The Bagpipe Society

Grace Notes

Well, I’m feeling a lot happier …. and I hope you are too! Gatherings, meetings, live music, dancing, socialising - it’s all getting back on track bar the odd hiccup. Since the last Chanter, I’ve attended the Blowout at the beginning of June and I have just returned from Le Son Continu. Both occasions were wonderful and not just for the music but the sheer enjoyment of being ‘there’ with other people. My Facebook feed is full of friends doing likewise, attending festivals and dances and clearly experiencing the same joy of reconnection that I have felt.

The odd hiccup reminds us that not all is over with regards Covid as those attending the Blowout found out with the last minute cancellation of one of the artists. However, others stepped up to the mark and the event was a great success. The recipe for the Blowout is an excellent one – take a central UK location, provide a field for camping, add 60 plus people who like bagpipes, mix with some expert players and performers of said instrument, throw in a liberal sprinkling of food and drink and let settle for two and half days. Result, the perfect combination. Sadly, the weather could not be guaranteed but attendees were not going to let a generous helping of rain spoil things! The special guests, Olle Gällmo from Sweden and Porembela from Wales engaged us with their music and skills and the newly assembled Massif Village Orchestra got us all dancing on the Saturday night. The evening concert also featured some familiar faces to the Society – David Faulkner, David Rowlands as well as our President, Jon Swayne – and again, their playing was both superb and inspirational.

One change to the mix this year was the management of the venue. The centre is now expertly run by a local company called J.A.G. (Just Add Guests). They did an amazing job in keeping us very well fed and ‘watered’, an essential attribute to ensure a good event. The entire proceedings were brought together and managed by Kirsten Baron and everyone agreed that she had done an amazing job by getting the mix and the bake just right!

A much larger event, but with all the same key ingredients (multiplied somewhat), is Le Son Continu. Going back to Chateau D’Ars for the first time in three years reinforced just what an important event this is, not only in my calendar, but in my life. It also made me realise just how many of my friends and acquaintances, who I see only in central France once a year, are from all over Europe. I allowed myself a moment of angst about this post-Brexit world but then put it to the back of my mind and immersed myself in the buzz (literally) and vibe of this amazing event. Being an exhibitor means that I don’t get the ‘full on’ experience (I’m not going to stay up until 5.00am dancing to La Machine and be in any fit condition to man a stand at 10.00am the following day!) but it does mean that everyone knows where to find me. I was thrilled and genuinely touched by the many Bagpipe Society members who came to the stand and introduced themselves in person having only ever ‘met’ via email and Facebook. Thank you, it was so good to finally meet you all.

It seems I am not the only one who has been out and about meeting people and playing pipes and a couple tell their stories in this edition. Nicholas Kondradson, as well as visiting Le Son Continu, made the trip to Sweden to a festival new to me – Pôsuträffen – and Pol Ranson organised a more local trip with the La Confrérie des Muchards de Saint-Druon. His pilgrimage may have been a little nearer to his home but very important in keeping traditions and the playing of a bagpipe, little known outside of its area, alive. Both accounts also illustrate just how important food and drink are to a successful event! In submitting his article, Ciarán MacMurchaidh, suggested that the subject of his piece could well be a PhD subject for someone wishing to take it on and he’s not wrong! First presented at the IBO Conference in March this year, Ciarán explores how bagpipes have been used as an instrument of protest, firstly in a historical context but then he brings it right up to date with more recent examples. Whilst reading it, I thought of many more instances that I have discovered in my researches into 16th century bagpipers. I’m sure members of the Society also have their own examples of protesting pipers - it seems that we are something of a rebellious lot! Hieronymous Bosch makes a couple of appearances, firstly in a request from James Merryweather for more information about an image and then in Andrea Kirkby’s articles about bladder pipes. Players of Swedish pipes will no doubt be grateful for a few tips and pointers from Olle Gällmo, gleaned from his many years’ experience of playing.

Dear Jane,

I don’t recall this bagpipe being noted anywhere and he’s new to me. Maybe everybody else knows it! There’s a high res. reproduction at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Haywain_Triptych from which I prepared these details. As with all Bosch there’s a story here. Indeed, one of the reasons I cropped it so closely was to eliminate so many other distracting, unfathomable stories, but I did a less cropped version as well. The nun seems to be offering the piper a bunch of twigs, but there’s probably more to it than that. The doctor/dentist has the same in his pocket while behind her, another nun is rummaging in a sack full of twigs, but they’re not quite the same, and the bunch being shouldered by another nun looks more like hay from the wain above.

Then, what’s that piece of string leading from the bag or the piper’s clothing, looped over the nun’s left arm with a brown something tied to the other end? What on earth can it be? The bunch of flowers (in a bag) attached to the drone reminds me of Julian Goodacre’s fine wedding tradition in which the bride pays for his services with a bunch of ribbons (for his drone) and a kiss. And is that a badge of office or a decorative brooch?

Whatever the story is, Bosch’s depiction of instruments is usually pretty good - e.g. the shawm and hurdy gurdy in the Garden of Delights - and this is a pretty good bagpipe.

Hope all is well and you’re covid-free.

James Merryweather