Pipe Major The pipe major is the leading musician of a pipe band, whether military or civilian. Like the appointment of drum major, the position is derived from British Army traditions. During the early twentieth century, the term sergeant piper was used ...

Donald MacLeod (14 August 1916 – 29 June 1982) was a Scottish bagpiper, British Army

Pipe major The pipe major is the leading musician of a pipe band, whether military or civilian. Like the appointment of drum major, the position is derived from British Army traditions. During the early twentieth century, the term sergeant piper was used ...

, composer and bagpipe instructor.

Life

Donald MacLeod ("Wee Donald") was born in

Stornoway Stornoway (; gd, Steòrnabhagh; sco, Stornowa) is the main town of the Western Isles and the capital of Lewis and Harris in Scotland. The town's population is around 6,953, making it by far the largest town in the Outer Hebrides, as well a ...

on the

Isle of Lewis The Isle of Lewis ( gd, Eilean Leòdhais) or simply Lewis ( gd, Leòdhas, ) is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides archipelago in Scotland. The two parts are frequently referred to as ...

on 14 August 1916. Macleod was mentored and tutored by John Morrison, who took him to his first

Northern Meeting The Northern Meeting is a gathering held in Inverness, Scotland, best known for its solo bagpiping competition in September. History The Northern Meeting was set up in 1798 "for the purpose of promoting a Social Intercourse", and early editions ...

. He was also tutored by Willie Ross, and every week for 27 years by

John MacDonald of Inverness Pipe Major John MacDonald (26 July 1865 - 6 June 1953) was a Scottish bagpipe player. Personal life John MacDonald was born on 26 July 1865 at Glentruim, near Kingussie in Scotland, to Alexander Macdonald and Jane Lamond, who had married in 18 ...

. He joined the British Army in 1937, and went to France in 1940 with the 2nd Battalion of the

Seaforth Highlanders The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, mainly associated with large areas of the northern Highlands of Scotland. The regiment existed from 1881 to 1961, and saw servic ...

in the British Expeditionary Force. Captured as a prisoner of war during the surrender at St. Valery-en-Caux, he escaped during the march to Germany and returned to France in 1944 as pipe major of the 7th Battalion of the Seaforth Highlanders. After the war, he competed in solo competitions, and won the

Gold Medal A gold medal is a medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture. Since the eighteenth century, gold medals have bee ...

at the

Inverness Inverness (; from the gd, Inbhir Nis , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness"; sco, Innerness) is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands. Histori ...

in 1947 and at the

Argyllshire Gathering The Argyllshire Gathering is a Highland games held in Oban, Scotland. History A meeting on 23 August 1871 held at the Argyll Arms Hotel led to a resolution to have an "Annual Gathering of the Gentry of the County of Argyll for social purposes" ...

Oban Oban ( ; ' in Scottish Gaelic meaning ''The Little Bay'') is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William. During the tourist season, th ...

in 1954. After leaving the British Army in 1963, MacLeod became a partner in Grainger and Campbell, a Glasgow bagpipe-manufacturing firm. He was made

Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(MBE) in 1978. With his wife Winnie he had two daughters, Susan and Fiona.

Musical influence

MacLeod tutored several top players, including John Wilson, Iain MacDonald, and P/M Iain M Morrison. He regularly taught at summer schools in North America. MacLeod's tutorial on

pibroch Pibroch, or is an art music genre associated primarily with the Scottish Highlands that is characterised by extended compositions with a melodic theme and elaborate formal variations. Strictly meaning "piping" in Scottish Gaelic, has for some f ...

contains 220 recordings in 21 volumes. Th
P/M Donald MacLeod MBE Memorial Competition
instituted by Iain M Morrison, is an invitational piping competition held in his memory on the Isle of Lewis since 1994.

Discography

* ''A Puckle Pipers'' *''Positively Piobaireachd'' *''Piper in the Nave''

Compositions

He published six volumes of light music and one of pibroch, and after his death Iain Macdonald compiled a further volume. Among his compositions were tunes such as: * ''Susan MacLeod'' * ''Fiona MacLeod'' * ''Glasgow City Police Pipers'' * ''Crossing the Minch'' * ''The Field of Gold'' * ''The Blackberry Bush''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Macleod, Donald People from Stornoway Great Highland bagpipe players 1916 births 1982 deaths Gold Medal winners (bagpipes) Members of the Order of the British Empire British Army personnel of World War II Seaforth Highlanders officers British World War II prisoners of war World War II prisoners of war held by Germany Scottish escapees Scottish bagpipe players Escapees from German detention