Highland Cathedral

Highland Cathedral is one of the most celebrated melodies in the bagpipe repertoire, yet its origins come as a surprise: it was composed in 1982 by two Germans, Ulrich Roever and Michael Korb. Korb had learned the bagpipes from the Scottish battalion stationed in Berlin, then refined his technique in Edinburgh. It was after meeting producer Uli Roever that the two created the melody together.

The piece took time to make its mark, but eventually conquered audiences worldwide. It became the anthem of the Royal Hong Kong Police and was played at the handover of Hong Kong in 1997. Madonna chose it for her wedding ceremony in Scotland in 2000, and it can also be heard in the film Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Written in 4/4, it is today a fixture at weddings, funerals, and ceremonies of all kinds. Its solemnity has even led to it being put forward as a candidate for Scotland's national anthem — an unexpected destiny for a composition born in Berlin.