Piper Gordon Duncan was found dead at his home this morning. Sympathies and condolences to his wife and child. Would someone (Johnny J? Kenny?) who knows his music well please link to some of his tunes in our archives?
From the Footstompin' website:
Gordon Duncan, who comes from Perthshire is quite simply the most stunning and innovative pipers of his generation. He is also a fantastic tune writer. He has played with many of the top folk groups including Capercaillie, Wolfstone and Ceolbeg as well as several notable Pipe Bands including The Vale of Atholl. He has recorded several solo CDs including "Just For Seamas", "Thunderstruck" and "The Circular Breath" . Gordon Duncan has emerged as a lively presence in contemporary piping and his recordings draw on his folk band experience, but also pays tribute to bagpipe tradition by including pibroch. His composing skills have seen many of his tunes enter the repertoire of pipe bands and folk bands alike - Andy Renwick's Ferret, Pressed For Time and The Barovan to name only three. Gordon Duncan has put piping on the map for a whole new generation.
A Sad day for Piping. A Sad day for Scottish Traditional Music. A Sad day for Scotland.
Those of you who are not familiar with his music might like to listen to Gordon & Gerry O'Connor playing The Contradiction: reel here: http://www.scottishradiance.com/gtduncan.htm
Here's a review of Gordon's LP 'Thunderstruck' writen by Norman Chalmers for Scotland on Sunday:
"Opening with a solo, ‘straight’ all-traditional march set, the Paganini of the pipes is soon reeling out his own jig compositions bending notes, pushing rhythms and firing of bursts of high ‘A’ as his thumb helicopters over the back hole of the chanter.
Duncan has matured into an inspiring and innovative composer, as these tunes testify.
With occasional guest bass, bouzouki and snare, and his own guitar up-front in a few tracks, Tony McManus produced this latest Duncan opus which is all grace notes and danger."
I am shocked reading this here. What a loss but he has left so much behind in his recordings, compositions and how he challenged the GHB music genre to develop. Anyone who knows the story of how the CD just for seamus came to be named so will know how the latter of this came to be. A sad day indeed.
Gordon Duncan, RIP
Gordon Duncan, RIP
Piper Gordon Duncan was found dead at his home this morning. Sympathies and condolences to his wife and child. Would someone (Johnny J? Kenny?) who knows his music well please link to some of his tunes in our archives?
From the Footstompin' website:
Gordon Duncan, who comes from Perthshire is quite simply the most stunning and innovative pipers of his generation. He is also a fantastic tune writer. He has played with many of the top folk groups including Capercaillie, Wolfstone and Ceolbeg as well as several notable Pipe Bands including The Vale of Atholl. He has recorded several solo CDs including "Just For Seamas", "Thunderstruck" and "The Circular Breath" . Gordon Duncan has emerged as a lively presence in contemporary piping and his recordings draw on his folk band experience, but also pays tribute to bagpipe tradition by including pibroch. His composing skills have seen many of his tunes enter the repertoire of pipe bands and folk bands alike - Andy Renwick's Ferret, Pressed For Time and The Barovan to name only three. Gordon Duncan has put piping on the map for a whole new generation.
Also http://www.footstompin.com/forum?threadid=45004
# Posted on December 14th 2005 by Zina Lee
Re: Gordon Duncan, RIP
omg...I am just in total shock...I bought "Just for Seamus" to put under the tree for my son, who is an admirer of Duncan...we are all very saddened.
# Posted on December 14th 2005 by Sunnybear
Re: Gordon Duncan, RIP
Condolences from all in Denmark who has been appreciating his compositions - R.I.P
DADdyGADdy
# Posted on December 14th 2005 by DADdyGADdy
Re: Gordon Duncan, RIP
That's such sad and tragic news. What a terrible loss to his family, his friends and to Scottish music.
# Posted on December 14th 2005 by Ron P
Re: Gordon Duncan, RIP
Stunned! Such a sad loss!
Best wishes to his family, friends and those who shared music with him. A beaming talent.
Brianx
# Posted on December 15th 2005 by briantheflute
Re: Gordon Duncan, RIP
Thanks very much for posting this, Zina.
Here's a few to start the ball rolling.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/4428
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/439
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/4420
Condolences to all Gordon's friends and family.
# Posted on December 15th 2005 by John J.
Re: Gordon Duncan, RIP
A Sad day for Piping. A Sad day for Scottish Traditional Music. A Sad day for Scotland.
Those of you who are not familiar with his music might like to listen to Gordon & Gerry O'Connor playing The Contradiction: reel here:
http://www.scottishradiance.com/gtduncan.htm
You can also listen to a couple of short clips of his piping here:
http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/music/artist/card/0,,425667,00.html
& You can check out the ‘Living Tradition’ piece on the genius of Gordon Duncan & his CD "The Circular Breath" here:
http://www.folkmusic.net/htmfiles/webrevs/cdtrax122.htm
# Posted on December 15th 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: Gordon Duncan, RIP
Sad news...
Here's another link: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/2639
# Posted on December 15th 2005 by Dr. Dow
Re: Gordon Duncan, RIP
That's tragic. Condolences to all who knew him. Maybe as a memorial of sorts, some of us can do our share to help keep his music alive.
# Posted on December 15th 2005 by sara g
Re: Gordon Duncan, RIP
THE PAGANINI OF PIPES - ALL GRACE NOTES & DANGER!
Here's a review of Gordon's LP 'Thunderstruck' writen by Norman Chalmers for Scotland on Sunday:
"Opening with a solo, ‘straight’ all-traditional march set, the Paganini of the pipes is soon reeling out his own jig compositions bending notes, pushing rhythms and firing of bursts of high ‘A’ as his thumb helicopters over the back hole of the chanter.
Duncan has matured into an inspiring and innovative composer, as these tunes testify.
With occasional guest bass, bouzouki and snare, and his own guitar up-front in a few tracks, Tony McManus produced this latest Duncan opus which is all grace notes and danger."
# Posted on December 15th 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: Gordon Duncan, RIP
I'm very sad today, as many traditional music lovers.RIP Gordon,your music still makes me happy.
Rafix
# Posted on December 15th 2005 by Rafix
Re: Gordon Duncan, RIP
a sad loss, but we still can enjoy your music,
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/2589
mm
# Posted on December 15th 2005 by MM
Re: Gordon Duncan, RIP
'Pressed for time' (see link above by mm) will probably never be forgotten in *any* of our sessions.
# Posted on December 15th 2005 by Henk Bos
Re: Gordon Duncan, RIP
I am shocked reading this here. What a loss but he has left so much behind in his recordings, compositions and how he challenged the GHB music genre to develop. Anyone who knows the story of how the CD just for seamus came to be named so will know how the latter of this came to be. A sad day indeed.
# Posted on December 16th 2005 by Alasdair
Re: Gordon Duncan, RIP
Another well known quote, this time from Hamish Moore:
"This man is precious and should be one of Scotland's national treasures"
Hamish Moore
# Posted on December 16th 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: Gordon Duncan, RIP
The funeral will take place at 12.45pm on Wednesday, 21st December, at the Church of Scotland, Pitlochry, Perthshire.
# Posted on December 16th 2005 by Ptarmigan
Re: Gordon Duncan, RIP
A great tribute to Gordon Duncan can be read at the following site.
http://www.bobdunsire.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=44;t=000543
# Posted on December 18th 2005 by PNB