Promoting the Bagpipe Revival since 1986
The Bagpipe Society
Bagpipe Festival, Preston Hall Museum, Stockton
This edition is from our archives, so it is presented as scanned pages rather than text.
Saxons (In French) as a S/M pitch. Prices range from 5200F to 7300F depending on size.
And so on to the well-known. The Musette Béchoirnet is well-known in terms of French bagpipes. Unlike most French pipes, it takes its name from its inventor, not a region. It was invented about eighty years ago, towards the end of the last century and they were widely played in equipment, in central regions of France during and after his lifetime. A number of makers, including Dominic Douge, continue the tradition with pipes modeled after the style of the old master. Dominique’s are in full wood or blackwood with bone mounts. The pipes may be ordered with the rear drone mount that together make a tenor drone in parallel with the chanter one octave below its 5-finger note plus a bass drone one octave below that; alternatively, Béchoirnet pipes can be had with its tenor and bass drones suspended by a small treble drone, pipe in the chanter/tenor drone (tobitter), which is tuned in unison with the “limping” note. This tiny drone gives an unexpected lift two and third of a tone. It is brought into play. The Béchoirnet pipes are available in 4 pieces (A,Rg2 and 16 pouces (50/40) DPS, or online for 20 Soccer to 4500F depending on size and material.
Dominique, for sizes 14 pouces (42Rg A/D) bellows-blown Musettes, prices will run drones made entirely from boxwood for 5600F. A bagpipe not very well known outside its native Brittany is the Veuze.
It is a larger bagpipe than the Guiter from Breton Dihout, being more akin in style and sound to the gaitas of northern Spain and Portugal. Dominique offers the Veuze with one or two drones in Do (C) and La (A) or in soloed ’tuned or bassoon: 3700F.
In addition to bagpipes, M, Bougé also makes excellent oboes from 1950F, musettes (a small oboe in G) from 1300F and serpents in C from 1900F.
Most of his pipes have around a 6 to 8 month waiting period with 9 months to a year for a full set of lillemam. All instruments come fully varnished and play quite are available upon request. A 50% deposit is required. He has one payable before delivery.
Contact: Denis Bougé.
BANSPIPE FESTIVAL, PRESTON HALL MUSEUM, STOCKTON by Dave McQuade
This event, held on the August bank Holiday, turned out to be surprisingly successful and approximately 9,500 visitors to the museum, entertained by members of the Society and other local folk dancers and musicians. I was surprisingly as I think it is true to say that the Society and the Museum administration did not quite get their act together. Problems with organization meant that we did not twist people’s arms or sadly, we should have done and contacting folk during the holiday period proved exceptionally difficult. In fact, we were not very precisely who was going to turn up until the actual weekend itself.
No van van lorries, no real problems made proper advertising almost impossible and the curator decided to play safe by cutting the original programme. Apologies to those who were squeezed out at the last minute. We settled on providing a very informal concert to the visitors by playing in a concert style Victorian street setting in the museum on Sunday and Monday afternoons. To add to the atmosphere, most of the performers wore provost costumes provided or additional dress. Although this were
no difference to the music, it always surprises me how much more interest the public show when they see someone “dressed up”.
On Sunday evening we had a pub session at one of the local, and this to me has the highlight of the weekend. It was quite an experience to hear Malahish Moor and Jean Pierre Paske full ensemble really tearing when Jon Sparrow led the pipers who could play together. I don’t think I’ve ever heard so many different types of bagpipe playing in tune and sounding so harmonious.
On Monday morning, Hamish held a workshop for the pipers. Again, it was a pity that advertising was so sparse as a lot of local pipers would have appreciated this.
Throughout the weekend, piping was provided by Peter Skeltridge and Jean-Pierre Rasle, Hamish Moore, Jon Swavine, the Ecodacer Foi (who’s James Merryweather, Colin Ross, Malcolm Elaine, Judy Roccliffe, Joe Russell and Mary Cannon. Folk groups featuring pipes were Northumbrian Folk and Blackwater Folk.
Ray Fisher acted as compère for the occasion and managed to keep things running smoothly.
Everyone who took part seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves. One certainly must have done - he sent his cheque back cancelled!
THE SOCIETY OF IRISH PIPERS - NA PIPAIROI UILLEANN
As promised in an earlier Newsletter, we are continuing with our feature on other piping societies with Na Pibairi Uilleann.
The Society caters for Uilleann pipers and was founded in 1968; (from modest beginnings, it now boasts a membership of over 400 with active clubs in London, Sheffield, Paris, Holland, Toronto, Francisco and Seattle with many members in continental Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The majority of members, as may be expected, live in Ireland with many in the Dublin area where tuition is given on a weekly basis at the Society’s premises. Street musicians are free to all and encompass differing levels of expertise. In addition, courses in reedmaking and general maintenance are run at intervals as required.
The Society co-operates with the Irish Arts Council in holding regional gatherings throughout Ireland with demonstrations of piping, classes and workshops, thus reaching members outside Dublin plus also co-operates with pipers in England and further afield in running similar functions abroad. The most important event in the Society’s calendar is the annual Willie Clancy Summer School in Milltown Malbay, Co. Clare in July. Na Pibairi Uilleann runs the piping section of the school, providing teachers, organising the classes, with piping concerts, daily recitals by competent players for students, and exhibitions of pipes and piping.
The growth in the number of members of Uilleann pipers throughout the world since the foundation of the society is a remarkable indication of the increased interest in their piping being translated into a demand for pipes, this increased interest is due in large part to the singular work of Na Pibairi Uilleann in protecting the playing and making of pipes.
Contact: Na Pibairi Uilleann, Dublin.
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