The title page of A Collection of Ancient Piobaireachd, from the 1899 edition. Like many pipers of his time, he competed in the dancing as well, and on this day he also took first prize as the best-dressed competitor outfitted at his own expense. In 1826, at 13, he was fourth at the Edinburgh competition and in 1841 he won the Prize Pipe, playing “The Finger Lock” with 14 pipers competing. At 12 years of age, he won a prize from the Highland Societies, not for playing, but for setting pipe tunes in staff notation. Piping success came early, both as a player and compiler. He married Mary Russell in Edinburgh in 1841 and had two sons and two daughters. Angus became piper to Sara Drummond, Lady Gwydir, while still a boy, later to Davidson of Tulloch, then Campbell of Islay, and finally, from 1843 until 1854, to Queen Victoria. In 1823 he moved the family from their relatively remote island home to Drummond Castle near Crieff, where he became piper to Lord Gwydir. His father, John MacKay of Raasay (1767-1848), was the leading composer and teacher of his generation and a revered cultural figure in the Highlands. He was born on September 10, 1813, likely on Raasay, an island off the northwest coast of Scotland.
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He committed more piobaireachd to paper than almost anybody else, compiled one of the biggest early light music manuscripts, containing 500 tunes, and was one of the pioneers of the ‘competition’ march. William Donaldson sums up Angus MacKay’s contribution succinctly:Īngus MacKay is a towering figure in piping history.
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The reliance of all piobaireachd collections on his work cannot be overstated. In the study and playing of piobaireachd, no compiler’s name is spoken more frequently and with more reverence. If anyone in the history of piping deserves to be described as a musical genius, it is Angus MacKay. (1813-1859) Angus MacKay, painted by William Wyld around 1852.