• The Conundrum

    From rob.lynn.93@gmail.com@21:1/5 to Andrew Berthoff on Sat Mar 4 12:18:36 2017
    On Friday, October 19, 2001 at 12:18:37 PM UTC-6, Andrew Berthoff wrote:
    Peter MacLeod Sr. lost a leg while working in the Clydebank shipyards, and some say the odd, tripping effect of the tune suited his limp.

    Andrew Wright, who was a pupil of MacLeod (see Feb and May 1995 Piper & Drummer magazine interviews), said that MacLeod built a secret door in the wooden leg to hide the housekeeping money that his frugal wife allotted.

    Mrs. Peter MacLeod was so disgusted by the leg, which he apparently used to prop up in the corner of their bedroom, that she would never go near it or the money, which he apparently preferred to use at the local pub.

    Andrew Berthoff
    Toronto, Canada


    "Calum" <u38cg@abdn.ac.uk> wrote in message news:3BD05885.EA99E95B@abdn.ac.uk...
    If I recall correctly, it was named by a relative (?daughter), I forget
    exactly
    why. It does have a kind of odd rhythmic pattern of three against fours,
    which
    is rather attractive.

    The opening bars are a kind of parody of the opening phrase of Glengarry's Lament, though tastefully done. And quite cheeky, as one would expect
    from a
    composer like MacLeod.

    Cheers,
    Calum

    James Oravik wrote:

    Is there any story behind this tune? What is "The Conundrum"? It is a
    pretty
    nice tune yet it seems....different. Anyone know anything?

    Matt
    railroader1@adelphia.net


    I have heard the story from another piper in our band about the phrasing being suitable for walking with a limp as well. The piper who told me is known to "embellish" stories, so I wasn't sure of whether it was true or not. (The best part is that my
    piper friend can actually play it while limping and it works!) I like the story however, and hope it's true.

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