Where to start? At the beginning of this year, this musical tribute project was launched - dedicated to all the individuals and communities involved in mountain rescue in the Cairngorms and to the spirit of mountain rescue worldwide.
Adam Sutherland, composer and fabulous fiddler, interviewed local people and wrote some wonderful music to tell their stories. Dad was interviewed, and ended up becoming the main 'character' as he is the only remaining founding member of the Braemar Mountain Rescue team - he was leader of the team from 1965 through to 1992 and my own childhood is peppered with memories of dad being out on the hill either training or rescuing folks from the seemingly gentle, but quite treacherous in winter, Cairngorms.
The first musical performance was held in March this year, and we went along with dad - it was so good. There was a second performance last night, to launch the book, covering all eight musical arrangements - it's title 'What a Story a Pair of Boots could tell'. The boots featured are dad's original climbing boots, provided by the Police Force, back in 1965.
I snapped a few extracts from the book, and put them together. Dad is in each of the photos you see in the top right section - in the first one, he is the figure behind the survivor being rescued. In the third one, you can just see his head, sporting a balaclava, on the top right hand side - on this occasion bringing a body back home from the mountains. The middle photo is self-evident.
I won't go on. Suffice to say I'm very proud of dad and totally in awe of Adam Sutherland's skills as a composer, teacher and fiddler. :-)
How very wonderful....proud family indeed. A friend of mine was rescued (only a few weeks ago) by the West Cornwall Search and Rescue Team. She had slipped and fallen about 30 feet down the cliffside at Cape Cornwall...this team were very instrumental in getting her winched off the cliff face and helicoptered to Treliske Hospital by the air ambulance. She was in a very bad way, with broken vertabrae, broken ribs, wrists, ankles and lacerated lung and so many cuts and bruises. Don't think she would be alive but for them.
A nice collage of the excepts from the book. You have every right to be proud of your father. I'm glad the musical composition is good too. I'm very admiring of his courage and bravery, as of those who served with him.
Issi, what joy, awe and pride in your father I read in your story today!! On 365 I've had to miss far more than I'm able to see so I am thrilled I didn't miss this! The composer sounds amazing! What a thrill for your family! ❤️
Issi! What a fantastic story you've shared here; how proud of your dad you must be. Kudos to the composer for sharing these heroic individuals' endeavors.
October 18th, 2019
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