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Dha Gordon a-mhain/Just for Gordon

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Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

01/01/2012

BBC ALBA - Dha Gordon a-mhain/Just for Gordon

The life, music and tragic loss of Scottish piper Gordon Duncan.

A' comharrachadh beatha 's ceòl agus a' caoidh bàs a' phìobaire ainmeil Albannach Gordon Duncan. The life, music and tragic loss of Scottish piper Gordon Duncan.

In December 2005, Scotland tragically lost one of its most innovative musicians and composers of the age of 41. It is surprising that this world-renowned Scottish musician was not someone that would be instantly recognised by the vast majority of the public in Scotland, yet his music is played the world over. 

Gordon Duncan, from Perthshire, was quite simply unique as a piper of his generation. He was a multi-instrumentalist and prolific composer. 

Just for Gordon is a documentary about his life and the tunes he wrote that have quickly become a mainstay of the Scottish traditional music repertoire. His tunes had true significance, not just in their unique and original arrangement, but also in their very inspiration - often from entertaining occurrences in Gordon's life such as Andy Renwick's Ferret, The Famous Barovan, The Sleeping Tune, Break Yer Bass Drone and Zito the Bubbleman to name but a few. His tunes can be heard at T in the Park, Celtic Connections, Celtic Colours in Canada, the Lorient festival in Brittany and the Fleadh Cheòil in Ireland. 

Gordon Duncan helped to put piping on the map for a whole new generation and for his pupils, such as Ross Ainsle and Ali Hutton who are now themselves making their mark in the traditional music scene by following his style.

The programme features the musicians that knew and played with him and those who continue to play and be inspired by his music, especially his own pupils.

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Dha Gordon a-mhain/Just for Gordon

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