Menorific memorifica...

Mac1 on the fiddle - she made it all happen.

On Monday, I confessed the lack of skill in carrying out the required task of photographing the performers at the 'Friends of Amy' concert last Friday. Regulars here and over at TAKE bloggy, know I have a pretty good standard and am also brutally honest with myself.

I failed, photographically-speaking.

Mac1 had honoured me with the invitation to carry out this task and it is for her that I am most disappointed with these efforts. However, it IS a record, of sorts, of all the marvellous talent which graced that stage. First there was a 'backing band', including Mac1, to support the Father with his mouth organ.

The group which Amy helped to form, Equilibrium, played some of her faves.

...and of course there were plenty of clarsachs, on show and being played, that being the Maestro's main instrument after the piano.

It wasn't all music, there were lots of spoken bits too; one narrative linking it all together, plus some poetry readings. Some of the performers chose to add their own little insights into their experience of working and playing with Amy and what an impact she had upon them. It was those which turned a tribute into more of a memorial (which Mac1 was trying to avoid), but as the vast majority of the audience were fans, even if they didn't know her personally, it actually felt 'right' and made the evening that bit more special (if that was possible). The variety of music was amazing too. Celtic, of course, but there was classical, jazz, electronic, folk - even a wee touch of 'funk'. Which all speaks to the skill of the Maestro!

Macs 1&2 have been long-term choristers with their 'old school choir' - yes they've been singing together for maybe 87 years... that choir gave us three wonderful acapella songs.

Mac1 on the outside left, Mac2 last facing camera on the right, holding folder. The St Margaret's Singers.

To close the concert, one lady who had worked with Amy, played for us a violin solo she had composed and named, 'Amy Moar'. It was achingly beautiful.

Emily and Emma Carr-Martin,
wonderwomen!

Her wife, having been moved by inspiration when visiting Amy's tree, marking her resting place, wrote a stunning poem and set it to some guitar music. Two highly personal items. That duo then gave us the final piece of the night and the entire hall joined in the chorus, for it is a well-known song of one of Scotland's great artistes.

By night and day we'll sport and we'll play, and delight as the dawn dances over the bay. Sleep blows the breath of the morning away... and we follow the heron home.

(More on Karine Polwart tomorrow. Click HERE if you would like to hear Karine  singing her song... Tell me if you don't love it.)