Are the Settings Up to the Same Standard ?

I listen to old recordings of Muirhead and Sons, of Invergordon Distillery, of the Glasgow Polis, the Edinburgh Polis or 277 Royal Artillery.....

Although they played 2/4s, some of which are rarely played today, they also played tunes that are commonplace........and I'll use "The Highland Wedding" as an example....

They (or at last some) played settings that I have never heard since. The most recent recording I have heard which played an "old" (common) setting was Boghall and Bathgate......a recording made a couple of years ago.

It was lovely to hear but guess what.....half the embellishments were not being played. It was as if the tune had halgf it's embellishments removed.

So to all, especially those who have played for years............are the settings being chopped to pieces for sake of togetherness?

Am I just imagining it ( I am certain they are playing simpler versions....but why?)

Comments would be great.

Yep i think its getting the togetherness thats so important so take the guts out of the tune
mind you Boghall seem to be the best band at keeping it all in !!!!

Ron,

I would reckon you are bang on, most bands will change things to 'keep it clean'

Correct me if I',m wrong, but did one of the Scottish Regiments not have a reputation opf playing litle more than 'G' grace note, Royal Scots perhaps/

Its been done in every band I have been in, and nowadays with so many people writing material, music seems to be written with this mind, there are a few exceptions, Ryan Canning being one, IMO he is a terrific player, but seems to go a bit out of his way to makes his tunes 'awkward', for me anyway

cheers

Ron, in a word yes.

@Gordy, ya never played under the wee man or Lenny Brown then?..... . They'd never leave anything out, if it was on the script it was played.

TBH the biggest culprits I seen fer this was indeed the R.U.C band, Nat cut the stuff da smelly broon stuff 'n played it at 200mph da cover up the plain playin'.
Fact, not sour grapes either, when the RAMS folded I went to play wi Nat fer a few weeks, decided da give it a miss 'n joined the Graham Memorial. Better move, here again tunes were played to script, no butchering.

Ron ad say ya were spot on m8.

Redneck wrote:Ron, in a word yes.

@Gordy, ya never played under the wee man or Lenny Brown then?..... . They'd never leave anything out, if it was on the script it was played.

TBH the biggest culprits I seen fer this was indeed the R.U.C band, Nat cut the stuff da smelly broon stuff 'n played it at 200mph da cover up the plain playin'.
Fact, not sour grapes either, when the RAMS folded I went to play wi Nat fer a few weeks, decided da give it a miss 'n joined the Graham Memorial. Better move, here again tunes were played to script, no butchering.

Ron ad say ya were spot on m8.

No Arguments from me there mate,

However, that attitude did get him a G1 worlds trophy

It is now been sanctioned by RSPBA as they have butchered the MAP format tunes for grade 4