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HI John:
Yes, Petrus Bruno is the speculative name and his father
is said to be Giuseppe Bruno and indeed, the family may well have
existed. What is not in any way proven is that this family emigrated
to Northern Ireland and from thence to Scotland. The Giordanno Bruno you
mention is documented all right but he is not the uncle nor does he "bear
any known relationship to the allegeded Cremona family of Bruno mentioned above
[Petrus and Giuseppe]; neither is he known to have been interested in
music. The Encyclopedia Britannica describes Giordano as an
atheistical writer --- he was expelled from Geneva as such by the
Calvinists. He was obviously a stormy petrel in the 16th century
politico-religious scene. He was condemned to death for heresy and burned at the
stake in rome in 1600." The foregoing is from Tommy
Pearston, founder with Seumas MacNeill of the College of Piping in Glasgow who
concludes: "The Cremona tradition regarding the MacCrimmons has been
rejected in its entirety by modern scholars of MacCrimmon
history". It was Tommy who went to Cremona to attempt the connection
to Giordanno, or music or any part of the story you present --
he came up empty-handed. So until further stuff arrives to the contrary,
the Cremona tradition, is , at best, a delightful fantasy.
The story you relate is supposed to have originated from a
book by Captain Niel (sic) MacLeod of Gesto (a neighbour of the MacLeods of
Skye) whom we know as the writer of a number of cantairaeachd tunes from
the fingers and singing of Ian Dubh MacCrimmon (his setting of War or Peace is
one of the required tunes for the Gold Medal this year). The Cantaireachd
book exists but a copy of the other has never materialised and so the Cremona
Story is hearsay from a book never seen by modern scholars which itself is
hearsay from the last of the MacCrimmon line who is speaking of events 300 years
previous. Tenuous ---no?
Re: the tune list: Might I suggest;
1: The Patriotic Set: (from Judge David
Bouschor)
Flower of
Scotland
Bruces
Address
Scotland the
Brave
2: The Chestnut Set:
Skye
Boat Song
Road
to the Isles
Mairi's Wedding
Green
Hills of Tyrol
Scotland the Brave
3: The 3/4
Set
Green
Hills of Tyrol
Battle's O'er
My
Home
Highland Cradle Song
4: The 6/8
Set
The
Glendaruel Highlanders
Bonnie
Dundee
5: The 2/4 Set
The
Baren Rocks of Aden (2 parts)
Highland Laddie
79th
Farewell to Gibralter
Of course, we will have to keep the
ever-needed Amazing Grace in sight as well. No doubt we will find other
tunes that work as well. Looking forward to meeting you John--- it
is so close and so exciting!
Aye,
Rory
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