast. And a very high quality Hibernian coileanadh of an Adhair Slaodach I will add too, John. By the way, does the ’bois’ come from French? Meaning a wooded area in a vale near a lake?
Thanks, Simon. I think you are using Scots Gaelic to express your enjoyment of my interpretation of the slow air? Apologies if not. I would doubt whether the "bois" in the place name is from the French from trees, as the Uists are not noted for their woodlands. The Gaelic name is Loch Baghasdail.
No bois on the island? So a French boat carrying religious refugees didn’t arrive on the island 300 years ago with five sheep and a box of fire lighters?
Two fine renditions of this slow air!
Two very enjoyable recordings! Thanks both of you, Martin and John.
Many thanks, Simon, Christian and Frithjof! John: great to hear your rendition of this slow air -- I like the interplay of the mandolin and the octave, and your expressive use of hammer-ons. I was also interested to hear chosen tempo. I was worried I had taken it a touch too fast, but then yours is if anything faster than mine. Martin
Thanks, Christian, Frithjof and Martin. Interesting comment on tempo, Martin. We both decided on a tempo which is very similar. It translates well to the mandolin family instruments and the minor key and alternating Bm and A chords give it that haunting quality.
Really beautiful John and Martin!
Lovely jobs, respectively, Martin and John…and as noted by John, the corresponding tempo suits the tune…
Thanks, Frank and John W.