Uploaded July 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
William Lawrie (also “Laurie”) (1881-1916): Given the talent as both a performer and a composer, William Lawrie's premature death at 35 years old in 1916 remains to this day one of piping’s greatest untimely losses. A native of Ballachulish, Argyll, William was initially taught bagpipes by his father, but later he took up formal instruction under the renowned piper and bagpipe composer John MacColl, with whom William was always close.
As a performer, William was accomplished at a young age. In 1910, he became only the second piper ever to win the Gold Medals at both Oban and Inverness in the same year and added Clasp to his Inverness Gold Medal the following year. William won competitions for his performances of competitive 2/4 marches and the idiomatic Scottish dance diptych, strathspey-reel.
William Lawrie’s primary legacy is as a composer and the few compositional gems that he gave the piping world before his untimely death. Due to his premature death, his output was small – less than 20 tunes; however, nearly all of his works are of high quality and demonstrate great promise as a composer. He had a gift for tuneful and distinctive melody and wrote both insightfully idiomatic as well as creatively forward-thinking music for the bagpipes. Despite his small output, some of his compositions are still widely played and well-known among bagpipers today; such famous tunes include the 9/8 retreat march The Battle of the Somme (popular as the tune to accompany the highland dance ‘The Lilt”), the competition 2/4 march Captain Carswell, and the competition 4-parted strathspey Inveraray Castle.
Performance: Jordan Alexander Key
Edition: Jordan Alexander Key
Website: jordanalexanderkey.com
William Lawrie (also “Laurie”) (1881-1916): Given the talent as both a performer and a composer, William Lawrie's premature death at 35 years old in 1916 remains to this day one of piping’s greatest untimely losses. A native of Ballachulish, Argyll, William was initially taught bagpipes by his father, but later he took up formal instruction under the renowned piper and bagpipe composer John MacColl, with whom William was always close.
As a performer, William was accomplished at a young age. In 1910, he became only the second piper ever to win the Gold Medals at both Oban and Inverness in the same year and added Clasp to his Inverness Gold Medal the following year. William won competitions for his performances of competitive 2/4 marches and the idiomatic Scottish dance diptych, strathspey-reel.
William Lawrie’s primary legacy is as a composer and the few compositional gems that he gave the piping world before his untimely death. Due to his premature death, his output was small – less than 20 tunes; however, nearly all of his works are of high quality and demonstrate great promise as a composer. He had a gift for tuneful and distinctive melody and wrote both insightfully idiomatic as well as creatively forward-thinking music for the bagpipes. Despite his small output, some of his compositions are still widely played and well-known among bagpipers today; such famous tunes include the 9/8 retreat march The Battle of the Somme (popular as the tune to accompany the highland dance ‘The Lilt”), the competition 2/4 march Captain Carswell, and the competition 4-parted strathspey Inveraray Castle.
Performance: Jordan Alexander Key
Edition: Jordan Alexander Key
Website: jordanalexanderkey.com
