Bagpipes at NHHS

Another of the WEKEVED albums to be released 9/19/19 is “The Great Highland Bagpipes in the Inner Courtyard of Newport Harbor High School”, or just “Bagpipes at NHHS”.
I got the idea when the building was slated to be torn down. Being an enclosed courtyard, I wondered how bagpipes would sound in it. I liked it, even with wind noise, planes and birds. If you remember this old inner quad, it will sound familiar.

This album is just the bagpipes alone, with no other accompanying instruments.

Along with traditional tunes are some original ones, like Wedding Processional, which I expanded later into a piece for organ and pipes, for a friend’s wedding. On this album is just the pipes.

The tune MacGregor’s Salute is what we call a piobaireachd, or ceòl mòr, big music. It is from the classical music of the Highland pipes. It has a slow melody on which variations are composed. At a length of 8:34, it is shorter than many piobaireachds. This is a slow and thoughtful tune.

The last set of tunes are meaningful to Newport Harbor High School, including their Alma Mater and Fight song (Anchors Aweigh).

So there is a little introduction to Bagpipes at NHHS that will be available starting 9/19/19.
And here is the track list:

1. Traditional March, Strathspey & Reel: 4:13
   Pipe Major John Stewart, Cabar Feidh,
   The Piper and the Dairymaid
2. Piobaireachd: MacGregor’s Salute anon. c. 1815 8:34
3. Music for Wedding: 4:24
   Wedding Processional – by Kevin Weed
   Skye Boat Song – traditional
   Joyful March – by Kevin Weed
4. Two airs by Kevin Weed 3:37
   Spirit of Peace
   Highland Air
5. Hornpipe & Jigs by Kevin Weed: 3:52
   Newport Harbor Sailor’s Hornpipe
   Fishermen and Fisherwomen
   The Pelican. These titles come from the inner courtyard mosaics.
6. Amazing Grace Variations by Kevin Weed 7:04
7. Songs for Newport Harbor HS: Hail, Harbor High!, 3:02
   Anchors Away, Marine’s Hymn, Scotland the Brave.