Loch Lomand

I stay away from those "cliche" pieces like Danny Boy and anything you may hear screamed by drunken crowds at "Irish" Pubs. But one thing I learned early on - the way pieces are played today is not necessarily the way they were written or intended. Many years ago I heard Loch Lomand performed by Steve MacDonald. This tale of lost love was sung so sweetly that it nearly brought me to tears. Still, I never played any of the many arrangements of it that I had. Until last week.

It was one of those moments when the universe aligned and I melded into the sweet sadness of the song. My hands reached into my harp's strings and became it's heart. It was one of the few times that I didn't need to learn something before I could play it. I felt as though my Scottish blood rose to the surface of my existence.

Each time I play Loch Lomand I'm discovering that feeling all over again. I hope it never ends...