Ian Powrie's Farewell To Scotland
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
IAN POWRIE'S FAREWELL TO SCOTLAND (S1x64) 4C Set Margaret P A Thomson1- 8 1s and 4s turn RH and cast in 1 place (2s and 3s step up/down), 1s+2s circle 4H to left
9-16 9-10 1M turns 4L LH so 4L in centre facing 3M
11-12 1M turns 1L RH so 1L in centre facing 2M
13-16 1M turns 4M LH (4 bars) so 4M in centre facing 3L and 1M ends in centre facing 2L
17-24 All set Highland Schottische to 'corners' and turn facing person 2H into St Andrews Cross with Ladies giving RH in centre and retaining LH with Men
25-32 All dance once round clockwise to end in longwise set with Man at each corner (Man's side: 2M 1L 4L 3M: Ladies' side: 1M 2L 3L 4M)
33-40 All circle 8H round to right
41-48 All dance Grand Chain (Men cross to start, Ladies change places on sides)
49-56 1s+2s also 3s+4s advance and retire (Diagonally) and turn own partner RH to end in original places
57-64 1s dance down to bottom (2 steps) and make an arch, 2s+3s+4s dance through arch and lead off (1M waving farewell)
(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)
Dance Information
Ian Powrie (1923- 2011) was a fiddler and bandleader of great repute in the 1950s and 1960s. Born in Perthshire, he was from a farming and musical family- his father Will was an accomplished accordionist who was promoted by Beltona records as the Angus Ploughman. Ian Powrie took up the violin aged five, and took lessons from local band leader Adam Rennie of Coupar Angus. (Will Powrie apparently ferried Ian and his fiddle to lessons by pushbike).After leaving school in his teens, Ian joined his father in farming. By this time Ian had already appeared on Will's recordings. In 1942 he joined the RAF, progressing to fly Lancasters and Mosquitos in Canada.
On returning to Scotland Ian Powrie formed his own band. Over the years he played with other accomplished musicians and the reputation of his band grew considerably. His band appeared on television, toured, and appeared with Andy Stewart (of the White Heather Club fame) in concerts, recordings and on television.
In 1962, still at the peak of his career, Ian bought West Kirkton Farm at Auchterarder, Perthshire. His wife Leila looked after the farm (and children) when he was touring. ("West Kirkton" is the title tune for Ian Powrie's Farewell To Auchterarder on Side 2 of the LP Ian Powrie's Farewell To Scotland).
After touring Australia for a second time in 1966 he made the decision to leave Auchterarder and emigrate. "Ian Powrie's Farewell To Scotland" is the title of 1967 LP by Ian Powrie And His Band prior to Powrie leaving for Australia. It is also the name of the first track on this record. The tracks on this LP are as follows:
Side 1: Ian Powrie's Farewell To Scotland; The Crusaders' March; Lyndhurst; Middleton Medley; Slow Air (Margaret-Anne Robertson); Reel 8 X 32 Bars (The Tushker, St Ann's, Callum Donaldson, Dancing the Baby; The Braes Of Breadalbane; Mull Of The Cold, High Bens)
Side 2 Ian Powrie's Farewell To Auchterarder; Strathspey And Reel; Silver City Waltz; The Duke Of Perth; Gloomy Winter; John Carmichael's Farewell To Scotland; The Skyline Of Skye
The new farm Ian and Leila bought on leaving Scotland was north of Perth, in Western Australia, at Mogumber, near Gingin.
Excerpt From Legend Of The Fiddle: The Ian Powrie Story - Information Video
Auchterarder High Street
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Text from this original Auchterarder article on Wikipedia.
Image copyright Colin Smith under this Creative Commons Licence 2.0.
Additional search terms: Auchter arder, Orkterarder.