Fraser Fifield’s One Great Circle: A Reverent Tribute to Scottish Tradition and Reincarnation

Fraser Fifield – One Great Circle (Tanar Records, 2024)

Fraser Fifield, a highly-talented Scottish multi-instrumentalist and composer known for his expertise on the low whistle and smallpipes, has released his extraordinary tenth solo album, One Great Circle. This splendid project continues his exploration of expressive trio settings grounded in Scottish Celtic traditions, collaborating with acclaimed virtuoso musicians Chris Stout (violin) and Catriona McKay (harp).

The exquisite pieces on One Great Circle draw inspiration from Stanley Robertson, an Aberdeen-born storyteller and piper. Although Fifield never met Robertson, they share Aberdeenshire roots and a connection to the piping tradition. The album title reflects Fifield’s interest in Robertson’s views on reincarnation.

This album was the second released during Fifield’s tenure as Traditional Musician in Residence at the University of Edinburgh’s Department of Celtic and Scottish Studies. His access to Tobar an Dualchais, Scotland’s digital archive of cultural recordings, provided him essential insights into Robertson’s work.

Chris Stout and Catriona McKay, who have been performing together since the 1990s and are recognized for their work with the band Fiddlers’ Bid, contributed their acclaimed musicianship to this project. Their projects have been honored with the BBC Radio Two Folk Awards’ Best Duo title and a Herald Angel award at the Edinburgh Festival.

“I knew that they would be able to play whatever I wrote, and I felt I knew how to write for their wonderfully adventurous style of playing,” said Fifield. “When we got together initially to play the music in a concert at St Cecilia’s Hall in Edinburgh, we had a couple of days to familiarize ourselves with the notes and there was very little revision. I left room for them both to express themselves because I wanted their personalities to come through in the music. The recording was then very straightforward. We had a short rehearsal and then we were able to get it all down in one very productive day in the studio.”

Fraser Fifield, born in 1976, is an influential Scottish multi-instrumentalist and composer. His diverse musical style combines Scottish folk with elements of jazz, Indian, and Balkan music. In addition to his role as Traditional Artist in Residence at the University of Edinburgh, Fifield has a prolific career featuring collaborations with artists like Sabir Khan, Walther Castro, and Nedyalko Nedyalkov. He has also worked with notable Scottish folk groups such as Old Blind Dogs and Salsa Celtica.

Fifield’s contributions to Scottish music include his involvement in Montenegro’s Eurovision entry in 2014 and receiving the Hands Up for Trad Innovation Award in 2015. His 2021 album, Piobaireachd / Pipe Music, received well deserved praise for its innovative approach to traditional Scottish piping.

Track list:

1. One Great Circle (6:57)
2. An Owl at the Window (5.00)
3. An Indian Death (4:01)
4. The Pool of Forgetfulness (5.27)
5. Pilgrimage (4.01)
6. Celestial City (3.51)
7. The Auld Road o Lumphanan (4:06)
8. Robertson’s Permission (4:02)
9. Finding Nicole (4:02)

Buy One Great Circle.