strathspey@strathspey.org:52498

Jim Healy

RE: Old Scottish Music

May 21, 2008, 4:59 p.m. (Message 52498, in reply to message 52497)

Greetings!
 
Jean Martin writes:
> There's an obituary for Annie Shand in one of the old Bulletins ...
 
There is indeed and it follows.
 
Jim Healy
Perth, Scotland
 
 
Bulletin No. 11
March 1937
 
Mrs Annie Shand
 
To those of us who attended the General Meeting of the Society in
Glasgow in November, it seems almost incredible to think that we shall
never again have the delight of dancing to Mrs Shand’s playing. By her
death, on November 28th, the Society lost a most ardent supporter, and
we of the Aberdeen Branch feel her loss most keenly.
 
>From the founding of the Society until two years ago she worked for
its interests with unflagging zeal. No exertion was too hard for her
if it was undertaken in the cause of Scottish Country Dancing; nothing
delighted her more than to be asked for her help, and she was always
willing to turn out in fair weather or foul to come and play in some
remote country village or for some struggling Guide Company. Her
enthusiasm, indeed, led her to overtax her strength, and in March 1935
she had to give up her work. This period of enforced idleness was a
misery to her, but through it all she retained her intense interest in
our doings, and after every meeting and every party some of us had
always to go “to tell Mrs Shand all about it”. It was a joy to
everyone that she recovered sufficiently to be able to attend last
year’s Summer and Autumn Schools, and to play for us again in her own
inimitable fashion. She was so much more than merely a Scottish
Country Dance pianist - she was an artist. Her knowledge of the dances
and of their technique was profound, and this knowledge enabled her to
give each separate dance its own special lilt and rhythm.
 
One thing we have to be thankful for - that she was able to make
records of so many of our dance tunes. Modern Science has earned our
gratitude by making it possible for future generations to hear the
finest Scottish pianist of our day, while those who knew and loved her
can switch on our gramophones and see, in fancy, her charming smile as
we hear the blithe beat of Petronella or the stately measures of
Glasgow Highlanders, played by her magic fingers.
 
M. F. B.