Ian Powrie - Scottish Country Dance

This video is of the Cincinnati Royal Scottish Country Dance Society Demo Team at the Cincinnati Fine Arts Sampler of 2008. The venue was the Gallery Level of Newport on the Levee in Newport, KY. February 9th, 2008

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• RSCDS
• Scottish
• Country
• Dance
• Celtic
• Ian
• Powrie

[scotdrum2]

Bit late on this one. Dance was composed by Bill Hamilton and the tune was composed by John MacGregor. The original recording was by Ian Powrie's professional band in 1967, when Ian and Leila moved to perth Western Australia. They came back in the early 80s and ian had a second coming, mainly as a solo fiddler but also guesting with other bands, such as Ian Holmes in Scotland, and Bobby Frew in Canada. Does anybody know which band this is? Bobby Frew?

[CaelynTekVP]

I am unsure who played this, I'll see if I can find out. I would imagine it was Ian Powrie, otherwise we wouldn't have called the set that. But who knows, I'm not the group's expert on music or dance history :) Thanks for your comment!

[scotdrum2]

Wouldn't have been Ian. He retired from playing in the mid 90s. The set is called Ian Powrie presumably because the dance (and the lead tune) is called 'Ian Powrie's Farewell to Auchterarder'. It is a popular dance to this day. I mentioned Bobby Frew because he played lead accordion in Stan Hamilton's (Canada based) band and the arrangement sounded like one of Stan's, although he wasn't playing by the time of this video. Sadly both he and Bobby are no longer with us.

[CaelynTekVP]

Well the next time our group meets for practice, I'll ask which recording we use. Thanks again.

[westvan61]

The dance's full title is Ian Powrie's Farewell to Auchterarder, often just called "Farewell to Auchterarder". (Used as a dem dance by the RSCDS Vancouver Branch Dem Team during Burns Season 2008)

[CaelynTekVP]

Interesting to know, we've always just called it Ian Powrie... easier to say I guess. :) It's one of our Demo teams favorites to dance when we have enough active members of the demo team available to practice it. (We often only have 6 dancers available) Thanks for the comment.

[brielizabeth103]

I am Ian Powrie's granddaughter and I would just like to acknowledge how much of an inspiration he has been to me in my musical life... After all, he's the one that got me onto the fiddle at a young age!

[scotdrum2]

Can't answer Poppybox's Q about John MacGregor, but I think he may have died. Two friends who are the same age as I am (67) played as junior members of his band so he'll be getting on a bit if he's not dead. He certainly hasn't been on the band scene for many years. I'll post again if I speak to one of the friends.

Dull middle tune. Powrie used 'Echoes of Oban', a 64 bar 6/8 pipe march, which suits the 32/64/32 bar format of the dance better than a 32 bar jig played twice.

[ThePoppybox]

@scotdrum2 Anyone know what became of John MacGregor? Haven'y heard of him for ages.

[LaviniaVeiled]

I wanted to drop a quick note to say THANKS for posting this video! I was having some difficulty remembering the geography of this dance and being able to watch it has really helped me. It is such an enjoyable dance and I can't wait to improve. Much appreciated!

[scotdrum2]

Thanks for that.  Makes sense.

[etozorak]

@scotdrum2

The recording is Don Bartlett and the Scotians, done in the 70s.