Hamish Moore’s final article for 2008
So, here we are on the last night. It feels strangely ghost like. The Duomo Bells have given me the time but the town is so quiet.
Marino is closed with the flu, Ricardo is on a day off, The Altana is shut for holidays and there really is no one about and it’s a bit grey and damp. Continue reading ‘Hamish Moore’s final article for 2008′
At 9.20 pm the huge bells above the Duomo started to swing as three members of the Barga Bellringers strained on the thick ropes to move the many tonnes of inert ancient bronze. Within minutes the swinging movement was enough for the enormous clappers hanging inside the bells to connect with the waiting outside edges and the three silently moving objects were suddenly transformed into three powerful, singing, ringing, vibrant and interconnected notes that spread out across the city.
Continue reading ‘Triumphant Scottish Concert’
How the bells tolled - Hamish Moore
“It was in Aristos one cold morning in April and there were the four of us, Aristo, Marino, Keane and myself. The door was closed to the miserable cold and wet mountain air. (”fredoliiiiiinnnnnnnno” echoed round my ears as the lovely old lady sang out with a tortured painfulness in Fornaceto one morning of that extraordinarily cold and wet April) The wee gas heater was on and our bellies were full of lovely warming coffee. Quite the bunch of us when you think about it. Continue reading ‘How the bells tolled - Hamish Moore’
Grand Concert of Scottish Traditional Music, Song and Dance
Background to the Concert.
One evening in May, while walking home through Piazza Angelio, Paolo Marrone stopped me and offered me the Theatre in Barga to put on a concert of Scottish Traditional Music and Song. What an opportunity.!
With me on that occasion were two members of an art group from John Ballanie’s home town, Port Seaton who also happen to be members of The Choir, Sangstream which is directed by my good friend and musical colleague, Mairi Campbell. As well as directing the choir, Mairi performs with her husband Dave Francis and are collectively known as “The Cast“. They can now be famously heard singing the original version of Auld Lang Syne on the recently released movie, “Sex and the City”. Continue reading ‘Grand Concert of Scottish Traditional Music, Song and Dance’
Piping Scots Culture into a Little Bit of Italy
THEY say that in the Tuscan hill town of Barga, near Lucca, anyone who speaks English does so with a Glasgow accent, such has been the degree of emigration to the west of Scotland from the area.
This may be an exaggeration, but it is entirely true that on Wednesday the town will resound with the strains of Scottish traditional music. Continue reading ‘Piping Scots Culture into a Little Bit of Italy’
From Aristos to The Oxford Bar (The Italian Connection)
Simple cultural differences are sometimes the stuff of amusement and its almost a devil of a job to get a cup of tea in Aristos. The concept of sitting, lingering over a long hot drink doesn’t exist here in Italy, with the possible exception of a cappuccino which is taken, as a rule before high noon. Continue reading ‘From Aristos to The Oxford Bar (The Italian Connection)’
We have just had two feast days here in Barga, here in Italy, and they were celebrated in style, with conviction and boundless energy.
The first was on the 25th of April, Giorno di Liberazione, when liberation from the horrors of fascism during the second world war is celebrated, and the second was on the first of May, International Worker’s Day. Continue reading ‘Liberazione’
Concert Fin Moore, Hamish Moore and Sarah Hoy
A concert this afternoon in Piazza Angelio of traditional Scottish music by Fin Moore and Sarah Moy. The couple have played recent concerts in New York, Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia, and Hong Kong and now Barga. They were invited here as guests of Hamish Moore, artist in residence 2008 and it is no coincidence that both Hamish and Fin share the same surname as they are in fact - father and son. Continue reading ‘Concert Fin Moore, Hamish Moore and Sarah Hoy’
I stayed longer than I would have ideally but the airfares went up during and around Easter. That bearded one, has a lot to answer for !
Actually, Easter in Scotland, apart from two days public holiday, is generally, religiously and even commercially a bit of a non event. I find it difficult to believe, but even commercially there just isn’t a hard sell even compared to the likes of Mother’s Day or Halloween. We are normally bombarded throughout the year with “must have” buys to celebrate this or that festival and these days, one seamlessly slides into the next. Not so with Easter in Scotland. Continue reading ‘Uccelli’
It was early morning when I trundled down the mountain to Gallicano to catch the 8.41 train to Lucca. We had been enjoying some lovely warm spring like days in Barga but the forecast for the day was for northern winds with snow. Everyone was wrapped up well in the lovely wee station and there was tension in the air: a deep seated, palpable (and vocal ) concern about the cold.
It just confirmed to me how much the weather affects the feelings and consciousness of a people, something we know only too well in Scotland. Continue reading ‘Pigs Legs’
Barga - Sailing up the Clyde: The Scottish Connection
Barga Scottish connections are renowned and legendary but I have to say - it's true. (Just before I get into this I have relate a story visa a vie last weeks rant about supermarkets. It was last Wednesday - forgot it was half day in Barga so took a turn into the wee, local and as it turns out useful supermarket. Continue reading ‘Barga - Sailing up the Clyde: The Scottish Connection’
The fourth article from Hamish Moore - the premier small pipes bagpipe maker in Scotland now working in Barga as artist in residence 2008 - I am now beginning to wonder when the door will slam - you know that old feeling:Its almost a barometer of how well things seem to be going and it brings to mind a song. Continue reading ‘Porti e Finestri - Aperta.’
The third article from Hamish Moore - acknowledged as the premier small pipes bagpipe maker in Scotland now working in Barga as artist in residence 2008 - Twas on the Monday morning and I had put in a good three hour shift at the lathe and was just thinking about stopping for some lunch when an astonishment of scarlet clad beings came streaming across and completely filling Piazza Angelio. Continue reading ‘Building Blocks’
The second article from Hamish Moore - acknowledged as the premier small pipes bagpipe maker in Scotland now working in Barga as artist in residence 2008
I suppose the first week felt a bit raw.The initial stages of settling were mostly concerned with the practicalities of moving my personal belongings into my flat, and then the lathe, band saw and all my equipment into my studio. Continue reading ‘Carpaccio’
The first part of a series of articles from Hamish Moore - acknowledged as the premier small pipes bagpipe maker in Scotland now working in Barga.
Not just a physical journey but a metaphor for the continuing journey of life, of healing and of moving on to the next stage, what ever that may be. That's the adventure. The adventure was and is exciting and daunting - becoming more exciting and less daunting now thankfully. Continue reading ‘The Journey’
Hamish Moore - bagpipes studio in Piazza Angelio
There is a wooden sign in Aristo's bar in Barga Vecchia which reads "from wine what sudden friendships spring" a quote from the English poet John Gay who in 1708 published 'Wine', a poem to celebrate the Act of Union between England and Scotland. That sign has been invested with added meaning by the arrival of a new member to the Barga Community - the Scotsman Hamish Moore who will be in Barga over the next year celebrating the friendship between Italy and Scotland. Continue reading ‘Hamish Moore - bagpipes studio in Piazza Angelio’
Bagpipe making, like life is difficult - Hamish Moore
During one of those incredible afternoon, early evening thunder storms that can happen in Barga during the spring and early summer, a visitor to Barga was enjoying the peace and quiet of Piazza Angelio. Hamish Moore sat outside the Osteria and pulled out from his bag a small set of pipes and started to play (click on the link at the bottom of this article to hear what Hamish played) Afterwards he spoke about some of the story that brought him here to Barga. Continue reading ‘Bagpipe making, like life is difficult - Hamish Moore’
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