The Bagpipe Society

Chanter Winter 2005

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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 Ny 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 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 doing 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 tc 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 - 5 lb 12 oz, Saturday 19th September. May her lungs be sound and her elbows always have plenty of squeeze.

Por un lado tenemos:

El canto a son de gaita en Romances (profanos y religiosos)

Despertaderas y Auroras. En todos estos, con la intervencion de gaitero, solista y coro, a menudo acompaandos de una pequena campanilla como percusion. Y por otro lado:

El Dance.

Nos detendremos en el Dance, por ser el elemento que mas y major ha perdurado pese a los avatares del tiempo.

El Dance consiste en danzas rituales de palos, espadas, arcos y broqueles (pequenos escudos de madera), donde solo participan hombres (moder- namente hay excepciones) y cuya finalidad es realizar unrito cuyo significado nos es desconocido.

En los Monegros (comarca de Aragon), el Dance se suele componer de un Mayoral o jefe de los danzantes, cuatro “cuadros” de 4 hombres cada uno, es decir 16 danzantes y un cuadro de 4 ninos llamados volantes, que suelen llevar enaguas blancas. Todos portan las camadas de cascabeles en las piernas, camisas blancas y cintas de colores o mantones de Manila cruzados al pecho.

Al son de la gaita, interpretan distintas musicas o mudanzas, ya sean de palos, espadas, segun la percusion; ya sean pasacalles, ofertorios o mudanzas segun los movimientos de los danzantes. A destacar de las mudanzas de los Monegros su musica, que podemos llamar “entica”, con gran personalidad y absolutamente diferenciada del resto de Aragon.

De las diguras que forman los danzantes: el cinco del domino, donde cada punto es un cuadro de cuatro danzantes, siendo el punto central los volantes, que se expanden para formar una flor de 4 petalos; el circulo, la espiral, cadenas girando concentricas en sentido contrario etc.

Dentro de la simbologia, hay una mudanza conocida como “el degollau” (la decapitation) que representa la muerte falsa, seguida de resurreccion de un danzante o del Mayoral. Para ello se forma una cadena con los 16 danzantes provistos de una aspada cada uno, y al son de una musica muy cadenciosa, van rodeano el cuello del Mayoral con las espadas, formando los danzantes una espiral, y las espadas alrededor del cuello una estrella. Posteriormente subiran de pie, sobre los hombros de los danzantes, los cuatro volantes, que aisdos de las manos formaran un circulo coronando la espiral; todo el conjunto de hombres y ninos girara, degollando al jefe. Tras un silencio, los volantes descenderan y entre los danzantes saldra ell Mayoral “resucitado”, seguido de la cadena de danzantes, que de manera reversible vuelven a la posicion inicial de la mudanza.

50 Chanter