The Bagpipe Society

Folk Tales and Bagpipes

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The second king received Jack politely and, as he had given his word, his daughter consented to be married to Jack My Hedgehog despite his appearance. After the ceremonies were over they went up stairs to bed. Jack had a big fire made up in the grate and instructed four men to wait till he was about to lie down, when he would creep out of his hedgehog skin and they were to rush in and fling it on the fire. This they did, whereupon Jack became a handsome young man, much to his wife’s surprise and delight.

D. C.

The illustration above is from the forthcoming Channel 4 series on European Fairy Tales (due later this year). In the series the story is called “Hans My Hedgehog”. Whether he plays the bagpipes or not remains to be seen. Knowing the way these TV people think, he’ll not be given bagpipes unless he comes from Scotland. No hum… Still, y’never know! If anyone knows any other fairy tales or legends that involve pipes or pipers, send them in and we’ll print them. (Ed.)

THE DRONES CLUB

THE BAGPIPE SOCIETY

11TH NEWSLETTER

NOV 1987

MUSINGS

Well, it looks like it’s been a good year again for bagpipes. Things seem to be getting better all the time with pipes in evidence at most, if not all, the major British folk festivals – not to mention those abroad. Especially good to see special piping events beginning to take off; the Edinburgh Bagpipe Festival, Stockton Bagpipe Festival, our own Chestnuts concert, Blowzabella at Aldershot (okay, so it wasn’t exclusively bagpipes – but there were times when you could have been forgiven for thinking otherwise!). And of course the regulars of St Chartier and Lorient. And these are just the ones we get to hear about.

What we need now is for some… to organise an event for next year that will take pipers out onto the streets. Yes, we know that all you Highland pipers have been joining just that since Bonnie Prince Charlie – and keep it up I say. But what about all you others? How about a piping day at Covent Garden for instance – any takers for organisation?

And whatever happened to the giant Hurdy-Gurdy/Bagpipe Marching Band from the summer of last year? I thought it sounded pretty good, even if the bagpipes were a bit short in number – just what we need to take the drones onto the streets. Any carnival organisers out there among you need something a bit different?

Yah Boo to Folk on Two! Despite an otherwise excellent coverage of the Blowzabella Aldershot Workshop Weekend, BBC Radio 5 [sic] didn’t even mention the grand Bagpipe Band organised and coached by our illustrious President, Chicken, that’s what I reckon!

And now for something completely different: congratulations to pipers Anne and Bob Cross of Cheshire Waits on the birth of their daughter Emily – 5lb 12oz, Saturday 19th September. May her lungs be sound and her elbows always have plenty of squeeze.

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We continue to extract members from all around the world — great stuff that they are, why short letting us learn about piping in your countries (all) and friendly competitions in this (issue & letters column). Please write. Don’t worry if your English isn’t too good, we can easily put it right. If you like, write in French or Spanish (for instance), we’re supposed to encourage international organization so why not give us something to print in your own language? And perhaps we might make it a competition and print it in English - well! Doesn’t have to be a full scale article — though those who enter a magical number will do. Tell us about the state of piping in your country. What is the relevant life; how healthy is the local tradition? What’s known about older forms of bagpipes in your country that have died out? What’s the weather like? The world thirsts for knowledge (well I do anyway) — so how about it?

Roy Stann of …….. writes to say that as an ex-piper (Gordie) languishing in Hastings he would be pleased to hear from other pipers in the area. He would also be handy to trace old chamberpan pipes free of charge. Roy also makes pipes but due to other pressures and the fact that he has a backlog of pipes he wants to make for himself, he too only undertakes repairs at the moment.

Still losing members in the Exclusion of the Membership List, no time it’s Wilt Cratman who has, according to the Post Office, “Beres Away”. Any of you London members know where he’s gone? Ohmigawd! Roy is happening to all you C&T and when the Phantom Piper appeared has dispelled with them, what letter will he start on next? Meanwhile, what line do you remain under C. left your doors and windows next time you get the old pipes out for a practice - even New Year’s not too far away to except the weather.

Couple of juicy records we hear off: Hamish Moore’s ‘Open Friday’ (S 6bl16) on royalty getting airtime on Foil on Two Thursdays between 2400 — 2030. Hamish features lots of great musicians on the disc such as Nigel Eaton on hurdy-gurdy, plus the other crowd up hear of (sic) Julian Goodacre (ex Italian pipes) Italian pipes from Italy (Croatia?). Julian tells us there’s a couple of nifty ‘works of Mozart playing on it will he would say that Vinny’s boy’, ‘Hunter of the woodring why La Pierre Rosa did not make it win?’. Phil Yates Yates told us that too may be interested in news has places one of their number bad an argument with a tree while doing a bit of lumber jacking; by tree now.

Ken Smith would like it to be known that, due a ill health, he is neither up to just casual cases playing business, but please don’t rant if you have an offer in the pipeline, he will be fulfilling all existing orders first.

Couple of important changes for you to note in your file! your Special Bagpipe Society edition not seen - only 44½ guides; your new honorary has grabbed the money and run: all the way to Bal-ria! (sic) via and Phylie’s birthday.

The letter frames is now of Special Citizen whom lived in several of its writers forests, has included for many years - to modern name of Rochaliff. Also after many months of full tour are two

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dives of the country, we are pleased to report that she has at last been tracked down to her new address.

So if you have any publicity matters you want to discuss, or help to offer, get in touch with her under her new name at her new home (and she might even play you a tune on her new pipes).

Judy would like to hear from any of you interested in attending a French bagpipe workshop which she hopes to get together with Jean-Pierre Rasle. I spoke to Jean-Pierre recently about this myself and he was very keen. Judy says not to worry if you don’t have French pipes. So long as you can more or less achieve the same fingerings and mistakes things should be okay - after all, there is a very wide variety of pipes played in France as it is.

Now Chi has gone and deserted all us Londoners (there’t anyone else who would be willing to host/organise some sort of regular London meeting? Don’t worry if you haven’t got any ideas - we’re full of ‘em - all we need is a willingness.

Whatever happened to Milton Keynes? It seemed that everyone and his dog I spoke to was going to be there, yet no weeks from the event poor old John Ross had so few takers he had to cancel all but the Cauld Wind course. Where did we go wrong please note this is not a rhetorical question? Answers - even if they hurt - urgently required!

Flying Camel present a Day of French Dance, from Brittany to Berry on November 27th, noon - midnight at the Chesterfield Arts Centre dance workshops, music, food and a bar till late. Music will include bagpipes and hurdy-gurdy as well as other traditional French instruments. For tickets, phone (Ian Smith).

For the first time since the Society was formed, by your old fingers have been given something of a rest from the chore of typing this Newsletter. Pete Stewart (of Goodacre Brothers fame) is now sharing the load which is why the gapey-eyed among you may detect a subtle difference in type faces throughout this issue. But the cunning devil has taken advantage of his privileged position to write letters, commenting on stuff in this issue (see letter from Uncle Fret) - crafty sod! Seriously, many thanks to you Pete; perhaps I can now get down to some bagpipe practice.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

As announced in the last Newsletter, this will be at Muirloch on December 5th. By now you should all have had formal notice with your issue of ‘Chanter’ (you did all get ‘Chanter’ this time didn’t you?). But just to remind you, here are the details again (yes, I know it’s a bore, but we are determined to get you out to this one. If you’re one of the many thousands who have already put the date in your diary with a firm resolve to be there at all costs, please accept our apologies and skip on to the more interesting bits of the Newsletter); Events start at 11.30 on the morn of Sat. Dec. 5th in the town

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square when there will be Morris dancing around the town with White Bear Morris, Green Beast, Jenny and Saxon Morris. Trading will finish in the square at 1.30. Don’t worry if you arrive late — just ask out for the bells and the pipes to find where everyone is and bring your instruments, for from 12 noon onwards (says here all afternoon) there will be sessions at the Bowling Green, and ‘The Talbot’. Also at noon there will be a craft fair at Naywich Civic Hall. From 3 till 5 there will be workshops at the Methodist Church Hall (folk Court) with demonstrations and discussion on a variety of pipes and styles with Bob White, Anne Cross, Jean Pierre Rasle, Joan Swayne, Mairin Moore, Dave Stowe and Peter Stacey. This is all absolutely FREE to members (quid to non-members). Somewhere in the middle of all this festivity we shall be squeezing in an AGM (bor-ring!). But the astute among you will have noticed by now that we have only allowed an hour for it to run— we’re just squashing it in between the woodworking (and the woe made more hot air than runs) last year). Having said that, there is a bit of free time allowed as in case any pressing urgent items crop up (ho-hum. Food, drink and good fun? Oh yes, will I suppose we’ve got to make time for it somewhere. But just to ensure you don’t all go sneaking off to Whitstable’s just as the AGM is getting really exciting, we’ve allowed an hour to effec the existing for you to partake of some excellent wholefood grub at Sensible prices — also at the Full Centre). By now, in fondling anticipation, you will all have mentally told your seats for the last item of the day: Ta-ra-ah — The Grand Concert from 6 till 10 featuring (in order of appearance) Dave Shaw, Joan Swayne, Mairin Moore and Jean-Pierre Rasle & Peter Stacey. Once again this will be entirely FREE! To members (quid to non-members). Bob Cassis, to whom we are indebted for organising all this, can arrange a certain amount of accommodation. But you must contact him quietly, unless you want to end up sleeping under the town bridge. You can contact Bob on 01985 48004 for accomodation, advice or advance tickets for the concert (how was that, Bob? Do you think that’ll get the buggers along?). Even if you can’t make it you mean there some who won’t be deterred, you can still send in nominations for the Committee. All posts are up for grabs (as per our constitution) but in particular we will need a new Treasurer as Chi feels his new home is a bit remote for the job (nearest Post Office is about 5 miles away). You may nominate yourself if you wish — don’t be shy about this as that’s the way most people do it.

DIRECTORY OF MAKERS AND TEACHERS

This task is now being coordinated by DEF member Bob Aston that, to the one from Coscley, we’ve got two you see who is sending out questionnaires to all who have expressed an interest in being included. If you want to be included but think we might not be aware of that fact, please contact Bob at the …………………..

Bob is also trying to gather enough information to start producing proper plans, for the Society or use by amateur pipe makers. If you have any drawings, measurements etc. for non-copyright instruments you have encountered or produced that you would like to share with other members, please let Bob know so he has got something he can let his draughting talents loose on.

BIBLIOGRAPHY & DISCOGRAPHY

Another new member raring to go is Ross Campbell (only got one of these at the moment). Ross has a pretty hefty collection of buggins related books and articles plus a chunky record collection. He is cataloguing these for the Society and would like to know if the existence of anything you might have that is a bit unusual i.e. anything other than the Baines and Collinson books. Recordwise he is hoping to get together with Stefan Hannigan who has already begun work on a bagpipe discography. Perhaps we might see something in the not too distant future chaps?

On the subject of the great Shi, Stefan would like everyone to know that he is still alive and pumping art. He’s been very busy lately with Student Union business but can be contacted at his new address (see Membership List update) or the London College of Furniture (Sid. office).

PIPES FOR HIRE

Not just pipes but all sorts of Folk Music instruments. This is Stefan Hannigan’s (yes, him again) aim for early next year. If anyone has any instruments they would like to send out to work to earn their keep, get in touch with Stefan. He will either handle it all on a 10% commission or will put you in touch with the renter for 5% and you do the rest.

FUNDRAISING OFFICER

It has been suggested that a new post be created of Fundraising Officer. This would involve dreaming up ideas for raising a few bob for the Society (thus keeping subs down). Is there anyone out there who’d like to take it on? You won’t necessarily have to do a lot of work, just ‘cough’ get others to do it. Quite a lot of you ticked the willing to help’ boxes on the Membership Forms now’s your chance to help, either at a national (international?) or local level. The ‘sort of things’ we’re thinking about are organising concerts, busking, sponsoring piping, things for sale etc. At least, those are the sort of things we’ve thought of so far. Even if you’re not willing to take on the jobs, perhaps you might have ideas as to how we could raise some money. Get in touch with any committee member.

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PIPES IN THE PRESS

The following item in the French Folk magazine ‘Tradition Vivante’ was sent in by J. Goodaer (Essex). I’ve forgotten which one?

“Le premier numero de Chanter, lo journal du “Bagpipe Society” d’Angleterre est, pour l’instant, de 40 pages composees aux commentaires, c’est un compte pour les surfeurs anglo-ecossais du pip, I’interview du flobozebla, I’omment réparer les cornemuses, I’elateriehire small-pipes, partitions, copies de disques, 112 cornemuses italiennes et une étude de reprinture possible pour la cornemuse du sud d’Anglettere, instrument disparu depuis plusieurs sècles, mais qui jouit d’un regain d’intérêt depuis quelques années." No. 11 Jan-Mars 1987

Fame at last! The particularly astute among you will notice that the above extract is not in English. This is not because I’m too lazy to translate it (well… partly) but because I’ve seen why we shouldn’t have the old article in another language. You will have noticed in my Musings (what? You never read them?) that I have invited articles in languages other than English. The above is to prove my business! We are supposed to be an international organisation, after all. The “translations bits are others not mine by the way (wouldn’t dream of it).

The following item was noticed by Judy in the Western Daily Press (so thinks):

“A judge yesterday summoned the leader of a band of Scottish pipers to appear before him when the whistling of bagpipes drowned out proceedings. The band, who had been tuning up outside Cambridge Crown Court in preparation for their concert in the city, were told to move off ’ear shot.’

Oh well, at least it’s something when the press actually admit that pipers do turn up. ‘shtetter than being told to move out of earshot I suppose, which some of us came mighty close to a few weeks back.

For further ramblings from the press, see the Lorient Festival item complete with pictures (caption also in French, note). Keep your eyes on the papers and magazines folks for suitable items for us to print, bagpipist or otherwise.

The following article does not strictly speaking fall into the above category if for no other reason than it’s 12 years late! However, we thought it worth reprinting in its entirety, including barely recognisable photos. If you want to get at the original it comes from the Journal of the English Folk Song and Dance Society, Autumn 1975. I don’t know who the author is (R.A. Schofield). If you’re still around and reading this R.A., how about getting in touch with a possible update?

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[Photo]

BILLY BOLTON, PIPER OF THE DALES by R. A. Schofield

Not many realise that the people is only recently extinct, if that, as a traditional instrument in Yorkshire and Lancashire. A recently re 1960, Julius Pilling visited and duly interviewed and he father had played the bagpipe when used if he was Scottish, he replied “No, celthally not, he played the Union Pipe.” What sort of tunes did he play? “Hymns,” she replied. The union pipes have often been thought of as solely Irish, but this, and other evidence shows that not to be the case. For instance In 40 of ”Yates Dictionary is the following entry: A “Itterdelle” A skin who plays the Union Pipes is called a tweedler.” To recycle an article in this book shows how popular the pipes have been. Of pipers, however, none have been as described as Billy Bolton, often called the Dales Minstrel. Born in the village of Gilling (about three miles north of Richmond in Yorkshire), he was bound up at Askew, nearby, on the estate of Lord Dundas. He was apprenticed as a wholesome to John Askell, of Richmond, but by the age of 2G he had left that trade and became an assistant hardware articant and knife grinder based on Whitcliffe Mill about a mile West of Richmond. Into travels took him all over the North and West Riding and it appears he was very popular, well known in work, but also for the stories he told, the songs he sang, and the conjuring tricks he performed. Country parsons appear to have been his special fans, rather oddly perhaps since he was so wascuish Catholic, ever eager to put forward his own views. Billy’s obituary does not say when he heard to play the pipes but claims other evidence in put forward is is probable that he was taught while living in the Richmond area, since by the of his own family, or by a friend during his youth. The fact mention of his pipings comes is 1845 when Dr. J. H. Dixon wrote of a ballad called “The Geraldine Case” that he collected from Billy. ”We first heard it sang in Malmahade, Yorkshire, by Willy Bolton, an old Black Minstrel, who accompanied himself on the Union Pipes.” An appreciation of Billy was written the year before he died. Two very interesting passages are given here in full. " His favourite resort, when “in city,” was daily visiting Maltman andthe hilly and rocky surroundings, was one day to be by the famous Gordale and another in the clear slipping source of the Aire and there his high the infamous meander of The Cove, with pipes and chanion playing thick till pitch, and thus in the grand and romantic sylces of Craven was spent many of the happiest days of the old Dales Minstrel." “When press of hours began to tell upon the old piper, the machine slackened its revolutions, the fingers became less active on the pipes and the tone found refuge of musical because unused. It was about this time that the old minstrel had the misfortune to visit the like hands of Hilton East, whose, after having done certain work but the cobbler and harness and the chief original of old place, he unfortunately left his pipes with the magician’s servants who promised he old admired that the music of and should be taken off them until his return on the following day. Gee! however, was the old man’s grief, when, on his return, the pipes, which he valued at three pounds, were smashed, burst, and entirely spoiled. However, after a household a family council, in which the old minstrel for the first time in his life made threats of law, one pound was paid to the old man — a third of the damage done. The poor minstrel tried many ways to “raise the wind” and get those repairs, but failing to do so, ultimately sold the pipes for few shillings.” I would put the above exact as happening in about 1870, since Billy eventually settled down in retirement in the village of Burnall, in Whalesdale, after nearly sixty years of travelling. In some ways he was lucky, since he was due for the workhouse as a destitute when a London merchant whose father, the Rev. W. J. Parkinson, late Rector of Burnall, came earlytown, had sufficient time, granted Billy a weekly allowance of six shillings. Billy died on September 1st, 1884, and after his death a subscription was made to raise a headstone over his grave, which can be seen in Burnall churchyard. What happened to Billy’s pipes? There are two sets of Union pipes in Yorkshire museums. One set, mentioned by R. D. Cannon in the 1971 edition

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of The Folk Music Journal, is in The Castle Museum, York,* and the other is displayed at Cliffe Castle, Keighley. The York pipes were made by M. Egan of Liverpool in about 1850, but nothing — whatsoever is known of the Keighley set, except that they date from the nineteenth century and appear to be of a later manufacture than those In York. Records to where either set were acquired are also missing, but since both museums have generally collected local material, I would guess that both have been played in Yorkshire. The possibility that the players were Irish, or that they were donated by local collectors of instruments, is agreed, however, that their origin can be no more than conjecture.

Whoever else owned them, I do not think that they belonged to Billy Bolton. ‘While minor repairs have been done there is nothing to suggest that either set has been “remixed, burnt and utterly spoiled.”’

Also when the York pipes were made Billy was over 50 years of age, an old man for those days. Where the are Billy’s pipes today? Probably in some Wharfedale attic or hanging on a Dales’ pub wall.

Much more research (especially in Dales’ pubs) is necessary before an answer can be given to this and other intriguing questions about piping In Yorkshire during the last hundred years.

REFERENCES

• Brierley B. “ A.B.ot “ Yates Dictionary ” Craven Pioneer, 17th September 1881
• Dixon, J. H. “ Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England.” London 1846.
  Also quoted Is Forshaw C. F. (ed.) " Holroyd’s Collection of Yorkshire Ballads.” London, 1892.
• Craven Pioneer, 18th December, 1880.
• Cannon, R. D. “The Bagpipe in Northern England." Folk Music Journal, London, 1971.

Picture above shows Billy Bolton’s grave in Burnsalt . The chapel ruins. In memory of William Bolton The Dales Pipers died September 18, 1881 aged 83 years. “The tribute of respect was secured by some of the minstrels’ merry friends In the dales of North, East and West Yorkshire.” The picture at the head of this article shows the Union Pipes in Cliffe Castle Museum, Keighley. No records as to the maker or where purchased by museum. Museum dates pipes as nineteenth century. The Flynn Pipes Shews one of the top dials page very made by M. Egan of Liverpool about 1850, and are in the Castle Museum, York.

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FOR SALE

Mibsa (North Italian bagpipes) by Julian Goodacre. Almost new, perfect condition. Single drone, high D pitch. Only £100. Ian Smith,

Flemish pipes in D by Jon Swayne (formerly belonging to Jon James). Overhauled by Jon only last year. £370. Jack Humphreys.

Set of Dill Headworth Northumbrian Smallpipes, about 15 years old (one of his best sets) £195. Julie Bell,

Chris Daley says he has now sold most of his stock of ready-made pipes (though is still taking orders of custom), but has a few secondhand sets in the process of restoration namely a set of Irish pipes and a set of smallpipes if anyone is interested.

Calfskin Bodhran and beater. As new. £20. Dunglin Moss,

Still for Sale: Dulcibro (Dulcimer/Dulcrob) by Homer Ledford of Kentucky. As there are no takers yet for this superb example of the Dulciber maker’s art, I am forced to drop the price to a final £100. Includes lined case, books, tutors, plectrums, notes, steel etc. all cost over £300. Julian Watson,

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY

By the time you read this we should have a new Membership Secretary as I am hanging up that particular hat to concentrate on doing the Newsletter. Your new Membership Sec. will be Val Woollott and all enquiries regarding membership, new membership applications and changes to Membership List details should be addressed to her at.

As will be help a (and) act on type setting, I am extremely grateful to Val for her help and will too well with the job (you may still notify changes directly to the typer of the Society’s Bitsn Don Ward, if you prefer, for him to put straight onto his same computer).

BAGPIPE SOCIETY CASSETTE

Chi has had quite a good response for his plea for material/performers for a Society cassette. He has asked me to tell everyone who has replied and to ask you all to be patient with him for a little while yet. As no total earlier, he is in the throes of moving house

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…ed lifestyle. As soon as he has settled in, he will be giving his every attention to the project. The other problem, at the moment is funds. As always, the Society is operating from hand to mouth without leaves little for project such as this. Any philanthropists among you? In the meantime, Stu would still like to hear from anyone who would like to purchase material.

MEMBERSHIP RATES & ALL THAT JAZZ

As you’ve probably gathered from the above, we could always do with a bit more cash. We feel we have managed your money well (well wouldn’t we?), our main aim being to provide lots of good quality publications (recently ½ of net always printingwise). Small print runs are expensive as is postage: so the bulk of your subscription money goes on just this. Now, hands up - all those who thought I was going to announce an increase in subs! Well, you’re wrong - at least I hope so. Because, at the time of writing this, the proposal for the AGM is that the subs should remain the same for the coming year. Things would be a touch of a last minute (?) though if everyone paid up promptly! It’s then old news about careful even as I write I’m not sure we can afford to put an end mail out this newsletter because so many of you haven’t returned who should have done so in the summer (with apologies to those who have paid up promptly).

I hate having to moan like this, particularly when the party of the offender I have done and myself apart for the Society in other ways, but so empty not given over without money? So about I,’m your (?), I’ve lost much tangible, plus a free note of the special 15lbs behind - thick (which this next one they’re evidence? Just the one printed together Society).

Unfortunately, although we hope to keep going static, animal has got to go if we just didn’t anticipate. Our Publications being so thick and heavy when we put the post and airmail is almost expensive to the good news (for some) - that it would appear that surface mail from everywhere but the Far East and Oz/Az is pretty well as quick as airmail I think: it all goes by plane anyway; anyone know for sure?), so those of you in North America might like to try surface mail when you renew. You can always bring us a few quid more later to go over to Airmail.

The Highland Gathering

London’s Centre for Everything Scottish

Highland Outfitting, Dance Wear. Pipe Band Uniforms. Bagpipes. Bagpipe Repairs, Drums, Band Accessories, Shortbread, Confec- tionery, Flags….etc, Books, Jewellery, Gifts

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The other big problem at the moment, as the date of renewal, dues and students, we tried to make it so that everyone renews later after joining - it just ain’t that easy! Remember we’ve got to go over a year for every period of renewal. This means that subs will be shortchanged while others get a bit of time for nothing. Hence just doesn’t when to be any other way. The present proposal for the date at the time of writing, though it could change, by then) is that everyone should renew in April 1988 and every April thereafter. We haven’t hammered out the details yet but it probably means that those of you who joined within the six months prior to April 87 will not be asked to renew until 1989. If we do adopt this policy and you think this is unfair or will cause you undue hardship, just write when you get your renewal notice for April and we’ll see if we can’t come to some sort of agreement.

That’s about all on the boring side of Bagpipe Society matters (except to remind you that you each have a vote and can make proposals at the AGM even if you can’t be there in person. If you don’t like any of the above, make sure your voice is heard! It’s your society remember.

MEET YOUR MAKER

People often ask me where they can get French pipes. Well this issue we feature a maker of all sorts of Fine French bagpipes, Dominique Roulié of Montpellier in France. As well as French pipes, Dominique also offers Uilleann pipes ranging from a practice set at 2500f to a full set of 11900f; a Bulgarian Kaba Gaida (that’s the deep one) at 3500d in blackwood or 3700f in blackwood; Swedish pipes in fruitwood at 2500f; and mouthblown student pipes (14 or 16 pouces) in fruitwood at 2700f.

But he is best known for his traditional French pipes. His mouthblown Bourbonnais/Derriechnau pipes come in two sizes, 14 pouces (LA/Re) A/D and 16 pouces (Sol/Do; G/C) in frontwood or blackwood with mouths of pewter or bone with prices ranging from 4900f to 16000f depending on size and material.

It occurs to me at this point that a brief explanation of the French system of designation for pipes facts, the centre of the known would not go amiss! While we’re all woolly going metric, the French also invented it all, still use the inch (16 pouces) to describe their pipes. So a 14 pouces bagpipe has a 14 inch chanter. This is obviously just a convention and I’m not sure which is the best used to arrive at the info

• it probably doesn’t correspond exactly to our imperial inch anyway. I conveniently, the 14 pouces pipes are pitched in 3-finger D - three fingers giving the proper keynote for French pipes - but they usually quote tu— 6-finger notes as well (reeds). To make matters more difficult, the usually quote the pitch using the Tonic Sol-fa, which is being Sol. So, you can see that the smaller of Dominique’s Bourbonnais/Derriechnau pipes has a 14 inch chanter (approximately), but does not have a pitch (6-finger/3-finger), otherwise known as A/D. Drones are always tuned to the 6-finger note and/or smallpipes. Gottit? To continue:

In addition to the smaller mouthblown Bourbonnais pipes, Dominique also makes the Grande Ceronaise and Nivernais & Bourbonnais, all with the smaller pipes from the region. They have two drones but are available only in fruitwood with mouths of pewter or horn. They come in three sizes: 20 pouces (Re/Sol; Do/Si); 22 pouces, (Do/Fa; C/F); and 24 pouces (Te/Mi/BE) - to complicate matters further, this latter

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Saxorns (in French, as a SI/MI pitch. Prices range from &200F to 7500F depending on size.

And so on to the bellows-blown. The Musette Déabonné, is well-known (in lovers of French bagpipes). Unlike most French pipes, it takes its name from its inventor, not a region. It went Phantom but never developed three pipes, towards the end of the last century and they were entirely played in duet, the central region of France during and after his lifetime. A number of makers, including Dominic Dauge, and one the tradition with pipes modelled 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 pool French ornament of a tenor drone in parallel with the chanter one octave below its 6-finger note plus a bass drone one octave below that; alternatively, Pechornet pipes can be had with the 1 tenor and bass drones supplemented by a small treble drone, pipe in the chanter/tenor drone (tobitter), which is tuned in unison with the “flumier note”. This tiny drone gives an unexpected lift and lift and round to pipes. It is brought into play. The Debonné pipes are available in a mores E (A/R2 A/D) and 16 pouces (SoltDo; PM) or small range for tu Sonner to 1300F (depending on size and material.

Dominique and Pechornet also makes chalumeau Musettes. Pechornet will two 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 Uytter know Breton Binioù, having more akin in style and sound to the Gaïtas of northern Spain and Portugal. Dominque offers two reuets with one or two drones in Do (C) and La (A) in fruitwood: 1500F or boxwood: 2700F.

In addition to bagpipes, M. Bougé also makes excellent oboes from 1250F, musettes (a small ohee in G) from 1300F and serpents in C crook 1900F.

Most of his pipes have around a 6 to 8 month waiting period which 9 months to a year for a full set of Illeann. All instruments come fully correct and play quite are available upon request. A 50% deposit is required, the balance payable before delivery.

Contacts: Denis Bougé,

BNSPIPE FESTIVAL, PRESTON HALL MUSEUM, STOCKTON by Dave McQuade

This event, held on the August bank Holiday, turned out to be surprising successful and approximately 9,500 visitors to the museum entertained by members of the Society and other local folk dancers and musicians. I only surprisingly as I didn’t it to true to say that the society and the museums administration did not quite get their act together. Problems with organization meant that we did not twist people’s arms so badly, as we should have done and contacting folk during the holiday period proved exceptionally difficult. In fact, we were not are precisely who was going to turn up until the actual weekend itself.

As you can imagine, cold problems made proper advertising almost impossible and the curator decided to play safe by cutting the original programs. Apologies to those who were squeezed out at the last minute or traded up anything a very informal concert to the visitors by playing in a separate reed Victorian street within the museum on Sunday and Monday afternoons. To add to the atmosphere, most of the performers were presented women provided additional dress. Although little more,

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 was the highlight of the weekend. It was quite an experience to hear Hamish Moor z and JeanPierre F. Rask is full few really heartwarming when Jon Sawyer 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 out of local pipers would have appreciated this.

Throughout the weekend, piping was provided by Peter Stoc and Jean-Pierre Rasle, Hamish Moore, Jon Gwarne, the Goudace Fr (ohte, James Merryweather, Colin Ross, Malcolm Edmois, Judy Roecliffe, Dee Fin and Mary Cannon. Folk groups featuring pipes were Northern Blackwater Folk.

Ray Fisher acted as compere for the occasion and managed to keep things running smoothly.

Everyone who took part seemed to thoroughly enjoy the day. One certainly must have done – he sent his cheque back cancelled.

THE SOCIETY OF IRISH PIPERS — NA PÍOBAIRÍ UILLEANN

As promised in an earlier Newsletter, we are continuing with our feature on other piping societies with Na Píobairí Uilleann.

The Society caters for Uilleann pipers and was founded in 1968 (from modest beginnings, it now boasts a membership of 400 with active clubs in London, Sheffield, Paris, Holland, Toronto, Fraricson and Seattle with many members in continental Europe, Denmark and New Zealand. The majority of members, as may be expected, live in Ireland with many in the Dublin area where tuition is given free weekly basis at the Society’s headquarters. Street musicians are free to all and encourages differing levels of expertise. In addition, courses in reedmaking and general maintenance are run at intervals required.

The society co-operates with the Irish Arts Council in holding regional gatherings throughout Ireland with demonstrations of pipers, classes and workshops, thus reaching members outside Dublin as well as local competitors with pipers in England and further afield in Ireland similar functions abroad. The most important event in the annual calendar is the annual Willie Clancy Summer School, Gortal Malbay, Co. Clare in July. Na Píobairí Uilleann runs the piping section of the school, providing teachers, organising the classes, will piping concerts, daily recitals by competent players for students, exhibition of pipes and piping.

The growth in the number of members of Uilleann pipe throughout the whole extent the production of the pipes is a reflection indication of the increased interest in the piping being turned into a demand for pipes. This increased interest is due to large sort to the singular work of Na Píobairí Uilleann in protecting the playing and making of pipes.

Contact: Na Píobairí Uilleann, 4 Merrion Square

HURDY-GURDIES AND PUBLIC SAFETY—THE ALARMING FACTS EMERGE
by Julian Goodacre

Just how safe are hurdy-gurdies? For some time this question has worried the building and medical professions, but it appears that no research in Britain has been carried out in this field. In the light of the disaster at Aldershot, 11th September I feel it is time to press the government into settling a well-funded inquiry.

The disaster to which I refer occurred at the Blowzabella workshop on Sunday 6th in the foyer of the Aldershot West End Arts Centre. At approximately 2.15pm a large portion of the bar collapsed. Fortunately, the bar was closed, as its floor became a mass of broken glasses and bottles mixed with several gallons of spirits. It would be easy to dismiss this incident as unforeseeable—an Act of God—but I believe it was rather foreseen. For the previous forty hours there had been a variety of sessions in front of the bar—some of them involving up to fourteen hurdy-gurdies all playing simultaneously. Shortly before this disaster there was a session with three hurdy-gurdies.

I am of the opinion that when two or more hurdy-gurdies employ their trumpettes simultaneously it can cause molecular realignment, which can seriously weaken masonry and other building materials. The greater the number of trumpettes, the greater the structural damage they can cause.

The French are looking this problem far more seriously than the British. Anyone who has been to the Festival at St. Chartier will see evidence of this. It must be the largest gathering of hurdy-gurdies in the world and the organizers have had the wisdom to run it as an outdoor event taking place in the grounds of an old Chateau. Even though it takes place outdoors the Chateau and its surrounding buildings have suffered considerably from the annual three day molecular bombardment they receive from the hideous buzzings of several hundred hurdy-gurdies. During the last twelve months a portion of one of the towers collapsed and some elements of a parapet became so unsafe that they had to be removed. Portions of the outbuildings are now little more than ruins.

In the village square where such music and dancing takes place from midnight to sunrise the organizers have taken sensible precautions. Two of the dance floors have no walls and thus there is no fear of collapse. The third dance floor has a roof but no solid walls. To ensure that the roof and supports are under as little stress from molecular bombardment as possible the musicians’ platform is placed outside of the covered area.

I shall be pressing my local MP to take up this worrying matter in the House. An enquiry must be begun immediately. Interim guidelines should be issued to all players. Meanwhile I would urge all hurdy-gurdy players to be very sparing in their use of the trompette and to take all possible precautions.

Aside from the collapsing Bar Disaster the Blowzabella weekend was extremely enjoyable. Much praise must go to Paul James for personalising the whole event. The only suggestion I have for next
year is that on the door of one of the rooms assigned for sleeping be placed a large sign reading: ‘THANKYOU FOR NOT SNORING’.

I came across a fascinating item in an American catalogue recently. It’s called The Redusual and it appears to be an expensive but valuable alternative to the Milton Keynes weekend. It all sounds too good to be true. The catalogue states: ‘The Redusual makes and repairs all Oboe, English Horn, Bassoon and Bagpipe reeds. Redusual repairs all sizes of single reeds up to 7 forsasings. Redusual cuts reeds out of blank or semifinished reed stock. Reedsual duplicates a model reed in all its exact proportions and playing qualities. Redusual makes a reed softer or harder as desired. (Making a reed harder is done by trimming the reed tip till it is very lively hard and then putting a heavier cut on the slightly shortened reed.)’

Does anyone in the society have ‘hands-on’ experience of the Redusual?

Many readers have been staggered that I have made no mention of Goodacre’s Eaze Pipe since February. Actually the whole matter has been sub-judice for the past seven months pending the outcome of an enquiry. It would appear that there is a police informer among the newsletter readership who grassed to Edinburgh Police Drugs dept. that I was manufacturing hallucinogenic substances. On a fateful evening in March I answered a loud knock on my door and 15 swarthy Peace Officers burst into the kitchen and renewed a large portion of its contents including half a bowl-full of Sharon’s finest tapioca pudding. All the materials I had been using in my Eaze Pipe experiments were similarly confiscated after being placed in self-seal polytene bags.

It was fortunate that I had previously solved the mystery of the hallucinogenic side effects. It appears that the rye malt extract I had been using had been infected with ergot. This produces effects similar to Lysergic Acid. I had disposed of the entire infected batch shortly before the police raid.

I have written nine letters to the Times about this—none of which have been published. I am waiting for a police apology and the return of all Eaze Pipe ingredients, tapioca pudding, etc.

J.G

The illustration to the right was sent in by anonymous donors (not quite anon.; they call themselves Cornamusements Inc.). Didn’t know where to put it so I thought I’d stick it here.

For those of you sick and tired of this Newsletter’s ‘jin’ jokes, an examination of ‘Chance’ and Julian’s catalogue will reveal all.

Whoever you are Cornamusements Inc., please send more! It would make a great regular spot.

FESTIVAL OF EUROPEAN PIPING IN EDINBURGH by John Grenlacre

Although the bagpipe is the national instrument of Scotland and the Edinburgh museums together contain a magnificent collection of bagpipes, it is only recently that efforts have been made to develop the Edinburgh International Folk Festival at Easter into a European Piping Festival. The work has already for some years included a Harp Festival. Last year Hamish Moore contributed his first week of “could wild” piping classes and there was a varied piping concert at the end. This year these were repeated and the whole programme broadened to cover many aspects of piping and pipe making.

Traditional Scottish piping was represented by two striking bands, the Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Band and the Monkton Hall Band, and by two promising young soloists, Martyn Bennett and Stuart Reid. Anyone who thinks that such players are committing themselves to a hidebound tradition should listen to some of the more progressive music being played by both soloists and bands. Jim Sutherland, though not a piper himself, has contributed some smashing new-style tunes to the “Scottish rhythm and wing” played by his group the Easy Club at their concert. They were not the only ones to be playing this jaunty piping r,me ) The Easy Club Reel. In another direction Mark Duff, who plays recorder and whistles in the young group Caper:allie, slipped in a line on the Leicestershire small pipe to effect in one song.

Another departure from the main Scottish tradition is the revival of the solo Ireland tradition of border and small pipes. In his recitals Hamish Moore has the advantage of being able to draw on his experience as a highland piper and to select techniques and music from the Highland tradition that suit his bellows pipes. He also has the gift of being able to explain to his pupils the minute details of what exactly he is aiming at, at each point in a tune and to give them many moment even though their individual techniques may never be in the copies of his own. For many pipers interested in this repertoire the week began with the annual competition of the Lowland and Border Piper’s Society, although this was not mentioned in the Festival programme. This is intentionally a relaxed event, to dispel any idea of a formal championship, and many styles of playing are welcomed, from border pipes played as if they were Highland pipes to small pipes sounding more like Northumberland ones and with an overlapping repertoire. This year the range was extended in more ways than one by Jonathan Swann’s entry, playing his own developed half-long pipes. If Scottish pipers had difficulty in accepting these as border pipes rather than as a French chanter with common stock-drones, they might welcome them instead as a new form of the pastoral pipes of the eighteenth century.

The Northumbrian tradition was represented by Chris Miller, who is pushing his technique to the limits, especially concentrating on high speed repeated notes with the left thumb, like the Scottish doubling and trebling on the top A. Irish pipes were played by Peter Smith from Dublin and Eugene Lamb from the west coast of Ireland, who is also a distinguished maker. They both can produce that sparkling trickle of tiny notes that dance on the edge of the drones without counting themselves to plunge into harmony with them. The Glasgow group Setanta, who play Scottish and Irish music, were playing for the last time with their Irish pipes player David Munro, who is moving south.

A Hungarian group, Makings, played exciting string music and also a couple of tunes using a bagpipe. One aim seems to have been to obtain some western currency by selling the instrument before returning home. The central French tradition was represented by Andre Kieros, the virtuoso cabrette player from the Auvergne, accompanied on diatonic accordeon by Jacques Laveigne. Arresting Spanish music was contributed by Los Raparigos, a group from Galicia who play gaitas, whistle and percussion.

An innovation this year was an exhibition or trade stand event of two days. “Meet the pipemakers”, an opportunity to browse, ask questions and even try out pipes of different kinds. It was also a chance for interchange between the various makers there; but there was never a sufficient crowd of visitors at any one time to justify the popular sequence of lectures and demonstrations by makers.

Another innovation was the series of Piping Festival lectures given on the last day. Hamish Moore sketched in some of the historical background to present day lowland piping, the transition from pitch tuning to modern chromatic tuning, the hunt but repertoire and hopes for the future of “breathing down the hunter” brown lowland tunes; the construction of Irish pipes and Peter Brown spoke about their music. He maintained that while there were distinct regional styles of fiddle playing, piping styles were more personal. This might be because until recently there were so few players playing in Ireland. He prefers jigs and reels to hornpipes, which are “more European than Irish and have no sadness”.

Ian Silver, with Los Raparigos, gave an expert introduction and demonstration of their music, starting from simple percussion instruments and he gaita as a solo instrument and concluding with “composed” music and “classical arrangements”, sometimes using three gaitas in harmony.

The principal venue for the piping festival was sparked by Hugh Cheape in his talk ‘The European Roots of Scottish Piping’, illustrated with slides (instead of the musical examples). In the other talks, he is stressing Keeper at the Royal Scottish Museum and is actively campaigning to win for the bagpipe collections in the Edinburgh national museums the recognition of their international importance and the public display that they deserve. In sorting and cataloguing the pipes he has been struck by the variety of types represented and the fact that few of them conform to what we know as the standard Highland pipes. This is not just because pipists do museums are often cast-offs and the ‘real’ pipes remained in use. His researches into old illustrations and publications, types of music and tune names all conform the pattern: the development of the Scottish pipes must be accounted a nineteenth century movement, part of the adoption of a Highland identity for the whole of Scotland. Before then the Scottish pipe music was recognisably part of the European song and dance tradition.

The foundations have been laid for a British piping festival of European scope, in the most appropriate venue in the world. This year it was supported by Scottish, Irish, English, French and Spanish cultural bodies and printers’ societies. Now it is hoped that BEC support can be obtained via the BEC Cultural Co-operation Committee Edinburgh. Such has been achieved by the Festival Administrator, Marian Ramsay, under the oft-beat festival directorship of Robin Morton and with the enthusiasm of Horns. What is needed is a presiding genius to pursue energetically the ideas that have been thrown around so far. Hands can hardly be expected to undertake this in addition to the classes and his concert commitments. The whole project is so much in line with the aims of our bagpipe society that the least we can do is to wish success to the new director, Archie Fisher. But there must also be some way in which we can actively show our support and help him and Marian Ramsay continues and develop such good work. Next year the festival will be from March 25th to April 3rd and the Festival of European Piping will be concentrated on the second weekend, April 1st-3rd. Write for fuller details, which should be ready around Christmas.

RECORD REVIEW
by Simon Owen

NORMA KORMAN
Edigal Bell 70007

This is the first and only record by this young Galician group Korman, but one hopes that they make more and very soon. They are a five-piece band who compose most of their own material, which is very strongly rooted in the traditional idiom. The influence of Breton and Scottish music makes itself plain in some of their wholly instrumental items, but it is the Galician traditional influences that shape most of the tunes. In these days of increasing cultural homogenization it is most refreshing to find a group that respects the traditions of its own culture while still being responsive to cultures of others. To me, this is the only way to put a cultural heritage in good use, without a continuous evolutionary process, any culture becomes fossilized and its practitioners risk becoming intolerant of differing philosophies or traditions (with consequent disastrous results at either personal or national level). End of digression.

While always retaining a keen sense of dynamics and textures, Korman are a very high-energy group which has a great fondness for playing very fast. In the hands of technically accomplished group this approach can result in a chaotic thrash that is infinitely more fun for the player than the besieged listener. Here, however, the excellent arrangements and playing skills keep such excursions under tight rein.

The band features two gaitas, bombardes, recorders, bouzouki, guitar, accordion, bass, piano/synthesiser and assorted percussion. The use of piano as an upfront instrument is a salutory reminder of how effective it can be when played thoughtfully (all too rare in most folk bands). The gaita playing is deadly accurate even at high speed (which is not to say that the playing is gratuitously speedy, but only where it is most effective). The bombardé playing is also excellent, and really lifts some of the tunes with its clarion tone.

Nearly every tune on this record is a strong one which leaves you whistling it for long afterwards, and the arrangements all leave room for exploration of dynamics and texture. Thankfully, a lot of folk bands are moving away from the all start, all play, all finish approach to tune playing, and Korman’s arrangements are exemplary in bringing out the most in the material. Of all the tracks, I could single out the closing one for special mention. In two parts, the first is a pandeirada named after the dance named after the drum - the pandeiro - used to provide the rhythm which actors along very smartly with the two gaitas taking the major part. Following this, the second part is the well-known Hr. o’Slour which is taken up by the piano and whistle at a pace which makes you wonder how long they can keep it up until the bagpipes make a reappearance at Warp Factor Nine, leaving you (me anyway) breathless by the time it’s over. The articulation used by the gaitas on this difficult tune is razor sharp, giving clarity to the melody while bundling it along in a way that makes your average jig sound like a slow air. Brilliant!

File under essential purchase. This record is available from Gallate’s or if not by mail order (along with all other Galician and other Spanish records) from ARPAFOLK, S.B.

IN SEARCH OF THE 100 BAGPIPERS by Paul Miller

Most of you will have received a circular a month or two back inviting you to join the British-Bulgarian Friendship Society on their trip to the Rozen folklore festival in Bulgaria for something less than a bargain price (£358+extras? must be a joke). Being a seasoned traveller of the Balkans but having made only one trip to Bulgaria, which was somewhat limited due to having acquired a plastered leg on the way, I decided to make my own way there. So armed with a cheap charter ticket to Yugoslavia, a visa for Bulgaria (£20?) must have been another joke) and against the advice of Bulgarnphil friends who warned that events like this have a habit of getting cancelled at the last minute, I set off for Rozen.

Looks like I should have heeded their advice, because when I got there all the posters had been overprinted with a new date – the festival had been postponed for a week!

So what happened? Were the promised 100 bagpipers too busy like I was, queueing for bread? Was it because long-standing party leader Todor Zhivkov was being ousted from power because he doesn’t get on with Gorbacev (The order to take his portraits down came while I was there.) Local officials were not to be found and those not in authority were as clueless as any Bulgarian is about what is happening in the country.

Anyway, your intrepid Bagpipe Society member had to miss the festival as my charter flight left from Yugoslavia while the festival was on… I wasn’t too sorry to miss the 100 bagpipers, except for the fact that they would have been playing the local instrument, the Kaba Gaida which has a beautiful deep tone distinct from most other bagpipes. The idea of playing 100 together is probably not traditional but more probably the idea of some official or committee; still, I was curious to know what they would have sounded like. In certain villages in Macedonia there is a tradition of playing large numbers of Gajdas (or Gaida in the plural) together and in the village of Dolneni they can still manage an ensemble of 10 players and pretty amazing they sound too, but Pece Atanasovski, Macedonia’s most famous Gaida player who comes from that village tells me that it once was able to muster 100 players. So it looks like the Bulgarians stole the idea from the Macedonians!

Anyway, this was supposed to have been a report on the festival. Instead I have to ask if any members did actually make it to the festival on the presumably rescheduled BBFS trip? Or did they turn up the wrong weekend as well?

P.M.

LORIENT THROUGH THE DRINKING GLASS by Simon Owen

For the bagpiper, the Lorient Interceltic festival in Brittany is like a course of aversion therapy. If nine days of continuous bagpiping can’t cure you of being involved with them, nothing will! For most people, of course, nothing will. Imagine some four thousand participants, a large percentage of whom play bagpipes (generally Highland or Galatas), playing virtually continuously from afternoon till dawn; music of the spheres to some; souls in torment to others.

Each Celtic nation sends a delegation to the Lorient Festival, and it is easy to lose track of who is currently claiming to be Celtic. It took several years for Galicia to be accepted into the Celtic fold, and now their neighbours and fellow Gaelic go-getters, Asturias, are claiming Celtic nationhood. Although neither has been accepted into the League of Celtic Nations, such distinctions count for very little when you have such exuberant people and wonderful music.

The Welsh contingent was a massive ten musicians (seven of PENCERDD and three of CROMLECH), although we did manage a good showing on the bagpipe front, with myself and Richard Bramhorn from Penccrdd and Peter Davies of Cromlech using various beasts of burden. Welsh music has never had the highest of reputations in the past, being either unbearably polite and bland Elisdrefod-type parlour music or choral singing excerpts from Gilbert and Sullivan (as I heard when I was on the festival a few years previously). We were determined, therefore, to keep a high profile and continue the trend started in the last few years of the more progressive Welsh groups such as Aberjaber.

On arrival at two in the afternoon, we passed the main marquee which had a sign saying that Pencerdd would be playing at four o’clock. This left very little time for any apprehension and no time at all to gauge the standard of the other groups or the mood of the audience! I wondered how, in such a short time, they could manage to do sound checks, but in the field of checking and settling up, I feel that the Lorient organization has hit on an excellent arrangement. Each group is given an hour-long slot in which to set up and perform. If they tinker with microphones for most of that hour and play for only a few minutes, that is up to them. To my mind, nothing is more frustrating than endless and often self-indulgent sound checks which can last longer than the actual performance. In addition, the sound crews were excellent and really understood what the groups were doing, following the music and mixing accordingly.

Our first performance went tolerably well, and we finished with a set of Welsh tunes played by myself and Richard on two pipes. Having hung a large Welsh flag from the drone of mine to indicate that it was a Welsh bagpipe (gaita gallega?), we were closely questioned afterwards by a newspaper reporter on why we used gaitas, and what had happened to Welsh bagpipes. The result of this conversation was the following newspaper paragraph which demonstrates that he took my answers for less than gospel truth!

Page 20 Page 21

Cherchez l’intrus…

Surprise pour les festivaliers rassemblés samedi après-midi, sous le chapiteau des arts : un jour de gaita figurait au nombre des musiciens de groupe gaïtis

Pencerded, à La goèle, m’a-t-il expliqué, ressemble à la cormeuse écossaise au Moyen Age… ? (1)

Having settled into the routine fairly quickly, certain things became obvious. Primarily among these was the enthusiasm of the Lorient and welting public for informal playing. Setting up in a bar inevitably resulted in many free drinks and a lot of interest. As with a lot of festivals, this was the best part of the proceedings, especially for meeting and playing with other musicians. Most nights we would play, usually in the same bar, until four or five in the morning. Fortunately, concerts did not resume until the afternoon, the morning’s only activity being a parade by a different pipe band every day.

Although a group’s concert schedule is by no means arduous, we hardly got to see half of the other concerts that were on. However there were several outstanding groups: the Gallican Luar la Lubre, whose gaitero had a deeply wonderful three-drone gaita; also from Galicia, Armegün, who feature more vocal music than is usually associated with bands having two gaiteros. Although Asturian music is not so immediately memorable or exciting as Galician, I enjoyed the young Asturian group Llán de Cubel, who featured an excellent gaitero. Not to everyone’s taste were the Galician rock group Brath, who integrated the gaita very well into rock numbers with firm traditional feeling, but were less successful at rocking up actual traditional tunes, which were a bit too simple for such elaborate treatment and ended up a little over-dressed.

Page 22

Although Irish music is not exactly my favourite to listen to (rather than play), I could not help but be impressed by the absurdly young and extremely talented Irish groups, especially Sibin and Tamalin. Unfortunately I missed seeing Davy Spillane, who I think was performing solo and also missed hearing Calicanto, who are an Italian band using the ‘bagas’ (the North Italian pipe resurrected by Massimo Furlanelli) and are a very theatrical and musically very exciting group.

For the bagpiper the wonder of the event was not in the variety of bagpipes on show, as would be the case in St. Chartier, but the sheer weight of numbers of sets of pipes around, usually Highland or Gaitas. A common sight at mealtimes would be a bagpipe mountain stacked up while their owners partook of the excellent food. On several occasions I was transfixed by a pipe of Antonio Corral gaitas twenty or thirty deep (the Man himself runs an excellent pipe band Gaitas de Xarabal); surely they wouldn’t miss just one?

Since the Irish, Scottish and Breton pipe bands use the same pipes (more or less), it was interesting to compare the different styles and repertories. This was made very easy on the day of the Great Parade, when seventy different outfits went in procession along a mile-long course. It took two hours for the whole parade to go by, and most of the participants played pipes. The Breton bagadou seemed to be the most interesting, since the bombarders give then a flexibility of approach to the music which the bagpiper-only bands don’t have. For the first time in its history, the parade was not led by the naval bagad of Lorient, Bagad Lann Bihou. Pride of place (I) this time went to the Pencerded marching band of two flautas, rauschpfeife and percussion. As the only Welsh representatives willing to process, we were put at the front to avoid upsetting the careful programming of the rest. Apart from the fact that we couldn’t be heard when the bagad started passes behind us was playing (2 gaitas, 55, 20 pipes, 20 bombarders and 8 drums) our only embarrassment was the lack of a national costume. Alex Evan’s suggestion that we went naked painted with woad was not put into practice since it was a chilly morning and none of the shops sold woad.

I love the sound of a massed gala marching band, and the Galician costumes were the most elegant on display, especially those of the men. The Asturians seem less flamboyant; both in costumes and music, although not without charm (I think). They do not go to far large groups of pipers (a dozen or so at the most) and marching is made most uncomfortable due to their amazing three-pronged clogs. The Asturian pipes are outwardly the same as Galician gaitas except they only ever have one drone (as far as I could see) and have a flared end to the drone rather than the characteristic bottle-shaped ends of the Gallican drones. However, they employ exclusively closed fingering as opposed to the Gallican open or semi-closed and the tunes use overflowing as a matter of course, to at least the three finger note of the second octave. The Gallicans very rarely stray above the break and even then only go one or two notes above.

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For us, the highlight of the festival was the night at the fishing port nearby, for which a large boulevard was blocked at each end and six stages erected at intervals on which groups performed from evening until daybreak. Fish was on the menu of nearly every bar and stall from freshly grilled sardines to fish couscous. If they could have made beer from fish, I’m sure they would have done so. By 4am or so the whole 15,000-strong audience was very drunk and very cheerful. A similar event would be impossible to stage in Britain as it would result in the stupid, ignorant and aggressive behaviour that usually seems to accompany a certain strata of British society. At Lorient however, everyone was fully occupied in enjoying themselves and being friendly to one and all.

Hopefully, we generated a lot more members for the bagpipe society with the large number of leaflets we gave away. There is an exhibition of Lutherie in the main marquee (including, this year, a superb bagpipe maker Dominique Bougé making French and Balkan pipes) at which we might be able to set up a permanent stall next time. It seems that we were well enough received this time to be asked back next year, so I hope to be writing a similar report then. Watch this space. S.O.

For details of Lorient ’88 contact Simon Owen. We will be advising you through these pages in plenty of time for you to plan your hols… Ed.

LETTERS

Dear Bagpipe Society,

Re Hale the Piper

The pipes are not shown in any detail but did appear as in the illustration you have but larger in the other, now lost, part of the broadsheet.

The drones clearly have holes. This now makes sense through comparison with other types of ‘weak’ tunnel drones or does it remain as an error on the part of the artist? No means of inflation is visible. ‘Old Hale’s Hornpipe’ used a range of notes from A below the stave to F sharp in the top line - this is worth looking at again (but not available, lost or stolen or mislaid, when asked for last at the local library) {reproduced in John Offord’s book-typist}

The bell on the liale’s pipes appears to be attached by blinding or staples; or are they keys?

Was Hale also a pipe maker? There appears to be a lathe in the background with odd, partly finished pieces under it. The lathe itself looks at a glance to be very modern and anachronisms appear to abound, what with the tune, the pipes and details from the illustration. Accuracy or reconstruction?

And as for your blood running cold, is someone trying to tell me something? Hale isn’t such a common name and my musical unconscious has certainly not been developed for me by the last generation of my family. Oddly enough I do a lot of what my paternal grandfather did; he was an ‘Anglo’ concertina player, born In the Black Country, who moved (back?) to Derby. I am an English concertina player with a definite leaning towards practical, repairing, making aspects. Who knows where we both came from?? ‘Grandfather died before I was born’.

Derrick Hale,

A number of other members have written to draw attention to the item by Jon Swayne on the Hale pipes in John Offord’s book of English Dance Tunes, “John of the Greeny Cheshire Way”. In it Jon casts doubt on the authenticity of the bagpipe itself and suggests that it might be an invention of the artist in an attempt to depict “an instrument current 100 years before his time"… ed

Dear Bagpipe Society,

I would like to tell you about our Pipeband in Switzerland, the Basle Drum and the Swiss bagpipes.

In Switzerland there are two Pipebands: one in Basle and one in Zurich. There are a few little groups of about three or slightly more members. The pipeband I’m a member of is ten years old now. The very beginning of the band consisted of three members who brought along bagpipes from Scotland without any knowledge of maintenance, tuning, fingering or anything else. Slowly they began to improve their piping after having got aquainted with a Scottish instructor, who normally still comes once a year to Basle, together with a drum instructor. During recent years the band has grown bigger and more experienced. It might be mentioned that the Drum Corps is relatively good, for all the drummers are already very experienced Basle Drummers.

The Basle drum is a low-pitched metal drum with snares and two cowhides which are not as strongly strained as for example the Scottish drum is nowadays. The drum is played sometimes in groups of 50 drummers who play together. Mostly you can see the Basle drum at the “Fasnacht”, which may be known abroad, for the Basle Carnival is very famous.

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At the moment our land counts twelve pipers and seven drummers. Three years ago we were competing in Scotland in Grade four and three.

Recently I saw a Swiss bagpipe, which is the same type as the Southern German. Unfortunately I don’t know where to get them nor where to learn more about them. The only thing I know is that they are mouthblown and a comparatively similar sound to the Scottish highland pipes.

Markus Scherner, East Wishes

JUNIOR PIPER’S CORNER

Hello Juniors. . . . This is Uncle Peter welcoming you to a new feature. And aren’t there a lot of young pipers for you to read about in this issue? Two promising young soloists and the young group Capercaille at Edinburgh (did you know, one of them is only 26!), a young Galician group who’ve even been allowed to make a record!), a young Austrian group at Lorient, together with two absurdly young groups (well really, what ever were their parents thinking of allowing them out so late?). But seriously though, don’t you look forward to the day when you pass forty and you can become a real member of the club? I mean, just how old do you have to be before you can be just a good musician, and not a child protege?/

Agialty Yours,

Uncle P.

Have you heard about the amazing young Northumbrian piper Paul Higgs (hope I’ve got the name right) who has been stopping for Kathryn Tickell? Now this one really is young, Peter; I believe he’s about 12 (correct me if I’m wrong Don Render). Apparently he’s good enough to study audiences who have come to see KT, and that’s saying something! . . . . . Ed

GREEK BAGPIPES - THE SAGA CONTINUES by Paul Miller

Here is my contribution to the Greek pipes story. As far as I am concerned the gajda in its Greek variants is the mainland bagpipe. Let me justify that statement. Firstly Macedonia is just as valid an ethnic and geographic region of Greece as Epirus or the islands. The wider region of Macedonia i.e. including the parts of Yugoslavia and Bulgaria is not an entity like Kurdistan, where the Kurdish people have a homeland but the territory is split between three modern states ruled by people with different ethnic and religious backgrounds. Macedonia has always been a region of mixed nationalities, hence the French use of the term ‘macedoine’ and the two largest minorities are basically either Greek or Slav speaking. Political events of the last 100 years including exchanges of population have led to the current situation of a vast Greek speaking majority in the part now under Greece. I am a bit worried that all this is too simplified to make sense but a whole library has been written on ‘The Macedonian

Question’ and the ‘Macedonian Socialist Revolution’ is not the place to continue it. What I think I am really trying to say is that there is no such person as a ‘Macedonian’ in the same way as there is in Kurd or a Basque. So back to the pipes.

The gajda is not just played in Greek Macedonia but it is also played further east in Thrace. The instruments appear to be much the same as those more familiar gajdas played by the Slavs and Rumanians to the north, the only notable difference being that in Greek Macedonia the higher pitched instrument is favoured, playing around 3 finger d’ (or e’ in some villages, known as the ‘mosquito’ gajda for obvious reasons).

All the authentic Greek-manufactured instruments I have come across have had cylindrical bores. There are some conical bore ones around, but these appear to be Bulgarian imports. As regards the Thracian, the lower pitched instrument, with a 3 finger note around d’ flat, seems to be favoured together with a conical bore as in Bulgaria, but I am less sure about this because I have never met a player and am relying on the tapes and written information I have found. Both the Greek Thracian and Macedonian players have a playing style similar to but at the same time distinct from the corresponding Slav players in Bulgaria and Yugoslavia.

The second reason for regarding the gajda as the ‘authentic’ mainland instrument is this: Brian Wilson, who posed the original question seemed to want to disregard the gajda on the basis that it was copied or borrowed from a neighbouring group. If you follow this argument then logically there are no real Greek pipes at all because the island pipes (known as ‘Tsambouna’ in most places) are so clearly related to the Turkish ‘Tulum’.

While on the subject of the island pipes: apparently on some islands the pipers don’t bother to play when there is a southerly wind because it brings too much moisture; instead they wait for the dry northerlies. So if you thought it was just the British climate that we had for pipes, you are wrong! Also on some islands they use uncured bags; presumably there everybody is glad of any wind at all just to carry away the stink!

Lastly, there is a fresco on Mt Athos painted in the 16th Century and showing an instrument much like the typical medieval pipes (eg. Jon Swayne’s reconstruction), including a proper conical bore, and such pipes also have some sketchy references elsewhere in written sources. So perhaps these pipes were once widespread in mainland Greece and they are the missing link?

P.M.

The subject of Greek bagpipes is still definitely open and any more light that can be shed on the subject will be most welcome. Paul is currently spending a protracted sojourn in macedonia and will, we hope, have lots more goodies for the newsletter on his return. His contact address can be found in the membership list supplement. Meanwhile, see next letter for details of a recording of Pontus bagpipes…

Ed

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MORE LETTERS

Dear Bagpipe Society,

Yes, pipe collecting is really sheer madness! I have a large collection of pipes, not all of them in playing condition—especially out here. Keeping pipes playing in our ridiculous extremes of temperature and humidity certainly takes on a whole new and frustrating perspective. The west coast of Canada and the North Western U.S. is much preferred; the temperatures, rain and general climate are much more conducive to bagpipe players (somewhat resembling the British weather).

Well—the listing of my pipes—it just keeps getting longer!. I have recently added; 1 a full Bflat set of uillean pipes in boxwood made by Hughes and McLeod in Downpatrick, N.Ireland (Obtained from west coast of US) 2 A keyless set of Northumbrian smallpipes—extra Colin Ross chanter— no maker’s name on this set. Very nicely made in blackwood/ivory. Obtained via a friend here, who got them via Dave McCordick (should this be Stephen?—ed)- Pipe maker in the Derby area. The chanter has a plunger in the end, facilitating playing open style (plunger out) or closed style (plunger in). 3 Bflat blackwood chanter—Hughes and McLeod 4 Full blackwood/silver plated brass set of D concert pitch uillean pipes from David Quinn— dimensionally copied from Liam O’Flynn’s 1936 Leo Rowsome set (David measured Liam’s set). Fantastically high standard of workmanship from David Quinn (USA) 5 Old Scottish smallpipe drones (19th Century probably) plus D chanter made by Denny Hall (near Seattle, Washington State). On order

1 Remi Dubois Bechonnet Bourbonnas 2 Flemish Cornemuse 3 cabrette chanter from Bernard Blanc 4 Half-longs from Jonathan Swayne no doubt I’ll have excuses for other pipes in the meantime. Keen to locate older sets now—though obviously difficult to find.

Will be in the UK at Christmas time, so possibly I could try to meet some of you folks when I’m over.

The North American ‘Northumbrian pipers’ convention is looking good for this year (August) and I’m getting Gerry O’Sullivan up from New York City to play in the Sunday concert. He’s without doubt amongst the top half-dozen or so uillean pipers here in North America. A little on the style of Paddy Keenan. (He may have a record out shortly over here.)

Enthusiastically

Alan Jones.

Alan has also sent a complete list of the pipes he owns. It is reproduced here as a warning to all members against excess and overindulgence! Take heed, you too could end up like Alan, sleeping in a pup tent while your house is full of bagpipes (seriously Alan, where do you keep them all?). I’m sure this can’t be the lot as Alan is a keen Northumbrian piper—somewhere between America and England there must be a stray sheet listing his Northumbrian pipes—Help! UILLEAN 1 Eugène Lamb 4 set (small drone down side of chanter 2 David Quinn (in boxwood) 3 Pat McNulty practice set 4 Pete Riley set in maple (made in Maine, USA) 5 David Quinn Bflat 4 set (Nominal B/Bflat) 6 Joe McKenna 4 set in C. Cuharp chanter for his Rowsome set— reeded to play in C. 7 Jim Maloney/Eugene Lamb full set in D. 8 Glendon McCarthy (London) full set in B. 9 John Addison full set in D Lignum 10 Jeff Slaven full set (Derby and Nottinghamshire). 11 David Quinn D chanter (5 keys + stop switch) 12 Chris Langan (Ireland/Toronto, Canada)—C chanter 13 Matt Kiernan Bflat chanter 14 Peter Riley D chanter. 15 John Addison D chanter in blackwood. 16 Chris Bailey (London) D chanter. 17 Early Uillean (Pastoral?) pipe, manufacturer currently unknown. Excellent workmanship. Bellows intact—piece missing off end of chanter (‘cotojoint’?). Looks like Robert Reed standard of work. 18 Hughes and McLeod- full set in Bflat.

SCOTTISH 1 Scottish smallpipes in D Colin Ross 2 Bflat/A smallpipes (interchangeable chanter) Colin Ross 3 C Scottish smallpipes Robbie Greenslit 4 MacDonald, Edinburgh, border pipes (late 17/early 1800’s) 5 MacPhearson Highland blackwood/ivory (60 years old?) 6 Hardie Highland. 7 Hardie Practice Goose. 8 Henderson(?) Practice chanter. 9 to come this summer—Old set of 19th century drones (3)+ modern smallpipe chanter Denny Hall USA.

MISCELLANEOUS 2 Breton Veuze (Hervieux and Glet, Brittany) in G, two drones. Spanish Galta 2 drones, blackwood, in C (made by Veuze makers in Brittany) 3 Swedish Säckpipa Leif Eriksson 4 Flemish pipes David Quinn 5 English Double pipes in F with interchangeable double chanter Julian Goodacre 6 D English pipes C interchangeable chanter Julian Goodacre

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Dear Bagpipe Society

I thought you might like to publish Dr. Bain’s letter to me concerning the piping records held at Oxford university Music Faculty (note the one from Pontus, under Greece)

Has anyone been over, these, or thought of transferring selected bands onto cassette tape (for distribution within the society? I would agree with Duncan Moss about AIDS but I am less sure about hepatitis B and tuberculosis (rare though it is nowadays). A disposable plastic slipover for the mouth-piece would be resealing for demonstration sets, perhaps with a one-way valve.

Yours sincerely Dr. Peter Cameron

Dear Dr. Cameron

In answer to your letter, I have recently been able to go through the records, old and new, which are in the Music Faculty here: many of them are mine. In case any are fresh to you, here are the bagpipe items. (LP 12" unless otherwise stated)

Albania: Topic 12v154 Lloyd), gajda, 2 bands

Bulgaria Unesco Coll. Univeral. 78, 10" gajda, 1 band Argo ZRG 562, gajda, 2 bands Chant du Monde LD-M813A. 101. gajda trio arranged

Czecho: Supraphon SP 20377: “Y long” (contained in V. long’s book on Slovak instruments - in Slovak), gajdy, 3 bands * 03122. 45. 7", gajdy 3 bands. * 03085/6 45. 7", gajdy 2 bands. * 031139. 03115/6, duddy, many bands Rescho HV 72253. 45. 7" (contained In music book by Könizlg)

England: Northumb: Album UE350 Coll. Univ. 78 10" (no artist named) Topic 12i283 ‘Holev Ha’penny’ Clough & others.

Estonia: Unesco Coll.Univ. 78 107 (no.10 in the series) 1 band.

France: Col. SL-207. Folk Music of France “musette”, 2 bands Decca for EFDSS S.P.12 “Folk tunes from the Auvergne”. 1 band Westminster WLS 5334. (INKF Pampalona festival) cabreto. 1 band Brittany -no old 78 not yet listed, with old binious.

Germany Coloss.SM 3014. Uppere Palatinate (Eichenser 1975 collection)

Greece SDNN 110. Chios tsabouna. 2 bands

Panvox BIGA 133/5 10143. (Songs etc from Pontus) tulus, recorded in Greece.

Hungary Hung. Acad. of Sciences. Quallton LPX 1187 (INFC ‘64). 1 band

Ireland: Unesco Coll Univ 78 10" union pipes, no image. 1 band. Westminster (As above, France) R. Keagh. 1 band. HW DLF 1143 10". Recorded in Scotland 1 band HWV CLP 1327 (Kennedy), McPeaka. 2 bands. HWV L.M.498 78 10" Rowzona (all) Decca V.4009.4046,4332 78 10" Walsh (3 records)

Italy: Col. KL-5137. Latium, Molise (unusual) 2 bands. Also Sicillian. Col. KL-5174 zampogna. 3 bands. Col D.Q. 426. 78 10" Zampognari Homecord A-6366. 78 10" Sicilly: Odeon 60 17874, 78 10". Cornamusa. Col.D.Q. 553

Portugal Request SRLP 0089. Gaiteros. 2 bands

Rumania Electrecord EPD 78. 10". Ciurpoi Topic 10T12 10". - Antalogia muz. pop.r omni, 5. 10". cimpoi

Scotland Col.D8115. PipersmH, Fursyth. 78 10" Westminster (as France). sword dance

Spain Col. KL-216. Gallici. 1 band Yugos: Col. KL-217. five bands, different types Jugoton Ethnoppia. 78 10". mih. Vegner Verlag. Lieder der Welt VIII. diplo? 1 band Unesco coll. univ. 78 10" Macedonia: gajda

Radiotel Beograd LPV 175 ‘Tanset’ gajda.

Yours sincerely, Anthony Baines, Faculty of Music, Oxford

Nov. 1977

What a treasure trove this little lot is! (fortunately, we simply can’t lift selected bands, even for distribution exclusively within the society - our copyright laws, quite rightly, do not allow it. However, it would seem that the records are available for listening; just what the borrowing or auditioning arrangements are I do not know. If any members are interested, perhaps they might like to contact Dr Baines at the above address…

Ed

NEWSLETTER 12 COPY DATE

The copy date for the next Newsletter is January 30th. This gives us a clear month to get it all written up, typeset, printed and distributed. You may think a month is a long time but, believe me, it isn’t - even if we were doing it full time. When you consider that it has to be squeezed in between other leisure activities (even Newsletter editors/typesetters like to actually play bagpipes occasionally as well as write about them), I’m sure you’ll realise that we really do need your copy in early to avoid a last minute panic. I would also like to make a plea to the 90% of members who do not contribute - it’s not that we’re short of material, just that there must be lots of wonderful fax info out there about the wonderful world of bagpipes that just isn’t being shared with other members. Tips, tunes, anecdotes, research, jokes, letters, complaints; keep it all rolling in.

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DEAR UNCLE OCTAVIUS

Double Trouble.
I have a strange effect in the common drone stock of my E.M.S Praetorius bagpipes. It i try to play both drones at once, the vibrating air from one seems to disturb the other. I have tried several reeds in both without improvement. Sketch below of the drone arrangement.
The other trouble is with the chanter on a set of Scottish small pipes made by Grainger and Campbell. These play in the key of D (a little flat actually) with 6 bassoon reed. I suspect incorrectly placed or sized finger holes. The trouble is 4 of 5th hole) and 6 (5th hole) [numbered from the bottom], which play almost one semi-tone sharp. I’ve been playing these for years with plastic tape over the tops of the holes to flatten these two notes. Different reeds make no improvement, and I’d either like to alter the holes, or have a new chanter made, which tunes properly (C & C no longer makes them). If any of your readers would undertake these alterations, or be willing to duplicate my existing chanter with properly placed holes in African blackwood and ivory sole, I’d be anxious to hear from them.

[Drawing of chanter and drones]

First of all, let me say that I am only glancingly (familiar with the E.M.S. instrument, so cannot give any advice based on direct experience of it. However there must be many members with sets who may have come up against this problem and have discovered how to sort it out, so let’s hear from them. In the meantime, I can make a few general comments. This annoying phenomenon occasionally crops up with common drone stocks, and is also known to occur with certain designs of chanter/drone stocks as used in Central France. In my experience it seems to be related to the volume of air contained in the stock. For example, stocks of the type used on Border or Loch pipes, where the stock is hollowed out behind the sockets for the drone tenons, seem to be free of the problem. Such stocks are also sometimes constructed by long straight through for each drone, thus each drone would effectively have a separate feed from the bag; this arrangement is also not susceptible to interference. The smaller the volume in which reeds is regulated to operate, the greater will be the change above and below ambient pressure in response to the compression/rarefaction cycle produced by the vibrating reed. Mutual coupling (interference) is therefore likely to occur where a common stock has a relatively small internal volume; a reduction in bore area between the stock and the bag is likely to make matters worse, since it would tend to make it more difficult for the air in the stock to stand at ambient bag pressure. Assuming that you have strictly followed the instructions on the kit as to the construction of the stock, the remaining approach is to experiment with the reeds. Intuitively I would have thought that stuffer reed tless likely to be affected by mutual coupling. The resonant frequency of a drone reed is a function of the mass and stiffness of the tongue. The size of the reed must also be matched to the air-column it is required to excite. Since the relationship with frequency is inverse in the case of mass, and direct in the case of stiffness, any increase in stiffness must be matched by an increase in mass (usually length) in order to preserve a matching resonant frequency.

PIPERS’ PROBLEM PAGE

As to the second problem, even Uncle Octavius (finds it impossible to give sensible advice without having the instrument in front of him, and without the answers to the many questions it raises. Perhaps members may be able to help, or to recommend someone who can.

A Case of Aural Harassment.
Could your “Pipers’ Problem Page” be retitled “Problem Pipers’ Page”? My landlord has recently acquaird a set of ‘ullan floorba 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘱𝘦𝘴, with the result that domestic harmony (to say nothing of the musical variety) has been somewhat disturbed of late. My main problem appears to be an insufficient supply of blu-tak for plugging up the end of the drone, couple with the fact that Mr. Godditt has rather inconsiderately made the bore too small for poking anything larger than a piece of spaghetti up it to act as a mute (which is not very satisfactory since the spaghetti goes soggy after a few days use). I never used to have this trouble with my landlord’s bassoon since almost anything can be dropped down the end of a bassoon and a pair of rugby socks made a most efficient mute. Do not misread me - I have no quarrel with the pipes, which I’m sure are a most melodious and mellifluous instrument in the right pair of hands; I am merely worried about my landlord’s health - how long can be withstand the barrage of insults (and greater items) hurled at him from across the living-room floor? Perhaps there is some medical operation which can separate a problem piper from his pipes - I hope you can give me some advice (or falling that, some consolation).
Yours worriedly,
Ann Noyd, Beeston, Notts.

This column receives a constant stream of letters and phone calls of similar substance, and I often wonder whether pipers as a type have something to learn in their choice of wife/partner/live-in lover. Or since the vast majority of pipers are male, perhaps the problem is that their female partners exhibit to a greater extent than normal, the tendency of some women to fall in love with their men’s potential rather than with his present reality. In this case the relationship seems to be that of landlord and tenant, but if it is, how do they come to share the same living-room? Astute readers will have noticed many unanswered questions here. For instance, why should Ann want to blu-tak the drone? Is it too loud, or not in tune? Why cannot the ’landlord’ blu-tak his own drone, stick spaghetti up his own chanter, drop socks down his own bassoon? Why should she worry about her landlord’s health when the insults seem to be coming from her? Does the executioner worry about the health of the condemned men? Has Ann considered that spaghetti in a soggy state is likely to be a more efficient mute than in its raw state? In fact, why hasn’t she noticed this? Has she considered that dirty socks may be a more efficient mute than clean ones due to the increased density of air laden with smelly-sock molecules? Can a state of harmony ever be said to exist between landlord and tenant, and if it can, can such harmony properly be described as domestic? Quite frankly, I think that Ann has not been Frank (goddit?) with us. As for surgical separation, I think this suggestion smacks not a little of penal envy. You ask for advice and consolation, Ann, but I can’t help you unless you come clean. Come to think of it, have you asked yourself whether all this activity with pipes you complain of might not be what the psychologists call “displacement activity” or “sublimation”? Consider carefully before coming to any premature conclusions.

IMPORTANT NOTE to Organologists: With reference to using bagpipes for cooking spaghetti, compare the practice of rock-concert goers of ‘hard-boiling’ eggs by placing the directly in front of the speaker stacks. After a few hours of exposure to several kilowatts of acoustic energy, the eggs are nicely done in their shells, ready for eating on the way home.

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The Deeper Mysteries.
At the recent-making workshop held in Milton Keynes In October 1986, I noticed that all the makers secured the 2 shaped blades of cane together with red thread of different gauges, prior to gluing them onto the staple. Is this absolutely necessary, or any less green thread? Stanley Wolff, Shaldwitch

You are clearly a highly evolved being, since the capacity for such sensitive discernment of the HIGHER SECRETS of reed-making is bestowed upon few. Your experience shows how things reveal themselves to us only when we are ready and fit to receive them, doesn’t it? You exquisitely developed intuition has shown you naturally that which THE MAKERS rarely reveal unasked, if then, namely that the higher vibrations of the coloured thread affect the molecular structure of the cane at a deeper level than is apparent to those, shall we say, woven of coarser cloth. The colour RED was used by THE MAKERS, because it carries the lowest rate of vibration in the hierarchy and is less likely to represent a danger to the undentitled. The aspirant must purify to the dense matter of his being before he can bear the intensity of the vibration of the Higher Colours. It has also been shown to you that the thickness of the thread that binds must be matched to that which is bound. That you have already perceived the hue of the next colour in the hierarchy is truly fulfilling; have patience, the CALL TO THE GREEN will come when you are ready for it. In the meantime you must be sure to continue to develop your Strength and Awareness. In the knowledge that great gifts carry with them great responsibility, in responsibility which will be required of you at the final step of TAKING ORANGE when you will be worthy to be privy to the company of the ineffable Swah Deva Himself, first among the Company of the Elders (so-called, as I am sure you know, not because of their great age, but because of their reverence for the Elder plant), in comparison with whom we are all but a broken reed and beyond whom we cannot on this plane aspire, until we go to the GREAT REED-MAKER in the sky. (Note: this last sentence is of a length of which even Bernard Levin would be proud).

THIS INSPIRING COMMUNICATION WINS THIS MONTH’S PRIZE FOR THE BEST LETTER. The Prize, consisting of the Ashes produced by the spontaneous combustion of Seven Reeds used and blessed by SWAH DEVA Himself will as usual be sent to the Home for Indigent Gentleppers.

EIGHTEENTH CENTURY BAGPIPE – A DICTIONARY DEFINITION

BAGPIPE, a musical instrument of the wind kind, chiefly used in country places, especially in the north; it consists of three principal parts; the first a leathern bag, which blows up like a foot-ball, by means of a port-vent, or little tube, fitted to it, and stopped by a valve; the other part consists of three pipes or flutes, the first called the great pipe, or drone; and the second, the little one; which pass the wind out only at the bottom: the third has a reed, and is played by compressing the bag under the arm, when full, and pouring or stopping the holes, which are eight, with the fingers. The little pipe is ordinarily a foot long; that played on, thirteen inches; and the port-vent six.

From: “A new and Complete Dictionary of Arts and Sciences, extracted from the best authors, by a Society of Gentlemen, London, 1754.”

I am grateful to Dr Maurice Byrne, editor of the Galpin Society Journal, for referring me to this dictionary.

JOHN GOODDCRE

JACK MY HEDGEHOG (GRIMM) by Dirk Campbell

A farmer whose wife had been childless for many years wished earnestly for a child of any kind at all. Even though it were a hedgehog! His wife soon gave birth to a child who was a boy from the waist down but a hedgehog from the waist up. The boy lay on a pile of straw behind the stove doing nothing except eating and sleeping until he was grown, when he unexpectedly asked his father to bring him a hagpipe from the market. Having received this gift, he went to the smith to have the hoosg-cork added, and, much to the relief of his long-suffering parents, rode away on it to the forest to look after his father’s pigs and asses. There he flew up to the top of a tall tree and sat there year after year, playing on his pipes.

One day a king lost his way in the forest, and hearing the beautiful music of the pipes, sent his servant to see if the player could tell him who he was.

Jack My Hedgehog promised to oblige on the condition that the king would give him whatever first met him on his return home. The king did so, but failed to carry out his promise, since it was his daughter that ran out to him.

A second king got lost in the forest and brought Jack to show him the way home. Jack exacted the same promise from him, which he felt obliged to honour, even though he and his daughter were understandably upset at the thought.

Unaware of the decisions of the two kings, Jack took his herd of pigs and asses home to his father, had the cock re-shod and rode off to the first king’s castle, where the king had given orders that Jack was to be shot on sight. But Jack avoided the soldiers by lying over the valley into the palace. He confronted the king and his daughter and threatened both of them with death if he did not have his wish. Terrified, the king consented to the marriage. Jack and the princess left the town in the royal carriage, but after a few miles he stopped, tears of all her lies of hopes pricked her oil over with his brides and sent the poor girl home in disgrace.

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