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| Fèis an Eilein | Fèis an Eilein – the Skye Festival (including the Aos Dàna’ Book Festival)
Fèis an Eilein – the Skye Festival, including the 'Aos Dàna’ Book Festival ran from Saturday 12 to Saturday 26 July 2008. There are scores of book festivals around these shores with hundreds of authors and stacks of books. On the Isle of Skye they do things differently. 'Aos Dàna'. The Book Festival in July was unique - it had only one author and one book. But this was not a minimal festival. In presenting the book, the festival organisers brought together a wealth of poets and musicians.
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Scotland's Music |
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The four-day event took its inspiration from musicologist, poet, broadcaster and Skye crofter, Dr John Purser and his book ‘Scotland's Music. A History of the Traditional and Classical Music of Scotland from Early Time to the Present Day.’ This book was presented by the BBC in a 50-part radio series in 2007. In a series of linked topics and concerts over the four day festival John Purser talked about the distinctive music and literature that emerged as Scottish society evolved over the centuries, and which contributes to our sense of nationhood today. It started with John playing bronze-age music in front of a bronze-age cave. And finished in the 21st Century with Donnie Munro.
The opening concert, on Saturday 12 July, at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Skye's Gaelic College, centred around the music of Erik Chisholm, whose compositions were inspired by classical pipe-tunes and 18th century music from the Gaidhealtachd. International pianist, Murray McLachlan, the renowned American Scottish fiddler Bonnie Rideout and piper Decker Forrest, brilliantly joined forces that night to make a truly remarkable concert.
Of the four pieces of Chisholm Music played that night:Sonatine Ecossaise
6 Airs from the Scottish Airs for Children
Bards 1,2 and 6 from The Night Song of the Bards
2 pieces from Piobaireachd including 'The Chisholm Salute'
Three now are on the Olympia CD Erik Chisholm Piano Music, recorded by Murray in 1997, and available from the Trust at the festival price of £5.00 plus p&p.
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