Duncan Chisholm: Special Musical Forces
Duncan Chisholm has already had quite a career.
One of Scotland’s finest traditional musicians, the renowned fiddle player has the ability to cross musical boundaries and is as comfortable performing modern rock with a Celtic twist in Wolfstone (the band he founded 23 years ago) as he is delivering a slow air or speedy reel.
He is also a noted solo artist with a number of critically acclaimed albums to his name.
But musical and personal events through the latter half of 2011 and the dawning of 2012 produced some of the most satisfying moments of Duncan Chisholm’s life yet.
Duncan recently became a father again and when I caught up with him he was playing dad rather than playing a musical instrument and changing nappies, not fiddle strings.
With Duncan’s dad duties dealt with we left the latest member of the Chisholm family to his dreams and started to talk about another member of Clan Chisholm and Duncan’s latest and perhaps most personal musical project.
“I was contacted by the BBC last year to see if I would be interested in writing the music for a new documentary, which was to be about commando and Special Forces training in Scotland during World War Two.
"Some of my music had been used a couple of years before for similar BBC projects (such as The Fighting Scots, hosted by Rory Bremner) but that was lifted from my album Farrar. This was a commission for brand new music. It took me completely by surprise but I started writing almost immediately.
"It usually takes me months to write or record a few tunes,” Duncan continued with a chuckle “but this this took a couple of days. Instant inspiration.”
And there was good reason for that instant inspiration...
Staff Sergeant Duncan Chisholm, grandfather of the Wolfstonian musician, was one of the trainers instructing field craft to the servicemen who were sent to the Highlands to hone their specialist skills.
The programme in question, Castle Commando, tells of how Achnacarry (near Fort William) and other areas in the Highlands and north of Scotland helped produce Special Forces between 1942 and 1945.
Duncan’s grandfather instructed at Inverailort Castle but was seriously injured when a mine detonated close by (live ammunition was used during training).
He was later re-assigned to Glenfeshie where he continued to instruct.
The producers and documentary makers had no idea of the Chisholm connection when they approached Duncan, which makes you wonder if Special Forces weren’t at work in the area again, but this time ancestral and musical ones.
With such an emotive focal point and with the music and topic so personal to the musician, surely some of the material will make its way to a future Duncan Chisholm project?
“Oh absolutely, at least two of the tunes will feature on my next solo album, which will be the final part of the Strathglass trilogy” (Duncan’s emotive instrumental music inspired by the ancient and historical Chisholm lands).
Castle Commando may well be the highlight of Duncan Chisholm’s recent musical activities, but it’s hardly the only highlight.
In 2011 Wolfstone recorded two new songs, 'Time for Walking' and 'The Back of Beyond,' and samples of the tracks can be heard on the band’s website.
The latter track is a song by Irish traditional music band Gráda but Wolfstone have given it their own sonic stamp, adding a fiddle & guitar introduction and a rock ‘n’ reel finish.
“Our guitarist Davie (Dunsmuir) came up with the intro in rehearsals and the second part of the song is actually an old traditional tune, 'The Coach House Reel,' Duncan confirmed. “I think it fits perfectly.”
Wolfstone finished 2011 in fine style with four shows known as The December Gigs. All four were in the north of Scotland culminating with a Hogmanay performance in Inverness.
Duncan was also part of Heisgeir, the musical and video documentary by award winning Scots Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis, which debuted at last year’s Blass Festival.
The show, based on the history of the Monach Isles which sit west of North Uist (where Fowlis grew up) was critically acclaimed and toured very successfully in the States.
Solo dates in 2011 were well received, the highlight of which was the Scots Fiddle Festival show (accompanied by guitarist Tony Byrne) at the Queens Hall in Edinburgh. Duncan was called back for an unforeseen and totally unexpected second encore.
One of Scotland’s finest traditional musicians, the renowned fiddle player has the ability to cross musical boundaries and is as comfortable performing modern rock with a Celtic twist in Wolfstone (the band he founded 23 years ago) as he is delivering a slow air or speedy reel.
He is also a noted solo artist with a number of critically acclaimed albums to his name.
But musical and personal events through the latter half of 2011 and the dawning of 2012 produced some of the most satisfying moments of Duncan Chisholm’s life yet.
Duncan recently became a father again and when I caught up with him he was playing dad rather than playing a musical instrument and changing nappies, not fiddle strings.
With Duncan’s dad duties dealt with we left the latest member of the Chisholm family to his dreams and started to talk about another member of Clan Chisholm and Duncan’s latest and perhaps most personal musical project.
“I was contacted by the BBC last year to see if I would be interested in writing the music for a new documentary, which was to be about commando and Special Forces training in Scotland during World War Two.
"Some of my music had been used a couple of years before for similar BBC projects (such as The Fighting Scots, hosted by Rory Bremner) but that was lifted from my album Farrar. This was a commission for brand new music. It took me completely by surprise but I started writing almost immediately.
"It usually takes me months to write or record a few tunes,” Duncan continued with a chuckle “but this this took a couple of days. Instant inspiration.”
And there was good reason for that instant inspiration...
Staff Sergeant Duncan Chisholm, grandfather of the Wolfstonian musician, was one of the trainers instructing field craft to the servicemen who were sent to the Highlands to hone their specialist skills.
The programme in question, Castle Commando, tells of how Achnacarry (near Fort William) and other areas in the Highlands and north of Scotland helped produce Special Forces between 1942 and 1945.
Duncan’s grandfather instructed at Inverailort Castle but was seriously injured when a mine detonated close by (live ammunition was used during training).
He was later re-assigned to Glenfeshie where he continued to instruct.
The producers and documentary makers had no idea of the Chisholm connection when they approached Duncan, which makes you wonder if Special Forces weren’t at work in the area again, but this time ancestral and musical ones.
With such an emotive focal point and with the music and topic so personal to the musician, surely some of the material will make its way to a future Duncan Chisholm project?
“Oh absolutely, at least two of the tunes will feature on my next solo album, which will be the final part of the Strathglass trilogy” (Duncan’s emotive instrumental music inspired by the ancient and historical Chisholm lands).
Castle Commando may well be the highlight of Duncan Chisholm’s recent musical activities, but it’s hardly the only highlight.
In 2011 Wolfstone recorded two new songs, 'Time for Walking' and 'The Back of Beyond,' and samples of the tracks can be heard on the band’s website.
The latter track is a song by Irish traditional music band Gráda but Wolfstone have given it their own sonic stamp, adding a fiddle & guitar introduction and a rock ‘n’ reel finish.
“Our guitarist Davie (Dunsmuir) came up with the intro in rehearsals and the second part of the song is actually an old traditional tune, 'The Coach House Reel,' Duncan confirmed. “I think it fits perfectly.”
Wolfstone finished 2011 in fine style with four shows known as The December Gigs. All four were in the north of Scotland culminating with a Hogmanay performance in Inverness.
Duncan was also part of Heisgeir, the musical and video documentary by award winning Scots Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis, which debuted at last year’s Blass Festival.
The show, based on the history of the Monach Isles which sit west of North Uist (where Fowlis grew up) was critically acclaimed and toured very successfully in the States.
Solo dates in 2011 were well received, the highlight of which was the Scots Fiddle Festival show (accompanied by guitarist Tony Byrne) at the Queens Hall in Edinburgh. Duncan was called back for an unforeseen and totally unexpected second encore.
I asked Duncan just how gratifying is it to have events like Heisgeir and solo performances so well received.
“Oh, extremely gratifying. For a traditional musician it’s the greatest feeling.
"That Queens Hall show was amazing, the reaction was overwhelming. “
An emotive past and gratifying present. What of the future?
“Well, Wolfstone will be touring again. We haven’t got anything confirmed for Scotland yet but we hope to be performing in Italy, Germany and doing some more festival shows.
"There will also be a Heisgeir show at the Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow and Julie is looking at doing more dates later this year.”
Ross Muir
January 2012
Castle Commando, narrated by Rory Bremner, first aired on BBC Two Scotland on January 31st.
It is now available to be viewed on the BBC iPlayer.
Photo credit (Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge): Martin Briscoe/ wikipedia.
Website: http://www.mbriscoe.me.uk/index.html
“Oh, extremely gratifying. For a traditional musician it’s the greatest feeling.
"That Queens Hall show was amazing, the reaction was overwhelming. “
An emotive past and gratifying present. What of the future?
“Well, Wolfstone will be touring again. We haven’t got anything confirmed for Scotland yet but we hope to be performing in Italy, Germany and doing some more festival shows.
"There will also be a Heisgeir show at the Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow and Julie is looking at doing more dates later this year.”
Ross Muir
January 2012
Castle Commando, narrated by Rory Bremner, first aired on BBC Two Scotland on January 31st.
It is now available to be viewed on the BBC iPlayer.
Photo credit (Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge): Martin Briscoe/ wikipedia.
Website: http://www.mbriscoe.me.uk/index.html
