Annotation:John McColl's Reel
X:1 T:John McColl's Reel M:C| L:1/8 R:Pipe Reel C:J. Scott Skinner B:Skinner - The Scottish Violinist (1900) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:Amix {g}A|A<A cA eAcA|dBcA BGGB|A<A cA eAcA|dBed cAA:|| g|afge fdec|Bdgd BGGg|afge faed|ceae cAAg| (a/g/f) ge fded|(B/c/d g)d BGGB|AAcA eacA|dBed cAA||
JOHN McCOLL'S REEL. Scottish, Pipe Reel. A Mixolydian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. Composed by biography:J. Scott Skinner (1843-1927) in honor of Pipe Major John McColl (1860-1943), of Oban, who composed a number of famous marches, many still staples of pipe competitions (see his "Mrs. John MacColl," "Argyllshire Gathering (The)," "Jeannie Carruthers," "Arthur Bignold of Lochrosque," and "Clan MacColl (The)," to name a few). See also Skinner's march "Piper King (The)," also written in his honor. In addition to playing the pipes, McColl (sometimes 'MacColl') was an accomplished fiddler, Highland dancer and athlete. In 1880 at age twenty he became piper to MacDonald of Dunach, a small estate south of Oban, enabling him to make a career of his piping and music. He won his first competition in 1881, the Gold Medal at Oban, followed by numerous contest victories for the next twenty years (in dancing as well as piping). In later years McColl removed to Glasgow.
