Some 2/4 marches from Belfast

March, strathspey and reel [MSR] pipe band competitions are sometimes criticised because bands restrict their repertoire to a relatively small number of compositions, especially when it comes to strathspeys and reels. Bands submit two MSRs and a draw is made on the line just before the band plays. The first eight draws in the Grade 1 competition at the UK Pipe Band Championships in Belfast on 14 June 2014 were all number 1 (possible but improbable) but it did give us quite a variety of marches.

Here are four performances of marches which are relatively unusual in pipe band competitions.

[00:06] Pipe Major Jim Christie of Wick, played by Vale of Atholl Pipe Band
[01:50] [The Braes of] Castle Grant, played by Denny & Dunnipace Gleneagles Pipe Band
[03:34] Donald Cameron, played by Cullybackey Pipe Band, and
[06:07] Dugald MacColl's Farewell to France, played by Ballycoan Pipe Band