IAN MacDonald (Letters, October 18) is to be commended for his detailed explanation of why some of our International sportsmen refrain from singing Scotland's adopted anthem. Whilst noteworthy it was a somewhat selective misinterpretation of my earlier letter (October 16) on the attitude of some players during the anthem. Surely the SFA should ensure a unified decorum before, during and after proceedings? At least a respectful "mouthing" could be made of the dirge considering the faithful Tartan Army are giving it laldy "in full support of the chosen ones.
I suspect Mr MacDonald and I are in unison that the sporting authorities should think again regarding the current national drone.
Allan C Steele,
22 Forres Avenue, Giffnock.
AFTER unintentionally offending bagpipe aficionados throughout the land by inaccurately stating the key of the Highland bagpipe as B flat in my letter (October 18), I hereby wish to clarify this technical issue.
As everyone, apart from myself, obviously knows, the bagpipe chanter has a range of nine notes which are based on the mixolydian modal scale of A plus an extra lower note G, although bagpipe music is generally written without a key signature. Whilst acknowledging the many subtle characteristics and technical intricacies inherent in this noble instrumental beast, the main focus of my letter was to challenge the unavoidably high-pitched range of notes singers need to aspire to when accompanied by the bagpipes.
As the pipes can only play Flower of Scotland in the very high key (for singers) of D major, our already hard-pressed internationalists and supporters, through no fault of their own, find themselves screeching painfully up in an operatic range of high Fs, Gs and, God forbid, even eye-watering and ear-shattering As, which sounds excruciatingly awful. Although I suppose it at least gives everyone a serious pre-match vocal workout.
Ian MacDonald,
Laggary Park, Rhu.
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