Annotation:Flett from Flotta

Back to 

 FLETT FROM FLOTTA. Scottish, March (4/4 time). A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. Composed by Pipe Major Donald MacLeod. Flotta is a place-name from Orkney. The title references George (Dode) Flett (or William A. Flett), who was a Highland Piper in the Seaforth Highlanders, along with the tune's composer, Donald MacLeod. A couple of stories are attached to the tune. One has it that Flett had a peculiar walking gate, and MacLeod's tune is in imitation of it. Another story goes that MacLeod and another piper had guard duty on a train, protecting the regimental silver as it was being transported for some function in London. To pass the time, they brought out their chanters and began to play, when MacLeod suggested they compose a tune together. They came up with this march, and cast about for a title. MacLeod inquired of the other piper's name, and applied it to the march. A famous photograph exists of Flett from Flotta marching troops in desert operations during WW2. Flett died in 1998 in New South Wales, where he retired to in 1967.  Source for notated version:  Printed sources: Martin (Ceol na Fidhle, vol. 3), 1988; p. 11.  Recorded sources:

Back to