The Bagpipe Society

Letters

Hi John,

I’m half way through the latest Chanter Magazine and I am finding Julian

Goodacre’s “Working as a bagpipe maker” article of great interest. This bit caught my eye:

“As far as I am aware there is now no available course on woodwind instrument making available in this world.”

I am pleased to say that (at this time) he is wrong! I started out at what was Newark technical college where they run a course on clarinet making and woodwind repair. The college has changed it’s name since then but the course is still going. It’s under threat and as far as I can tell it always has been. Hopefully it will continue.

More details can be found here: http://www.woodwindcourse.co.uk/

Dear John,

Don’t know whether you

can use this photograph or not. This is Elvin Moynagh

outside the Kings Head, Gallway, last Summer. A really classy player who dispels the myth that most Uillean pipers are usually more mature. He told me at the time that his pipes were made by Maurice Reviol although when I googled this, I found a flute maker based in New Zealand.

Certainly a name to look out for in the future.

Philip Edwards, (Ed. – don’t they say it takes years to learn to play Uillean pipes, followed by 7 years practicing and another 7 years as a good player. Last time I went to Ireland I was amazed by a band made up of schoolkids, including an accordion player, who were playing twice as fast as humanly possible whilst chatting about their schoolwork at the same time!)

Hi!

I visited Blickling Hall in Norfolk last weekend. I found this fine fellow on a

tapestry and as national Trust now allows photography, I snapped him!

If members of the Society would like a copy, my e-mail address is in the current Mem- bership List and I would be pleased to forward copies.

Regards, Tony Pearson

Hi John,

Glad you found the Arcomnia recording to your liking. There are two reasons

why I didn’t think it warranted a full review - one, I didn’t think it was bagpipey enough and two, the playing leaves quite a lot to be desired. Also, the main reason for disappearing quickly at the Blowout last year was a planet sized hangover. I thought the enclosed might be of interest to you. The Notra Dame conductus Procurans Odium (the Earning of Hatred) is based on the transcription by Richard Hoppin in his 1979 book ‘An Anthology of Medieval Music’. I have converted it to 4/4 and simplified the harmony… We are currently performing this with the Beledi rhythm - at around 82 BPM.

Regards Graham Wright

Dear John,

I thought some readers of Chanter might be interested in the following political

satire dating from 1793 which I recently came across in the British Museum archives. I do not know exactly what is being satirised here, but the hand coloured etching, drawn by William Dent, represents the colourful Whig politician Charles James Fox (sitting outside the kennel), Henry Dundas (later to become the 1st Viscount Melville and even- tually to be impeached for the “misappropriation of funds”) dancing towards the Treas- ury outside of which stands his great friend and drinking partner, the Prime Minister, William Pitt the Younger. My interest was drawn to the fact that not only is Pitt playing upon the bagpipes, perhaps in honour of Dundas’ Scottish origins, but that these pipes are labelled “Union Pipes”. Whether the use of this name is of any relevance to the early history of the uilleann pipes or not, I leave to those with greater expertise than mine.

Best wishes, Clive Matthews