Remembrance Day
I’ve blogged about my Remembrance Day poppies before — click here to read the post — but this morning a friend of mine forwarded me a small video her sister in Scotland took yesterday on Remembrance Sunday. Sadly I can’t seem to upload the video for you to watch.
It was of a Scottish pipes and drums march in her small town, and the band was followed by veteran soldiers. The band was playing “A Scottish Soldier” which Scotsman Andy Stewart wrote and set to a traditional Scottish folk tune. You can see and hear Andy Stewart singing the song here. And the words are very moving.
I was a little girl living in Scotland when I first heard it, and I remember my mum choking up — it’s very sad, but lovely. These days I tear up when I hear it too, and watching this little video, a combination of the pipes and drums playing (being of Scots background I’m always moved by them) and playing that song, which I and most folk of Scottish background know — well, I got all choked up, too.
Here’s a video with the pipes and drums playing the song, and with a series of photos showing Scots soldiers in many different places. It’s beautiful IMO.
Do you know the song? Do you like the pipes and drums?
And did you know that during the Napoleonic Wars the enemy called the Scottish regiments, such fierce fighters with eerily wailing pipes and kilts, “the ladies from Hell.” I love it and I’m sure the Scots regiments weren’t the least bit insulted either.
One more thing — I thought you might like to see this photo of the Sydney Opera House. On special occasions they project images on the distinctive white “sails” of the Opera House, and this was what it looked like on Remembrance Day.
Wonderful! Thank you.
Super picture! Yes, I know (and like) the song. My grandmother had it on a .45 she let us kids play sometimes. I have a love/hate relationship with pipes and drums. “Ladies from hell” in the form of high school students in a closed gymnasium is apt. So is the 25th time through “Scotland, the Brave” at a dance competition in a gymnasium, although I always felt for the piper/s. Recordings could be turned down! The great pipes belong outdoors, at the door of the church, on a battlefield (sport qualifies), on a Scottish hillside, in a parade. All others,… Read more »
I’m chuckling here, Marianne, about your pipes and drums experience in a closed school gymnasium. This week in Melbourne, they had a massive gathering of pipes and drums players and bands all playing together. It was an attempt to break the world record — and they did. But wow, the noise! Yoiu can hear it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4NFPIrTwNE
I’m with you on the “pipes belong outdoors, at the door of the church, on a battlefield (sport qualifies), on a Scottish hillside, in a parade.”