Council Commissions New Gaelic Quartet Arrangement

The recent Royal National Mod in Stornoway was the venue for the world premiere of a new Gaelic Song arrangement commissioned by The Highland Council. The song ‘Soraidh Leis an Ait’ ‘was written by the great Skye bardess Mairi Mhor nan Oran and was commissioned for the first time, as a quartet arrangement by the Mairi Mhor Gaelic Song Fellowship.

Fiona Mackenzie, the Mairi Mhor Fellow said: "I was approached some time ago by a group of singers from Largs who wanted to sing a quartet arrangement of the song at the 2005 Mod but had been unable to locate a four part arrangement. I too was unable to find one and so secured the funding to commission well known conductor and musician Kenneth Thomson of Glasgow to write a new arrangement. It is such a lovely song and of course is one of Mairi Mhors’ best known songs, written about her feelings on leaving her beloved island of Skye, to live in Glasgow. Kenneth produced this lovely piece of music and I was delighted to give it to the Largs quartet for them to sing at the Mod –I am sure that other choirs, including my own choir, Inverness Gaelic Choir, may use it in the future."

The Largs Quartet went on to win second place in the prestigious quartet competition at the Mod with the new arrangement..

Councillor Hamish Fraser, Chair of the Gaelic Select Committee for The Highland Council said: "Mairi Mhor nan Oran would be very proud to know that her work is still as popular today as it was when it was made and The Highland Council are pleased that singers from all over Scotland, not just Skye, are still keen to sing – and develop them."

Colin Fisher of the quartet said: "We were delighted that Fiona was able to help us with the new arrangement of what has always been a very popular song and we were delighted also to be the first singers to perform it. We worked very hard at the song and it paid off – hopefully this arrangement will be now very firmly in the Gaelic quartet repertoire."