Far, Far From Ypres - Songs, Poems and Music of World War l (Double CD)

Far Far from Ypres is a Double CD featuring world war 1 music and songs. A tribute to all the soldiers from the home countries, their Commonwealth brothers in arms from across of the globe who together fought, suffered  and in so many cases died in the Great War.  There is also a Scottish perspective to Far Far from Ypres, more probably than any of previous world war 1 music recordings. When one considers that Scotland suffered the most soldiers killed (per head of population) of any nation that fought in the conflict, such an album is greatly overdue. It is likely that the songs, poems and music of WW1 have never before been covered in such depth.

CD1:  Soldiers’ trench and marching songs, music hall favourites of the time,  Harry Lauder's wonderful anthem 'Keep Right on to the end of the Road', a pipe band track consisting of tunes associated with Scottish regiments, the poignant Flowers of The Forest and The Last Post. Twenty-seven soldiers’ songs and six music hall songs (recorded and produced by Ian McCalman).

CD2:  Comprises a pipe band track of tunes named after some of the major battles of world war 1, world war 1 songs, or strongly connected with that war, by such songwriters as Judy Small, Alan Bell, Eric Bogle, Dick Gaughan, Jim Malcolm, and the late Davy Steele. The BBC Radio Scotland presenter Iain Anderson reads three poems. Some of the writers perform their own songs on the album but there are also contributions from The Corries, The McCalmans, Malinky, Sheena Wellington and Karine Polwart, Steven Palmer, Robin Laing and Gaelic singer Donny MacLeod.

The pipers and drummers on both Far Far from Ypres CDs are from The Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming.

The excellent sleeve notes are by Des Brogan and Jim Paris. Des is  Managing Director of Mercat Tours International, who specialise in tours of both WW1 and WW2 cemeteries and battlefields. Jim Paris is a Mercat Tours Battlefield Guide.