John MacFadyen was a master piper and teacher.
John MacFadyen (1926 – 1979) was a distinguished Scottish piper and composer of ceòl mòr (pibroch).
Born in the Highlands in 1926, he became renowned throughout the mid-20th century for both his competition successes and his evocative compositions.
Competition successes
MacFadyen claimed top prizes at major gatherings, including the Argyllshire Gathering and the Northern Meeting, earning a reputation for precise, expressive performances.
Composer of “The Battle of Auldearn”:
Among his most celebrated works is this stirring pibroch, which remains in competition and teaching repertoires to this day.
Legacy
Beyond his compositions, he influenced a generation of pipers through teaching and recordings. He passed away in 1979, but his ceòl mòr continues to inspire.
John MacFadyen (1926-1979) was a master piper and teacher. His influence continues to be felt in the teaching of the large group of great players he helped mold (with Bill Livingstone, Ed Neigh, Jim McGillivray and Michael Cusack among them).
This from Seumas MacNeill’s sleeve notes for the 1980 vinyl album, “John MacFadyen Plays Ceol Mor”:
“About the year 1610 A.D. Donald Mor MacCrimmon’s brother, Patrick, was treacherously murdered by his own foster brother in Kintail. Donla More appealed to Rory MacLeod for help in obtaining revenge, but the MacLeod chief tried to pacify the piper by promising that if Donald More took no action, he, MacLeod would see that justice was done within a year.
MacLeod did nothing at all, so at the end of the year Donald Mor set out for Kintail. His quarry however had received advance word and he barricaded himself into a house. Donald Mor called on the inhabitants to deliver up the guilty man to him, and when this was refused he set fire to the houses burning eighteen of them and causing the loss of several lives.
The tune, A Flame of Wrath for Padruig Coach is said to have been composed as the houses were burning. It is a fantastic piece of music, wild and compelling it is perhaps the best of Donald Mor MacCrimmon’s compositions and certainly one of the best of all tunes.
Nothing has been produced in any art form which gives such moving picture of the wildest aspects of the Highlands at that time.”
