A Tribute to Scotland's greatest soldier. I do NOT own copyrights to the Audio sequences contained in this video. All rights belong to their respective owners.
¸.•*¨*•¸☆ Phil, Congratulations on your wonderful performance! Such a beautiful tribute to Major General Hector MacDonald! Scotland is one of the most beautiful countries in the world! I have always loved Scottish music. Add to my playlist. Thank you, my talented friend. Have a great week!.....Ro
TH U! I wish I was there to hear it live! I forgot where I was when I first heard it! I wonder if my adopted Grandmother knew this piece, all I can remember was her playing Raglan Road and Annie laurie, I bet she would have chosen this piece too! I am glad I heard her play it on the piano, with the same concentration that you do. This music stuck in my mind and heart at quite a tender age! Th U again!
Thank you Alisha. Aberdeen University has all the details of Hector MacDonald, should you choose to read. It's a sad, sad story. Thank you for your comments :-)
Hi Phil, I feel teary listening to you play my friend. My goodness you play so beautifully and smoothly!! Such a rare gift! I agree with John, this has an Irish flavor to it .... what a gorgeous piece of music. Nice to be in touch again my friend. Take care and stay safe during these testing times. From your old mate Lorraine x
@@LorraineAshby Hi Lorraine, It does have an Irish feel to it and was based on an American playing style. :-)) As if that wasn't confusing enough, Scott Skinner was a Fiddler and composer who wrote the music as a tribute to "Hector the Hero". It's really a tribute to Scotland's greatest soldier, Major General Sir Hector Archibald MacDonald. It is my tribute offered, giving benefit of the doubt as his career was controversial. As I said at the beginning of the video..."May God have looked upon your life with Truth and Accuracy and rewarded you in heaven or condemned you to hell". I said this, as there were accusations of inappropriate homosexual behavior on his part but were never proven. The English army had arranged a Court Marshal but when Hector killed himself they discovered that he had a wife and son :-( With embarrassment, they went meekly to Lady Christina MacDonald and asked if the funeral could be discrete as the homosexual allegations would be embarrassing to the King, who gave Hector awards. She agreed but word got out and the streets of Edinburgh came to a standstill as they filled up with more than 30 thousand mourners. The story of his life is both exciting and sad and if nothing else, very memorable. Anyone I speak to in Scotland has never heard of him. Now that's sad! I suppose past events were rather hushed up given the controversy. If you have time, you can find a fascinating story here... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hector_MacDonald but I can't guarantee its accuracy. Best wishes Lorraine.
@@philsskills I clicked on the link you provided and read all about the amazing (understatement) Sir Hector Archibald MacDonald. What an incredible man to have achieved so much and he did it the hard way rising through the ranks on merit alone. My Dad was in the army so I understand the significance of this. He really was a true hero and incredible soldier but more than this he was so humble and a man of good and noble character. The spitefulness, jealousy and false accusations that led to his very sad demise is disgusting to say the least. You are right, his story is fascinating, exciting, sad but very hard to forget. I found it difficult to take it all in ..... a real emotional roller coaster. I could kick myself for not reading those profound words at the beginning of your video, words I will never forget "May God have looked upon your life with Truth and Accuracy and rewarded you in heaven or condemned you to hell!" After what I have read about this incredible man I am stunned to read that people you have spoken to about him have never heard of him . Phil, his story has left a really deep impact on me for many reasons. I love history and biographies, basically I am fascinated by human beings and why they do the things they do!! Thank you for sharing this one with me. Best wishes Phil,
@@LorraineAshby @@LorraineAshby Thank you Lorraine. You are most welcome. I researched his life by reading info from one of the universities in Scotland, I can't remember which Uni :-) It took me around 2 weeks of research to seek the truth but I never really found it! Also, James Scott Skinner's life story intermittently influenced research time. In the morning when he took his life, witness statements said he collected mail from the front desk, then read from the 'Newspaper rack' and headed off to his room. After hearing a loud gunshot, a copy of an American newspaper (might have been the American Tribune or New York Herald, (I can't remember) was found beside him on the bed containing slanderous and negative publicity, but...the mail from the front desk was NEVER found, not even to this day. This raised my suspicion. Something was covered up. Several witnesses and also the Front Desk Clerk who handed over the mail to him, 'swore' he collected mail, some of which he replied to and others he did not. As you say "an emotional roller coaster". Three things I also found sad, were: He married Christina when she was 17 years old. It must have been love :-) and was perfectly legal under Scottish law at that time but not English Law (probably the wisest law on reflection). Lady Christina MacDonald had to go to court twice to have her son recognized as being 'legitimate' under English law. The second hearing which was in England, ruled in her favour. Christina also decided to sue several journalists for slander... she WON every case! So, Christina was not treated with much respect either, regardless of her status. "Fighting Mac" applies to both of them :-) In two decades of marriage they were together only 3 times :-( I couldn't find out why but then it occurred to me that to take leave for Scotland, would involve weeks of sailing on a ship just to get home, have your holiday and then, there would have been the return journey. I don't think the Military would have been that generous with a soldier's leave. Today we can get from one side of the world to the other within 2 days :-) Their son, was said to be 'non-sociable' but not anti-social. No bloody wonder! I think he died in the late 1960's having spent his life being an Engineer. Thanks for your interest Lorraine. I also have a fascination with historical figures and also the buildings they occupied. My research also made an impact on me. I'm perplexed as to why a soldier, credited to be greater than William Wallace, Robert the Bruce and Rob Roy MacGregor has such neglected history and recognition. I normally spend time researching the music I upload and this was no exception. Maybe this is why there are so many gaps between my uploads. At least, that's my excuse ;-) The sadness you feel in the violin playing is probably the fact that this is not just a Scott Skinner's fiddle tune, it was ... and is a 'lament'. regards, Phil
What a wonderful tribute and passionate performance dear Phil!! I missed you as I have been away from my piano and the social media scene for months due to many projects and corporate work life (not even time for practice these days). Just had to pop in to say hello and see what you have been doing. This is so beautiful!! Thank you! Hope you are enjoying the springtime and hope to be back soon :-) ~Jackie
Hello Jackie, Yes I remember you spoke of taking a break on the Google+ site (which I've given up on due to lack of time) I am still active on YT though :-) I'm glad you're on your way back! I'll look forward to you next new upload :-) Thanks for taking time out to view this video and have a great new week :-) - Phil
You're welcome Phil! Glad you can relate about lack of time. I feel a little bad because I do love people so much, but only so much we can comfortably handle and I am realizing that now. Take good care and see you soon :-)
"Pretty" :-)) That's a new term to me for appraising my playing! Thank you so much Mandy :-) According to friends, "Hector the Hero" seems to be loved on your side of the pond by so many fiddlers.
![Try to Beat me at Violin [🎻100 Violin Giveaway]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ctIbXWIHVXo/mqdefault.jpg)
![Try to Beat me at Violin [🎻100 Violin Giveaway]](/img/tr.png)
Fantastic my dear..Lovely
Thank you Lola :-)
¸.•*¨*•¸☆ Phil,
Congratulations on your wonderful performance! Such a beautiful tribute to Major General Hector MacDonald! Scotland is one of the most beautiful countries in the world! I have always loved Scottish music. Add to my playlist. Thank you, my talented friend. Have a great week!.....Ro
Thank you so much Ro :-)
¸.•*¨*•¸☆ Phil,
You're welcome :) Thank you!......Ro
lovely lovely music, I like it!
Thank you :-)
Lovely A-major and your quote is spiffing too, Phil! :-)
Thank you so much Eva :-)
Great work on this Phil , always a pleasure , liked , have a great Friday :)ms
Thank you MS. I'll have another Scottish piece uploading shortly. :-)
You always have a knack of picking the right tune to fiddle with :))
Thanks MS :-)
Ouvindo 💖🎧🇧🇷
Thank you :-)
Wooooowwww... Nice Philll.. love it... 😍😍😍😘
Thanks so much Adinda :-)
You played that so emotional!! Like always your video was wonderful to listen and watch. :-))) Have a wonderful Sunday!
Thank you Marikoli. I'm happy you liked it :-)
How I enjoyed listening to this beautiful piece Phil, wonderful cover of it, and so nice to see you again...my warmest regards ~ Liz
Thank you Liz. I'm happy you liked it :-)
Nice interpretation Phil ! A great Sunday to you my dear friend !
Thank you Edu :-)
It's really nice! Big thumbs up.. Have a Wonderful Time Phil :)!
Thanks Reit :-)
TH U! I wish I was there to hear it live! I forgot where I was when I first heard it! I wonder if my adopted Grandmother knew this piece, all I can remember was her playing Raglan Road and Annie laurie, I bet she would have chosen this piece too! I am glad I heard her play it on the piano, with the same concentration that you do. This music stuck in my mind and heart at quite a tender age! Th U again!
Thank you. I'm happy that you enjoyed it. Regards, Phil
Superb Phil. You play with such feeling. I love it ~ Alisha ;)
Thank you Alisha. Aberdeen University has all the details of Hector MacDonald, should you choose to read. It's a sad, sad story. Thank you for your comments :-)
Beautiful rendition, bravo Phil! This is really relaxing and pleasant :-)
Thanks for your comments FX. They are appreciated. :-)
SUPER VIDEO!!!
Very beautifull !!! You play with such feelings. I like it ......
Your best friend .. Alma
Thank you so much Alma :-) Next up at my end is "Dia" by Anji. I hope you'll watch. Thanks for your comments dear lady :-)
Phil, this is certainly a fine tribute and a very fine performance! This is perfectly beautiful!
Thank you very much :-)
As always Phil... Great, very touchfull.
Thank you Dede. Happy you liked it :-)
Gorgeous and emotional performance,Phil!!Happy weekend!~Macky:)
Love it!:D)
Thank you Macky. I'm happy you love it. Have a nice weekend also :-)
absolutely beautiful Song & Cover Version! Loved it!
I have subbed you. Greetings, Yvonne
Thank you :-)
Nice work matey! Lovely playing of this classic and nice sympathetic use of vibrato. 👍
Thank you Martin :-)
Very nice song! You play very well, like the vibrato. Love Scottish, Irish and similar music.
Thank you very much :-)
Nice cover, Like 28
Thank you :-)
Hi Phil, I feel teary listening to you play my friend. My goodness you play so beautifully and smoothly!! Such a rare gift! I agree with John, this has an Irish flavor to it .... what a gorgeous piece of music. Nice to be in touch again my friend. Take care and stay safe during these testing times. From your old mate Lorraine x
Thanks Lorraine! Best wishes to everyone for the future. regards, Phil
@@philsskills Sorry Phil, nice tribute to James Scott Skinner, Scotland's greatest soldier ..... have a smashing weekend, Lorraine :)
@@LorraineAshby Hi Lorraine, It does have an Irish feel to it and was based on an American playing style. :-)) As if that wasn't confusing enough, Scott Skinner was a Fiddler and composer who wrote the music as a tribute to "Hector the Hero". It's really a tribute to Scotland's greatest soldier, Major General Sir Hector Archibald MacDonald. It is my tribute offered, giving benefit of the doubt as his career was controversial. As I said at the beginning of the video..."May God have looked upon your life with Truth and Accuracy and rewarded you in heaven or condemned you to hell". I said this, as there were accusations of inappropriate homosexual behavior on his part but were never proven. The English army had arranged a Court Marshal but when Hector killed himself they discovered that he had a wife and son :-( With embarrassment, they went meekly to Lady Christina MacDonald and asked if the funeral could be discrete as the homosexual allegations would be embarrassing to the King, who gave Hector awards. She agreed but word got out and the streets of Edinburgh came to a standstill as they filled up with more than 30 thousand mourners. The story of his life is both exciting and sad and if nothing else, very memorable. Anyone I speak to in Scotland has never heard of him. Now that's sad! I suppose past events were rather hushed up given the controversy. If you have time, you can find a fascinating story here... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hector_MacDonald but I can't guarantee its accuracy. Best wishes Lorraine.
@@philsskills I clicked on the link you provided and read all about the amazing (understatement) Sir Hector Archibald MacDonald. What an incredible man to have achieved so much and he did it the hard way rising through the ranks on merit alone. My Dad was in the army so I understand the significance of this. He really was a true hero and incredible soldier but more than this he was so humble and a man of good and noble character. The spitefulness, jealousy and false accusations that led to his very sad demise is disgusting to say the least. You are right, his story is fascinating, exciting, sad but very hard to forget. I found it difficult to take it all in ..... a real emotional roller coaster. I could kick myself for not reading those profound words at the beginning of your video, words I will never forget "May God have looked upon your life with Truth and Accuracy and rewarded you in heaven or condemned you to hell!" After what I have read about this incredible man I am stunned to read that people you have spoken to about him have never heard of him . Phil, his story has left a really deep impact on me for many reasons. I love history and biographies, basically I am fascinated by human beings and why they do the things they do!! Thank you for sharing this one with me. Best wishes Phil,
@@LorraineAshby @@LorraineAshby
Thank you Lorraine. You are most welcome. I researched his life by reading info from one of the universities in Scotland, I can't remember
which Uni :-) It took me around 2 weeks of research to seek the truth but I never really found it! Also, James Scott Skinner's life story intermittently
influenced research time.
In the morning when he took his life, witness statements said he collected mail from the front desk, then read from the 'Newspaper rack' and headed off to his room. After hearing a loud gunshot, a copy of an American newspaper (might have been the American Tribune or New York Herald, (I can't remember) was found beside him on the bed containing slanderous and negative publicity, but...the mail from the front desk was NEVER found, not even to this day. This raised my suspicion. Something was covered up.
Several witnesses and also the Front Desk Clerk who handed over the mail to him, 'swore' he collected mail, some of which he replied to and others he did not. As you say "an emotional roller coaster".
Three things I also found sad, were: He married Christina when she was 17 years old. It must have been love :-) and was perfectly legal under Scottish law at that time but not English Law (probably the wisest law on reflection). Lady Christina MacDonald had to go to court twice to have her son recognized as being 'legitimate' under English law. The second hearing which was in England, ruled in her favour. Christina also decided to sue several journalists for slander... she WON every case! So, Christina was not treated with much respect either, regardless of her status. "Fighting Mac" applies to both of them :-)
In two decades of marriage they were together only 3 times :-( I couldn't find out why but then it occurred to me that to take leave for Scotland, would involve weeks of sailing on a ship just to get home, have your holiday and then, there would have been the return journey. I don't think the Military would have been that generous with a soldier's leave. Today we can get from one side of the world to the other within 2 days :-)
Their son, was said to be 'non-sociable' but not anti-social. No bloody wonder! I think he died in the late 1960's having spent his life being an Engineer.
Thanks for your interest Lorraine. I also have a fascination with historical figures and also the buildings they occupied. My research also made an impact on me. I'm perplexed as to why a soldier, credited to be greater than William Wallace, Robert the Bruce and Rob Roy MacGregor has such neglected history and recognition.
I normally spend time researching the music I upload and this was no exception. Maybe this is why there are so many gaps between my uploads. At least, that's my excuse ;-) The sadness you feel in the violin playing is probably the fact that this is not just a Scott Skinner's fiddle tune, it was ... and is a 'lament'. regards, Phil
Hello Phil
Very heart warming performance, so nice to see you, around.. I hope you are, doing well, have a lovely day...
Thank you Nancy. Have a nice evening. :-)
amazing my friend welcome back i loved it:-)
Thank you Zen :-)
Lovely cover dear Phil, you play with passion.
T-up! Ciao, Gael
Thank you so much for taking the time to watch and comment Gael :-)
What a wonderful tribute and passionate performance dear Phil!! I missed you as I have been away from my piano and the social media scene for months due to many projects and corporate work life (not even time for practice these days). Just had to pop in to say hello and see what you have been doing. This is so beautiful!! Thank you! Hope you are enjoying the springtime and hope to be back soon :-) ~Jackie
Hello Jackie, Yes I remember you spoke of taking a break on the Google+ site (which I've given up on due to lack of time) I am still active on YT though :-) I'm glad you're on your way back! I'll look forward to you next new upload :-)
Thanks for taking time out to view this video and have a great new week :-) - Phil
You're welcome Phil! Glad you can relate about lack of time. I feel a little bad because I do love people so much, but only so much we can comfortably handle and I am realizing that now. Take good care and see you soon :-)
Nice video!!!!
Thank you for your comment. :-)
MEGA LIKE!!!!
So beautiful! I like it! 😊 Have fun while you are gone from YT !
Thanks Yana :-)
Lovely playing ... sounds Irish , but maybe it’s your style .. like it Well done, very Nice sound and balance and phrasing 👍🎸🎶
Thanks John. Happy you liked it. It's like me...Scottish. A "Scottish Lament" to be accurate. Thanks for stopping by and viewing :-)
very beautifull !!! Bravo !!!
Thank you for taking time to watch and comment MaryStella :-)
Lovely piece , very well played, Phil! Great tribute!
Have a nice day, my friend :-9 ops :-)
Cristina
:-))) Thank you Dear Cristina. Enjoy your day also :-)
Very pretty 🙂
"Pretty" :-)) That's a new term to me for appraising my playing! Thank you so much Mandy :-) According to friends, "Hector the Hero" seems to be loved on your side of the pond by so many fiddlers.
It's one that's new to me, I don't believe I've ever heard it before, but I like it :)
I'm happy you like it. You should give it ago yourself. There are many different arrangements :-)
A great video. I have joined your channel. Please return the favour many thanks chris 👍 👍 👍 👍 👍 👍 👍