farewell to stromness; guitar

The remote and beautiful town of Stromness is on Mainland, the largest island of the Orkneys, lying off the north coast of Scotland.

Farewell to Stromness is a piano interlude from The Yellow Cake Revue, by Peter Maxwell Davies, which protested against the economically adverse affect of uranium mining in the Orkneys, and was first performed at the St. Magnus Festival, Orkney in 1980. The music inspired Timothy Walker present at the Revue to transcribe Farewell to Stromness for solo guitar, which he performed two days later in Kirkwall Cathedral, Orkney, as part of the same Festival.

The guitarist on this video is Graham Anthony Devine, whose website is http://grahamdevine.com , and this track comes from his album British Guitar Music on the Naxos label, reference 8.557040, which can be bought from following this link to Naxos: http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/

The music is published by Boosey & Hawkes and may be purchased from their website http://www.boosey.com/
Product Code: 006430U
ISMN reference M060065323.

The images, modified for this video, are by Doug Houghton, photographer, and these and very many other photographs of the Orkneys may been seen on his website http://www.doughoughton.com .

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• scotland
• scot
• scottish
• farewell
• stromness
• orkney
• island
• isle
• devine
• guitar
• maxwell-davies
• composer
• houghton
• photographer

[figgylulu]

Stromness isn't an island off the North Coast of Scotland, it's a town on the Mainland of Orkney. That said it is beautiful and remote; however it is also vibrant, a big centre of the Orkney music scene with a superb new art gallery.

[Varvitski]

So it is! I've corrected the designation description. Many thanks for your feedback figgylulu, and indeed the additional information about Stromness.

While I'm here I'd like to thank everyone for their comments - I do very much appreciate them. Also, I'd encourage anyone who has not yet visited the landscapes and isles of Scotland to do so; it's good for the heart.

[ormistonk]

The music and the wonderful Orkney landscape are completely empathetic and stir my patheistic soul ! Thanks for this Russ

[shetlandlive]

We at Orkneylive . c o m love this video and have put it on our site. Everyone welcome to join free.

[2011littlejohn1]

@thrashguitar1 Sounds like a nylon string acoustic played fingerstyle. Check out Chet Atkins he sounds like 3 guitars.

[Geoffarrell]

Excellent and atmospheric

[kingdantje]

@thrashguitar1 I think it's just one

[thrashguitar1]

is it 2 guitars playing?

[Davidoff73]

beautiful music - like this version a lot. thanks for posting

[CS80undermybed]

@lilmizzsmileyface You are most fortunate, a beautiful and haunting part of the world.

[CS80undermybed]

@Varvitski Very true, I've found it to be a very beautiful place with a haunting atmosphere and I can recommend it to anyone. I just wish it wasn't so bloody cold! :-))

[craigsskeldon]

@figgylulu It's not that remote lol, orkney compared to actual north scotland is quite busy

[AKhomiakov]

Sir Peter's piece has this aching, longing feeling--at least for me. Beautiful guitar rendition. "Parting is such sweet sorrow." Does everyone have a "Stromness" they've said farewell to?