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Bagpipes & Celtic Music in the Lodge
Graphic of the "hunting Stuart" tartan from Solomon Lodge No. 271

Would you like to listen while you read?
Piper of the Blackwatch Masonic Badge - Brotherly Love + Relief + Truth
Click on the piper to hear "The Blue Bonnets o'er the Border."

Click on the name to play the tune
From Todd J. Wilkinson, PM,
Solomon Lodge No. 271,
AF & AM, Springfield, Missouri,
member, Lodge Annandale-
Rememberance No. 240,
UGL of New South Wales,
Sydney, Australia,
Missouri Representative,
HMAS Nirimba Masonic Assocation:

You might put something on the site about Scottish Masonic Music practices, i.e. bagpipes at installations, the 2nd section of the third degree, etc. I know at a friend of mine's lodge in Brisbane, Australia (Scotia Lodge No. 263, formerly of the UGL of Scotland), a piper plays a lament after the death of HAB [see below], and many lodges around the world (including my own) have a piper to "pipe" in the new line of officers.

The lament in the 3rd degree used in Scotia Lodge is pretty much up to the piper. One beautiful lament that I know is "Sleep Dearie Sleep", which was played at JFK's funeral and is used as a "Lights Out" tune in several Scottish Regiments of the British Army.

Scotia, and a number of other lodges still work Scottish ritual, even though they are under the United Grand Lodge of Queensland. Every year the Scottish Lodges in Qld. have a "Gathering of the Clans" where all of the Scottish lodges get together and put on a third degree.

Also, many Lodges in Australia and other parts have Burns Nicht dinners complete with Haggis, Whisky, and all the trappings; I imagine "Auld Lang Syne", "A Man's a Man for a'that", and "Scots Wha Hae" could be heard at those functions.

Last night at our Solomon Lodge installation the piper played "Scotland the Brave", "The Rowan Tree", and "Robin Adair".

We use "The Mason's Apron" on the Solomon Lodge No. 271 web-site; I've never heard it played in lodge, but it should be!

The Grand Lodge of Scotland plays "The Garb of Auld Gaul" at the enterance of the MWGM at any official function and at their web site, http://www.grandlodgescotland.com/website/glos.html.

There is a Masonic Kilties Degree team in New Jersey that travels around with them and does 3rd degrees; I believe that they have a piper that goes as well, I think their URL might be on our links page @ Solomon. Several Shrine temples in the US and Canada have pipe bands, including one to close to us, Aarat Shrine Temple, in Kansas City, Missouri.

This is kind of a stretch, but the Royal Scots Regiment was the first to have a traveling, or military lodge (Military Lodge No. 11, GL of Ireland); you could always have "Dumbarton's Drums" in honour of them.

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From Wor. Bro. Peter Kemp, PM
and Secretary, Scotia Lodge No. 263,
Brisbane, Queensland Australia --UGLQ:

Our piper plays a 'lament' at the appropriate time [in the 3rd degree] Different pipers play different laments, or dirges, walking at a slow march, starting from S.E. corner of the room, and squaring the lodge, which is in almost complete darkness. Sounds great, especially to candidate. Some of the tunes (or should I say 'airs' ?) I have heard in Lodge recently are ; Blue Bells of Scotland; Scotland the Brave; Campbells are Coming; Coming thru' the Rye; Loch Lomond; Wi' a hundred Pipers; Ye Banks and Braes. I'm sure that whatever airs the Piper plays, it will be memorable.

(Editor: The editor's personal favorite is Portavogie written in 1967 by Drum Major Robert Bruce of the Gordon Highlanders. Others have also suggested "Amazing Grace".)

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From
Brother David Russell
Lodge Loch Fyne No. 754
Lochgilphead, Scotland

I have been advised by a friend and brother that on our site under misc/ freestuff is a tune that does not appear to be on your Celtic link in your most excellent site. The tune is Highland Cathedral, and is much played at our Masonic functions and especially at Masonic funerals here on the West Coast of Scotland. The music in the site is, as far as I can be certain, copyright free being sourced from the Internet from site which state the same.

direct link
http://www.lodgelochfyne.co.uk/Freestuff.html

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Here is another Scottish tune that became a Masonic march.

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Hear more Scottish heritage music at Mount Scotia.

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