Coronation of the Bagpipe Queen

Cätlin Mägi has featured in the pages of Chanter before, (The Estonian Torupill and In the Bag, Summer, 2015 (available online in the Chanter archive) and she is known as a talented and highly respected traditional musician.

However, her greatest contribution over the last 20 years has been restoring the once male-only centered world of Estonian bagpipes, which became extinct in 1960s during the 50 years of Soviet occupation in Estonia. Her latest project is the release of an album featuring 15 traditional Estonian bagpipe tunes which were originally recorded more than 100 years ago. Now these tunes have been arranged by Cätlin for a bagpipe ensemble featuring herself and six other female players.

Cätlin teaches folk music, including bagpipes, at University of Tartu Vil-jandi Culture Academy. She told Chanter that she decided to put together an ensemble of seven pipers, because currently she was fortunate to have students who were all able to play at a technically high level. She said, “To play Estonian bagpipe alone is a challenge, because it is a capricious instrument. So, to play it in a group together and be well tuned at the same time is an even bigger challenge.”

All of the tunes on album, except one, are based on archive recordings of real traditional Estonian bagpipe players for whom playing music was part of their everyday life. There are tunes by Jaan Piht (Saaremaa island), Juhan Maaker

(Hiiumaa island), Tõnu Eslon, Jakob Kilström and Jakob Ratsov (Kuusalu beach area), Andres Metsniit (Muhu island), Peeter Piilpärk (Jõelähtme area) and Peeter Sild (Mulgi area). In most of the tunes all the seven pipers play. One bagpipe tune by Peeter Sild (from Mulgi area) is being played on jewś harps. In three tunes the band also sings. In addition, one piece features an overtone flute arrangement of a bagpipe tune by Peeter Piilpärk (Jõelähtme area).

Historically, the Estonian bagpipe was a solo instrument, played only by men, as with most of the other instruments. Nowadays, that situation has been turned on its head and it’s mostly women who play the torupill and there are only a few male players. This revolution is definitely down to the part played in the revival of the torupill by Cätlin Mägi. Her contribution is recognized and the album name, “The Coronation of the Bagpipe Queen” is the title of a piece of music that was created by contemporary Estonian composer, Margo Kõlar.

This tune was originally composed for a bagpipe orchestra for the Estonian National Song and Dance Festivalsínstrument party in 2023 where all the players of traditional instruments came together after more than a year's rehearsals. It was premiered and live-broadcast on the national television and 22 pipers played it. This piece has now been rearranged for the 7 pipers featuring on the album.

At the end of the score the composer wrote that “The Coronation of the Bagpipe Queen" is ceremonial music suitable for annual gatherings of the bagpipe community, where the corresponding title could be announced and the precious crown could be ceremoniously placed on the head of bearer of this honour. “Hopefully the gathering won't be overshadowed by the ancient goddess of strife - Eris - and the nominees of the title would not cause the revival of the myth where the golden apple that was thrown on the table paved the way for the Troyan War,” wrote Margo Kõlar. He added a spell to the end of his score to prevent this kind of discord. Unfortunately, it doesn’t translate well into English!: “Olgu see ikka kuu poolt kumedikene, päeva poolt punasikene, Riia poolt ristiline, Narva poolt naastuline ja Harju poolt armiline."

Kadri Allikmäe, of Est Pipes, said that it was decided to give the honour, at the end of the concert, to the person who deserved it the most in Estonia. The members of the band gave Cätlin a specially decorated headband because “for us she is the bagpipe queen”.

“We are looking forward to play the music of this album for many audiences around the world,” concludes Cätlin.

The album is called Torupillikuninganna kroonimine in Estonian and the launch concert took place at the Tallinn Music Week showcase festival in the capital of Estonia on the 4th of April 2024. The archive recordings used on this album come from the folklore archive of the Estonian Literary Museum and other than “The coronation of the bagpipe queen”, all were arranged by Cätlin Mägi.

Members of the band are: Cätlin Mägi, Helery Kõrvemaa, Kadri Allikmäe, Karolin Übner, Kerli Kislõi, Merili Kask and Susanna Viktoria Mõtsmees Edited by Jane Moulder

https://catlin.ee/en/cd-torupilli-kuninganna-kroonimine/ Cätlin has made available all tracks on the CD, together with the original sound recordings and notation. https://torupill.vka.ee/repertuaar gives not only the notation of a number of traditional torupill tunes, but also learning videos played by Cätlin to show fingering and ornamentation.