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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.

We continue to extract members from all around the world — great stuff! But why are you a tiny short letting us know about piping in your countries (tell us honestly, exceptions in this issue’s Letters column)? Please write. Don’t worry if your English isn’t too good; we probably put it right. If you like, write in French or Spanish (for instance). We’re supposed by international organisations on why not give us something to print in your own language? And perhaps we might want to transliterate and print it in English as well. Doesn’t have to be a full scale article — anything would be nice. A signal nowhere will do. Tell us about the state of piping in your country. What’s the revival like? How healthy is the local tradition? What’s known about older forms of bagpipe in your country that haven’t died out? What’s the weather like? The world thirsts for knowledge (well I do anyway) — so write about it.

Roy Sloan of N. Hastings writes to say that on pre-print Geordie languishing in Hastings he would be pleased to hear from other pipers in the area. He would also be happy to teach Northumbrian 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 can only undertake repairs at the moment.

Still losing members in the cessation of the Membership List. No time it’s £11 Crofman who has, according to the Post Office, “Being Away”. Any of you Crofmans reading? Where where he’s gone? Ohmigawd! Roy’s bagpiping to all you CAS? And when the Phantom Piper appears, has found with them, what letter will he start on next? Meanwhile, what sort of you remain under C. lost your door and windows next time you get the old pipes out for a practice — even New Zealand’s not too far away to except the cluthes.

Couple of juicy records we hear of: Hamish Moore’s “Open Friday” (Sablet) on 7-CH01 is currently getting airtime on Folk on two and BBC History 1900 - 2030. Hamish features lots of great musicians on this disc such as Nigel Eaton on hurdy-gurdy.

I hear Ian Sloan reported up hear of (via Julian Goodacre) that Italian piper and nifty bracis of Moses playing on it, well he would say that wouldn’t he? There of course is why Ian Sloan has not made it to many pipes, as many think, but one may be interested in news it was because one of their number had an argument with a tree while doing a bit of lumberjacking: the tree won.

Ian Smith would like it to be known that, due still health, he is winding up his just under cases selling business, but please don’t mind if you have an order in the pipeline Ian will be fulfilling all existing orders first.

Couple of important changes for you to note in your File: your Geordie Bagpipe Society position out open — only sixty quid!! Your Hon. Treasurer has grabbed the money and run all the way to Dollar . . . (with Vic and Drolin’s blessing, anyway).

The letter columns is a grave Society Editor who, faced in sultan idea of how to get out of his job, has indeed for every 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 dives of the country, we are pleased to report that she has at last broken 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 virtuosic 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, is there anyone else who would be willing to host/organise some sort of rural or 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, but, who keeps 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 29th, 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 eagerly-read 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 Moutlarch 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 I’ve 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

square when there will be Morris dancing around the Town with White Rose Morris, Queen Esther, Jenny and Simon Mon — ‘dancing will finish in the Square at 1.30. Don’t worry if you arrive late—just fetch out for the bells and the pipes to find where everyone is. And bring your instruments, for from 12 noon onwards (says there all afternoon) there will be sessions at the Bowling Green and ‘The Talbot’. Also at noon there will be a craft fair at Norwich Civic Hall. From 3 till 5 there will be workshops at the Methodist Church Hall (Folk Cent.) with demonstrations and discussion, on a variety of pipes and styles with Bob White, Anne Cross, Jean Pierre Rasle, Ann Seymore, Masiah Moore, Dave Shaw and Peter Stacey. This is all absolutely FREE to members (quid to non-members).

Don’t forget—Somewhere in the midst of all this festivity we shall be appearing in an (all day—ringing!) But the actual timing you will have little oddity how that we have only allowed an hour for it to shift by time for the service wondering (and we have made more hot air than anyone last year). Having said that, there is a bit of free time between acts in case any pressing urgent items crop up (ho-hum). Food, side stalls and odd (?) 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 Whitehall’s just as the AGM is getting really exciting, we’ve allowed an hour or two (the acting for you to partake of some excellent wholefood grub of sensible prices - also all the Full Centre).

By now, in fonding anticipation, you will all have mentally lost your seats for the last item of the day: Tar-raah — The Grand Concert from 6 till 10, featuring (in order of appearance) Dave Shaw, Ann Seymore, Masiah Moore and Jean-Pierre Rasle & Peter Stacey. Once again, what will be entirely FREE to members (3 quid to non-members).

Bob Criss, to whom we are indebted for organising all this, can arrange a certain amount of accommodation. But you must contact him quickly (unless you want to end up sleeping under the town bridge. You can contact Bob on 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 are some who won’t go then?) 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 list is now being coordinated by DM member Bob Aston (that’s the one from Crosley; 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 two of these at the moment). Ross has a pretty hefty collection of bagpipe 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. Recognise 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 SH, 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 (via Membership List update) or the London College of Furniture (Old address).

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 pointer 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 bots 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 all of work, just ‘corral’ and get others to do it. Quite a lot of you ticked the ‘willling to help’ boxes on the Membership Form; now’s your chance to help, either at a national (international?) or local level. The ‘sort of things we’re thinking about are organisation concerts, busking, sponsoring piping, things for sale etc. At least, those are the sort of things we have thought of so far. Even if you’re not willing to take on the job 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. Godalton (Coventry, I’ve forgotten which one?)

“Le premier numero de Chanter, le journal du “Bagpipe Society” d’Angleterre est, pour Octobre (60 pages concues aux cornemuses, c’est un omest> pour les sauveteurs anglais. Au sommaire du No. 1 interview du floboiata, commentaire reparer les cornemuses, Westernshire small pipes, partitions et copies de stripes, 104 cornemuses italiennes et une étude de repertoire possible pour la cornemuse du sud de l’Angleterre, instrument disparu depuis plusieurs siècles, mais qui jouit d’un regain d’interet 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 theirs 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 swelling 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 out of earshot”

Oh well, at least it’s something when the press actually admit that pipers so turn up. ‘sbetter than being told to move out of the c, 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 picture (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?

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 in 1960, Julius Pilling visited and duly laid Barrowford who said he father had played the bagpipe when wickd if he was Scottish, he replied “No, celically not, he played the Union Pipe,” What sort of tunes did he play? “Hinyes,” 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 I look at “Yates Dictionary in the following voluy 4: “Indelible”. A sin who plays the Union Pipes is called a tweedler.” To receive as only in this book shows how popular the pipes have been. Of all pipes, however, none have been as cherished 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 Skip, nearby, on the estate of Lord Dundas. He was apprenticed as a wheelsmith to John Alcull of Richmond, but by the age of 26 he had left that trade and became an incident hardened artisan and knife grinder based on Whalcliffe Mill about a mile West of Richmond. His travels took him all over the North and West Riding and it appears he was very poorly paid given his work, but also for the stories he told, the songs he sang, and the conjuring tricks he performed. Country persons appear to have been his principal fans, rather oddly perhaps since he was a musical Catholic, ever eager to put forward his own views.

Billy’s obituary I does not say when he heard to play the pipes but dates other evidence to put forward it is probable that he was taught while living in the Richmond area, since by one of his own family, or by a friend during his youth. The fact mention of his piping comes in 1886 when Dr. J. H. Dixon wrote of a ballad called “The Gerald Gace” that he collected from Billy. “We first heard it sung in Malhamdale, Yorkshire, by Billy Bolton, an old Dales 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-coles” was “ay getting Malhamdale and the fine dale Gordale and another one the clear slipping source of the Aire and there by night the famous glenander ja The Cove, with pips and chanter playing which fell pick, and this in the grand and romantic styles of Craven was spent many of the happiest days of the old Dales Minstrel."

“When press of hours began to tell upon the old grinder, the machine slackened its revolutions, the fingers became less active on the pipes and the song would rarely be continued because when it was about this time that the old minstrel had the misfortune to with the little handle of Hilton East, where, after having done certain work for the collages and farmers and the chief magistrate of that place, he unfortunately felt his pipes with the magicians’ charms who promised he old minstrel that the voice of care alone should be taken off them until his return on the following day. Gebri, however, was the old man’s grief, when, on his return, the pipes, which he valued at three pounds, were smashed, burst, and entirely spoilt. However, after a household or family council, in which the old minstrel had the first time in his life made threats of law, the 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 through repairs, but failing to do so, ultimately had the pipe fond fair fillings.”

I would put the above event as happening in about 1870, since Billy eventually settled down in retirement in the village of Barnsill, in Whalcliffe, 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 Barrowford, near Leyburn, had befriended him, 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 Barnsill 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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REFERENCES

• Brierley B. “Abc of ‘Yates Dictionary” Craven Pioneer, 12th September 1884
• 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.

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 an great, 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 *” repaired, tourist and surely polished." Also when the York pipes were made Billy was over 50 years of age, an old man for these 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 ringing in Yorlksire during the last hundred years.

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 belongings to Paul 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 course) but has a few secondhand sets in the process of restoration, mostly a set of Irish pipes and a set of smallpipes if anyone is interested.

Calfskin Bodhran and beater. As new. £20. Duncan Ross.

Still for Sale: Dulcibro (Dollcimer/Dulcifo) by Homer Ledford of Kentucky. As there are no takers yet for this superb example of rug Dulcimer maker’s art, I am forced to drop the price to a final £1000. 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 new start on typesetting, I am extremely grateful to Val for her help and well with the job (you may still notify changes directly to the keeper of the Society’s bits, Don Ward, if you prefer, for loan to put straight onto his tame 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 tasd 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 with leaves little or no project work at this. Any philanthropists among you? In the meantime, he would still love 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 we would, wouldn’t we?), our main aim being to provide lots of good quality publications (recently, 1 of net always printing wise). 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 no, you’re wrong – at least I hope so. . . one more. 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 trifle out of present for us though – if everyone paid up promptly! If 15/- then old news about careful . . Even as I write I’m not sure we can afford the paper and mail, but this newsletter – because so many of you haven’t renewed who should have done so in the summer (with apologies to those who have paid up promptly).

We hate having to moan like this, particularly when so many of you of the offenders have done so much good work for the Society in other ways, but we simply can’t go on without money. So what have you of objects have you magic piece, please take note of this typed little behind-the-block “notices” at the time they’re printed (aren’t these the same corner?), first the once per used magazine Society.

Unfortunately, although we hope to keep going static, minimal hope got to go by. We just didn’t anticipate the rise in publications being so strict and heavy when we put the rate and aimed is almost expensive! The good news (for some) is that it would appear that surface mail from everywhere but the Far East and Oz/ NZ is pretty well as quiet as air mail I think: at 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 Uniform, Bagpipes, Baggage Repairs, Drums, Band Accessories, Shortbread, Concert tickets, Trophies, etc, Books, Jewellery Gifts.

The other big problem at this moment, is the date of renewals. Like all bodies, we tried to make it so that everyone renewed at the same after joining: it was ain’t that easy! Everyone we’ve got to was due a subs for every period of renewal. This means that subs will be shortchanged while others get out a bit of that for nothing. These just doesn’t show to be any other way. The present proposal (for the AGM) 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 members.

MEET YOUR MAKER

People often ask me where they can get French pipes. Well this issue features a maker of all sorts of fine French bagpipes, Dominique Butruille 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 at 11900F; a Bulgarian Kaba Gajda (that’s the deep one!) at 3500F in blackwood or 3700F in blackwood; Swedish pipes in fruitwood at 2500F; and Southdown student pipes (14 or 16 pouces) in fruitwood at 2700F.

But he is best known (for his traditional French pipes, the southdowns Bourdonnais/Berrichann pipes come in two sizes 14 pouces (A/D/E) and 16 pouces (Sol/Do; G/C) in fruitwood or blackwood with mounts of pewter or bone with prices ranging from 4900F to 8000F 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 tone would not go amiss; while we’re all sadly going metric, the French cling invented it all, still use the inch (le pouce) to describe their pipes! So a 14 pouces bagpipe has a 14 inch chanter. This is obviously just convention and I’m not sure whose thumb they used to arrive at the inch – it probably doesn’t correspond exactly to our imperial inch anyway. In convention, the 14 pouces pipes are pitched in B-Upper D – Three finger giving the proper keynote for French pipes – but they usually quote it C-G-finger notes as well (firsts). 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 Bourdonnais/Berrichon pipes has a 14 inch chanter (approximately), the third finger (3-finger/3-finger), otherwise known as A/D. Drones are always tuned to the 6-finger note and/or small pipes (Setti). To continue:

In addition to the smaller southdowns Bourdonnais pipes Dominique also makes the Grande Correnoise and Nivernais & Bourbonnais – all with the smaller pipes from the region. They have two drones but are only available only in fruitwood with mounts of pewter or horn. They come in three sizes: 20 pouces (Re/Sol; D#G); 22 pouces, (Do/Fa; C/F); and 24 pouces (Re/ Mi/ BVF) – to complicate matters further, this latter …

5-reopen (in French) as a 5/4 pitch. Prices range from 6200F to 7500F depending on size.
And so on to the bellows-blown. The Musette dechonnet is well-known in lovers of French bagpipes. Unlike most French pipes, it alone is name from its inventor, not a region. Rene dechonnet (Dechonnet converted these pipes towards the end of the last century and they were entirely played through the central region of France during and after his lifetime. A number of makers, including Dominic Bourg, continue the tradition with pipes modeled after the style of the old master. Dechonnet’s are in full wood or bell-tawed with bone mounts. The pipes may be ordered with the most nearly French or southern of 4 tenor drops in parallel with the chanter one octave below its 6-finger note plus a bass drone one octave below that; alternatively, dechonnet pipes can be had with two tenor and two bass accompanied by a small treble drone, pipe in the chanter/tenor drone (trotier), which is tuned in unison with the “limier” note. This tiny drone gives an unexpected lift to the sound of the pipes. It is brought into play. The dechonnet pipes are available in A mance (>4,292 hrl) and 16 pounces (501/Dc) or in B flat, corning to 50 or to 1500F depending on size and material.
Dominc Bourg makes 14 pieces (La/Rg A/D) bellows-blown musettes. Premiums will turn drones made entirely from boxwood for 5600F. No bagpipe not very well known outside its native Brittany is the Veeuze. It is a larger bagpipe than the better known Breton Binioù, being more akin in style and sound to the Gaitas of northern Spain and Portugal. Dominiqne differs the Yeeuze with one or two drones in Do (C) and La (A) or fours; three or beazart 2700F.
In addition to bagpipes, M. Bouge also makes excellent oboes from 1350F, musettes (a small oboe in G) from 1300F and serpents in C from 1900F.
Most of his pipes have around a 6 to 8 month waiting period which can months to a year for most of William. All instruments come fully correct and playing when are available upon request. A 50% deposit is required. He also paysable before delivery.
Contact: Denis Bouge

BANSPIPE FESTIVAL, PRESTON HALL MUSEUM, STOCKTON by Dave McQuade

This event, held on the August bank holiday, turned out to be surprising successful and approximately 7,500 visitors to the museum entertained by members of the Society and other local folk dancers and musicians. I was surprisingly as I think it is true to say that the Society and the Museum administration did not quite get their act together. Problems with organisation meant that we did not twist people’s arms so badly, so we should have done and contacting folk during the holiday period proved exceptionally difficult. In fact, we were not very precisely who was going to turn up until the actual weekend itself.
As you can imagine, cold problems made proper advertising almost impossible and the curator decided to relay safe by cutting the original programme. Apologies to those who were squeezed out at the last minute, or traded up providing a very informal concert to the visitors by playing in a crumpet outside Victoria Street within the museum on Sunday and Monday afternoons. To add to the atmosphere, most of the performers were presented twists provided on traditional dress. although this made page 12

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 hotels, and this to me has the highlight of the weekend. It was quite an experience to hear Maisie Moor and Jean Pierre Basle fully ensemble really heartwarming when Jon Swayne 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 participants. Again, it was a pity that advertising was so sparse as a lot of local pipers would have appreciated this.
Throughout the weekend, piping was provided by Peter Stev and Jean-Pierre Basle, Hamish Moore, Jon Swayne, the Goudarce Tetral, James Merryweather, Colin Ross, Malachi Simon, Judy Rockcliffe, Joe Flin and Mary Cannon. Folk groups featuring pipes were Northern Irish Folk , 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 themselves. One certainly must have done - he sent his cheque back cancelled!

THE SOCIETY OF IRISH PIPERS - NA PIOBAIRI UILLEANN

As promised in an earlier Newsletter, we are continuing with our feature on other piping societies with Na Piobairi Uilleann.
The society caters for Uilleann pipers and was founded in 1968; from modest beginnings, it now boasts a worldwide membership of 400 with active clubs in London, Sheffield, Paris, Holland, Toronto, Francisco and Seattle with many members in continental Europe, America and New Zealand. The majority of members, as may be expected, now live in Ireland with many in the Dublin area where tuition is given weekly basis at the Society’s membership. Sheet music stores are free to all and encompasses 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 piping classes and workshops, thus reaching members outside Dublin and also cooperates with pipers in England and further afield in conduct similar functions abroad. The most important event on the calendar is the annual Willie Clancy Summer School at Miltown Malbay. Co Clare in July. Na Piobairi Uilleann runs the piping section of the school, providing teachers, organising the classes, selling piping concert, daily recitals by competent players for students, and exhibition of pipes and piping.
The growth in the number of members of Uilleann piping throughout the world since the foundation of the society is a reflection of the increased interest in Irish piping being translated into a demand for pipe, this increased interest is also in large part to the singular work of Na Piobairi Uilleann in protecting the playing and making of pipes.
Contact: Na Piobairi Uilleann, page 13

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 setting up a well-funded enquiry.

The disaster to which I refer occurred at the Blowzabella weekend 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 accident as unforeseeable—an Act of God—but I believe it was deliberate. 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 organisers 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 throng of molecular bombardment they receive from the hideous buzzing of several hundred hurdy-gurdies. During the last twelve months a portion of one of the towers collapsed and some segments of a parapet became so unsafe that they had to be removed. Portions of the outbuilding are now little more than ruins.

In the village square where much music and dancing takes place from midnight to sunrise the organisers 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 beg all hurdy-gurdy players to be very sparing in their use of the trumpets and to take all sensible precautions.

Aside from the collapsing Bar Disaster the Blowzabella weekend was extremely enjoyable. Much praise must go to Paul James for programming 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: ‘THANK YOU FOR NOT SNORING’

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

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 informant 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 removed 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 polythene bags.

I 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 ‘tin’ jokes, an examination of Chaucer and Julian’s catalogue will reveal all.

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

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FESTIVAL OF EUROPEAN PIPING IN EDINBURGH by John Gardacre

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 wind’ 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 Monckton Hill 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 swing’ played by his group the Easy Club at their concert. They were not the only ones to be playing this jaunty piping ‘jazz’. The Easy Club Reel. In another direction Mark Duff, who plays recorder and whistles in the young group Capercaillie, 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 fellows pipers. 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 precise comment 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 Northumbrian pipes 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 haronny 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, Makirag, 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 between returning home. The central French tradition was represented by Andre Kierus, the virtuoso cabrette player from the Auvergne, accompanied on diatonic accordion by Jacques Laveigne. Arresting Spanish music was contributed by Los Raperigos, a group from Galicia who play gaita, 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 planned 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 reported an hopes for the future of ‘breaking down the barriers’ between lowland and 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 pipers playing in Ireland. He prefers jigs and reels to hornpipes, which are ‘more European than Irish’ and have ’no sadness’.

Xan Silver, with Los Raperigos, gave an expert introduction and demonstration of their music, starting from simple percussion instruments and the gaita as a solo instrument and concluding with ‘composed’ music and ‘classical arrangements’, sometimes using three gaitas in harmony.

The principal theme for the piping festival was stated by Hugh Cheape in his talk ‘The European Roots of Scottish Piping’, illustrated with diagrams (instead of the musical examples) in the other talks. He is assistant 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 pipes to 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 confirm the pattern: the development of the Scottish pipes must be accounted a nineteenth century movement, part of the re-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 pipers’ societies. Now it is hoped that EEC support can be obtained via the EEC Cultural Co-operation Committee likewise. Much has been achieved by the Festival Administrator, Marian Ramsay, under the ofbeat festival directorship of Robin Morton and with the enthusiastic help of the others. What is needed is a presiding genius to pursue energetically the ideas that have been thrown around so far. Marsh 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 continue 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 Owers
XORIMA–KORIMA Edigal Bell 70007
This is the first, and only record, by this young Galician group Korima, 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 to good use, without a continuous evolutionary process, any culture becomes fossilized and its practitioners risk becoming intolerant of differing philosophies or traditions which consequent disastrous results at either personal or national level. (End of digression.)

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

The band features two gaitas, bombards, recorders, bozouk, 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 bombard 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 Korima’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 panderiada (named after the dance named after the drum – the pandeiro – used to provide the rythms which motors along very smartly with the two gaitas taking the main part. Following this, the second part is the well-known Up of Slurs 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 re-appearance 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 Collatt’s or if not by mail order (along with all other Galician and other Spanish records) from ARPAFOLK,
S.O.

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 folkore festival in Bulgaria for something less than a bargain price (23688+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 Bulgoraphil 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, queuing 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 Gajdi 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 Gajda 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.

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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 bagpipes 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 Galias), 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 in to the Celtic fold, and now their neighbours and fellow Gaelters, 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 Brown from Pencerdd 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 Elsftedfa-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 chackling 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!

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Cherchez l’intrus…

[Image: Surprise pour les festivaliers assemblés samedi après-midi, sous le chapiteau des arts : un jour de gaîté figurait au nombre des musiciens de groupe gaëlls]

Pencerdé, « La goIte, m’a-t-il expliqué, ressemble à la cornemuse gaëllole au Moyen Age. » (?)

Having settled into the routine fairly quickly, certain things became obvious. Primarily among these was the enthusiasm of the Lorient and Vittelng 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, Armegüi, 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 Lian de Cubel, who featured an excellent gaitero. Not to everyone’s taste were the Gallican 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.

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 Slabh and Tamalin. Unfortunately I missed seeing Davy Spillane, who I think was performing solo and also missed hearing Calticants, who are an Italian band using the ‘bags’ (the North Indian pipe resurrected by Massimo Fumagalli) 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 to a bagpipe mountain stacked up while their owners partook of the excellent food. On several occasions I was transfixed by a pile of Antonio Corral gaitas twenty or thirty deep (the Man himself ran 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 them 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-Bihoué. Pride of place (I this time went to the Frenchmen marching band of two flatau, 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 turned passes behind us was playing (2 gaitas vs. 20 pipes, 20 bombarders and 8 drums) our only embarrassment was the lack of a national costume. Alex Evans’ suggestion that we went naked painted with blood was not put into practise since it was a chill morning and none of the shops sold woad.

I love the sound of a massed palta marching band, and the Gallican costumes were the most elegant on display, especially those of the men. The Asturian seem less lamboyant, both in costumes and music, although not without charm of their own. They do not go to for large groups of pipers (a dozen or so at the must) and marching is made most uncomfortable due to their amazing three-pronged clogs. The Asturian pipes are outwardly the same as Gallican 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 Galician drones. However, they employ exclusively closed fingering as opposed to the Gallican open or semi-closed and the tunes use overblowing 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 stratum 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 bolts… 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 tuned 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 hale’s pipes appears to be attached by binding 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 a glance to be very modern and anachronisms appear to abound, what with the tune, the pipes and details from the illustration. Accuracy or concentration?

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 bagpipe.

In Switzerland there are two Pipebands: one in Basle and one in Zürich. 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 in 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 country 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 from or 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.

East Wiches
Markus Schermer.

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 Capercaillie 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/e?

Agitely Yours,
Uncle P.

Have you heard about the amazing young Northumbrian piper Paul Higgs (hope I’ve got the name right) who has been shopping for Kathryn Tickell? Now this one really is young, Peter; I believe he’s about 12 (correct me if I’m wrong Don Bender). Apparently he’s good enough to study musicians 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 Spirus 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 ??pcvfjpa Society Newsletter 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 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 Romanisms 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 4 finger notes 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 ‘Tulumb’.

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 was bad 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. We contact address can be found in the newsletter list supplement. Meanwhile, see next letter for details of a recording of Pontus bagpipes… Ed

Page 27

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 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-longes 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!

Ulliean 1 Eugene Lamb 4 set (small drone down side of chanter 2 David Quinn (not in boxwood) 3 Pat McNulty practice set 4 Pete Riley set in maple (made in Maine, USA) 5 David Quinn Bflat 4 set (Original 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 D. 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 (footjoint?) - 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 Greensit 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 Gaita 2 drones, blackwood, in C (made by Veuze malers in Brittany) 3 Swedish Saxpipa 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

Page 29

Dear Bagpipe Society
I thought you might like to publish Dr Baino’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 (or 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 slipcover for the mouth-piece would be necessary 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). gaida, 2 bands
Bulgaria Unesco Coll. Univeral. 76, 10” gajda, 1 band

Argo ZRG 562, 2945, 2 bands
Chant du Monde LD-M8313a. 101, gajda trio arranged

Czecho: Supraphon SP 20377; “V” (contained in V. longó’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, dudý, many bands
  Rescho HV 72253, 45. 7” (contained in music book by König)

England: Northumbrian: Unesco Coll. Univ. 78 10” (no artist named)
Topic 12t283: ‘Holey Ha’ penny’ Clough & others.

Estonia; Unesco Coll.Univ. 78 10” (no.19 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 WL 5334, (IKFC Pampolona festival) cabreta, 1 band
Brittany - no old 78 not yet listed, with old biniou.
Germany Colos.SM 3014. Uppere Palatinata (Eichensoer 1975 collection)
Greece SDNM 110. Chios tsabouna, 2 bands
Fan Vox BIGA 1357) 10143. (Songs etc from Pontous) tulum, recorded in Greece.
Hungary Hung. Acad of Sciences. Quallton LPX 1187 (IMFC ‘64). 1 band

Ireland: Unesco Coll Univ 78 10” union pipes; no name, 1 band.
Westminster ‘Als above, France) R.Ragh. 1 band.
HWV DLP 1143 ’K Recorded in Scotland 1 band
HWV CLP 1327 (Kennedy), McPeaks, 2 bands.
HWV L.M.498 78 10" Rowzona (all)
Decca W.4009,4046,4332 76 10” Walsh (3 records)
Italy: Col.KL-5137, Latium, Molise (unusual) 2 bands. Also Sicilian.
Col. KL-5174 zampogna, 3 bands.
Col D.Q. 426. 78 10” Zampognari
Homecord A-6366, 78 10” ………….
Sicilly: Odeon GO 17874, 78 10”, Cormamusa.
Col.D.Q. 553
Portugal Request SRLP 0089, galateros, 2 bands
Rumania Electrecord EPD 78, 10”, cimpoi
Topic 10T12 10”, …………..
Antalogia muz.porp romin.5. 10”, cimpoi
Scotland Coll.DB115 S. Pipe-maJ, Forsyth, 78 10"
Westminster (San France). sword dance

Spain Col. KL-216. Gallicas, 1 band
Yugos. Col. KL-217. Five bands, different types
Jugotorn Ethnophilia. 78 10” mih.
Vegner Verlag. Lieder der Welt VIII, diple? 1 band
Unesco coll. univ. 78 10" Macedonia, gajda
Radiotel Beograd LPV 175 Tanset’ gajda.

Yours sincerely, Anthony Baines, Faculty of Music. …[redacted] Oxford
Nov. 1977

What a treasure trove this little lot is! Unfortunately, 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.

Page 31

DEAR UNCLE OCTAVIUS

PIPERS’ PROBLEM PAGE

Double Trouble.
I have a strange effect in the common drone stock of my E.M.S. Praetorius bagpipes. It is 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 usually) with a bassoon reed. I suspect incorrectly placed or sized finger holes. The trouble is 4 of 5th holes and 8 (5th hole) numbered from the bottom, which play almost one semi-tone sharp. I’ve been playing these for nearly thirty 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 (G & C no longer makes them). If any of your members 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.
Al Saguto,
First of all, let me say that I am only glancingly familiar with the E.H.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 tile type used on Border or Loth 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 compressor/compression 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, by contrast 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 a stiffer reed is less 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.

As to the second problem, even Uncle Octavius (inds 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 acquired a set of “ullan HoofdraHESTEeetanshirane saal l pipes, 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-tek for plugging up the end of the drone, couple with the fact that Mr. Goddill has rather inconsistently 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 failing 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 consided 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 (gaddit?) with us. As for surgical separation, I think this suggestion smacks no a little of panic every. 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 them 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.

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, Shadwell

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, in fact, 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 uninitiated. The aspirant must purify the dense matter of his being before he can bear the intensity of the vibrations 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 uplifting; 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, the 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 pouting 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 portent 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 GOODGORE

JACK MY HEDGEHOG by Dirk Campbell

A farmer whose wife had been childless for many years wished eventually 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 hogpie from the market, having received this gift, he went to the smith to have the hoops took about, 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 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, but the cock crowed 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 flying over the walls 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 usual way, but after a few miles he stopped. Tears of all her life crowded her all over with his bristles and sent the poor girl home in disgrace.

Page 35

The Pastoral Pipes

Very little appears to have been written about the pastoral pipes. We do know that a year after Culloden a tutor appeared published in London by Geoghegan. Some suggest that this was a Scottish version of the Irish pipes but I think that in fact it is the other way around. It is possible that after the first Jacobite uprising in 1715 someone realised the effect that warpipes had on the enemy or it may have been that a pipemaker who required something more refined started work on this new set.

Geoghegan shows in his tutor fingering for ornaments already familiar to the Scottish piper, birls and grips and the like. He also gives the range of this instrument two octaves from ‘d’ in D major (A4 15) bearing out his statement that: “It is able to perform the same number of notes with the flute or hautboy”. This instrument also had a detachable foot joint usually half the length of the chanter again with two tone holes in Scottish style. One of the difficulties with the historical analysis of the instrument is the fact that many early makers did not put a name to their instrument.

A drawing by Hogarth in 1728 “The Beggars Opera Burlesqued” shows a piper standing whilst playing the pipes. He does not appear to be playing them by blowing into the bag so I presume the bellows are hidden. The bag is tucked in underneath an arm and the drones and one regulator issue from a common stock. This could well be the pastoral pipe which Geoghegan wrote his tutor for. It would be pointless to write a tutor for an unpopular instrument so they must have been common for some time previous to the tutor. According to Rod Cannon (Galpin Society Journal 1989) Hogarth must have seen one somewhere shortly before making the drawing. The instrument is also described by Gehot in his treatese on “The Theory and Practice of Music” (1784) as the pastoral or new pipes. Cocks (1954) attributes the pastoral pipes to a Scottish adaptation of the union (or Irish or Uilleann) pipes in his entry for Groves under bagpipes but I think most people would now refute this.

Few people were known as makers as few signed their work. This was possibly because if the new pipes did not gain popularity they could not be denegrated for making them! According to a popular belief Reid from Tyneside, a maker of Northumbrian and later Uilleann pipes, was a maker of pastoral pipes. He is supposed to have done a fair amount of research. There is extant in Scotland a set of these pastoral pipes without a makers name dated by an authority on pipes as about 1710. This has a detachable foot-joint and plays e^b with the foot-joint taken off and the chanter placed upon the knee. Possibly Reid and others altered the drones to d’d and D. By about 1730 they were appearing with three drones. The foot joint is supposed to provide the chanter with a length of air which when the bag is squeezed harder aids the chanter to jump up to the next register. A maker of Northumbrian half-long pipes had a bell joint which came off and when he tried using modern Irish piping fingering, found he could get nearly two octaves with the chanter placed

Chanter 19

upon the knee. Some pastoral pipes are said to be more in tune when played Irish-style. The foot joints on extant pastoral pipes seems to be half the length of the chanter without foot joint. An interesting observation to note is the morphology of the last two inches of many Irish pipe chanters. They have a noticeable bulge and a brass ferrule on the bottom.

This could well be the tenon of a new pastoral pipes preserved in the external features of the pipe known now as the Irish pipe, Uilleann pipe, organ pipe or union pipe. I prefer to call it the Irish or Uilleann pipes.

![An Irish warpiper with bagpipes]

An Irish warpiper

20 Chanter

The Irish Pipes

Bagpipes in Ireland have without doubt a long and varied history. Before what is now the Irish pipe there was an older bagpipe called the great pipe or Piob Mhor in Gaelic.

Some sources give the earliest documentary evidence of Piob Mhor as occurring in the Brehon laws of the fifth century. O’Curry mentions a reference to them in the Trinity College Library, Dublin. It contains a list of fines payable to lower grade professionals for insults or bodily injury and concludes:

“These are base, that is inferior professionals and entitled to the same level of fine as Pipairedha or pipers and Cuisleannach or pipe blowers.”

This makes the distinction between bagpipers and flute players. In the 11th century a poem about the fair of Carmen mentions the pipes in the sixty-third stanza. It was noted that the pipers were used from early times in many varied roles. They played for cattle raids, dances, weddings, fairs, battles and other social gatherings including funerals where they were used to great effect.

The Irish pipes were, much as with their cousins the Scottish pipes, a martial instrument with connotations of war for the players. Many had a brush with the clergy or the law.

One story told today talks about a chap playing on the pipes on a Sunday morning just before mass. The priest on his way to mass stops the piper and shouts at him saying “You should be ashamed of yourself playing instead of going inside to mass, don’t you know the Ten Commandments?” “I’m not sure” said the piper “Would you care to hum the first part, I’m no good at remembering the names of tunes?”.

The Statutes of Kilkenny were another time of persecution for the art of piping. A law in 1367, the work of Edward the Third, stated that there would be imprisonment for Irish pipers or minstrels or whosoever helps them.

In 1475 Irish mercenaries complete with their pipers accompanied the Kings Crown soldiers to Calais. Kerns and their pipers fought for whoever would pay them and throughout the fifteenth and sixteenth century there are many references. They fought in Belgium in 1513, Boulogne 1544, and were seen in London in 1544 and 1566. Derricks images of Ireland shows a piper playing in front of a group of kearns. The picture, while showing a piper with a bag, should not be taken too literally, but it does show the pipes in historical perspective.

Galilei in his ‘Dialogue’ published in 1581 offers a good description of the role of a piper in Ireland at the time:

“To its sound, this unconquered fierce and warlike people march their

armies and encourage one another to feats of valour with it. Also they accompany their dead to the grave, making such mourneful sounds as almost to force the bystander to weep.”

The original pipes probably had a single drone of some description and by the 16th century development two. As described in “De Rebus in Hibernia Getis” there were two drones as well as the blowpipe and chanter (cf O’Neill, Musicians and Minstrels). There are numerous mentions of this pipe in the 15th century and there must have been much cross fertilisation of ideas between Scottish and Irish pipers for the McCrimmonds to travel between the two. Flood has suggested that there is a reference to Irish pipes in Shakespeares time but we will deal with that suggestion in the next section.

Slowly but surely the pipes began to decline in use and there was quite a downturn in their use after the Williamite wars of the 1680’s and 90’s. The playing of Irish war pipes was supressed largely due to their rousing influence on the Irish. By the mid 18th century they were little in evidence. The last recorded use of the Piob Mhor is at the Battle of Fontenoy where an Irish brigade fought with the French against the English on May 11th 1745. There are no extant remains of these pipes anywhere. There used to be an old set of pipes in the Musee De Cluny in Paris which have subsequently disappeared.

The decline of the large pipes was also due no doubt to the influence of dance music which began to become very popular. There is a good account of the rise in popularity in the Breathnach book “Folk Music and Dances of Ireland”:

“Arthur Young in his account of his travels in Ireland … 1776-1779 remarked that dancing was so universal through the country from cabin to cabin, with a piper or blind fiddler, and were paid by the cottiers for teaching their children dancing.”

The pipes mentioned above were not the Piob Mhor but quite another sort altogether. As western tonality and music requiring notes outside one or two confined scales developed in Ireland, so too did the need to change the instrument. The new one was bellows-blown with two to three drones and a similar number of regulators. The chanter had a range of over two octaves. This was the Union Irish or Uilleann pipes.

The Irish, Union, Organ or Uilleann Pipes

As the above title suggests there are many names for the newer form of pipes played in Ireland. The pipes were known as union pipes in a tutor published by O’Farrell c1800 which is the earliest known tutor for the instrument. Some suggest that the name union comes from the Act of Union (1800) but this is also not the case as it appears in a poem of 1796 where the playing of a musician is recorded thus:

“For he can play the union pipes and nobly squeeze his bags.” 22 Chanter

Frontispiece from O’farrell’s National Irish Music for the Union Pipes

Another possibility is that “union” is a variation of “unison”. The tenor regulator would sound in unison with the chanter. At this stage I can reintroduce Shakespeare namely the character of Shylock who talks of a “woolen” pipe in Act iv, Scene 1 of the Merchant of Venice. Flood did suggest that this was a corruption of Uilleann. The word uill comes from the Irish word for elbow. It would be difficult as Breathnach suggests to anglicise it into union in 18th century Ireland. The term uilleann has caught on and is used today. “Woolen” as previously mentioned more than likely refers to the bag being an animal (sheep or goat) skin turned with fleece outermost. It may even be a corruption of wooden pipe the material of the chanter.

The earliest form was, I suggest the new or pastoral pipes which as in the modern instrument had a key note of D (old pitch). The octave obtained by squeezing the bag harder. Geoghegans tutor as mentioned before showed largely Scottish technique. These sets had usually two drones set one octave apart and a regulator. The idea for that probably deriving from the Sordinella.

In the early 18th two sometimes three regulators were added giving the possibility of chordal work. The drones were extended to three in number and dropped into the modern tuning of an octave above, below and unison with the chanter. Double chanter sets appeared, as did keyed chanters, in the early part of the last century and were used in non traditional music. Chanters were

Chanter 23

made in pitches from low a up as high as e^b. A drone switch was also added about then. It enabled the drones to be turned on and off at the players discretion.

O’Farrell published the first tutor for what was then known as the union pipes. He gave its range as d’-d’’’ with a fully chromatic scale. The tutor was written by a noted performer who appeared often on the London stage. He was noted for using the pipes as accompaniment to songs providing a melody on the chanter and harmonies with the regulators.

The Moloney brothers of Knockerra near Kilrush are credited with providing the pipes with the perculiar trombone-slide on the bass drone to aid with tuning in the mid-late 1800’s. But certainly the most sought after makers were the Kennas, Maurice Coyne, Michael and John Egan, and the Rowsome family. Tim Kenna was an excellent maker and made top quality sets from 1768 up until about 1794. The younger Kenna worked in the first part of the 19th century was supposed to be more secretive about the way he worked though he was a great maker. Coynes pipes are much sought after today as they provide a mellow, quiet, pure tone and are beautifully made. John Egan is supposed to have been a Dublin pipe maker but Michael Egan is considered one of the best makers of all. He was in business in the early nineteenth century making good sets from 1830-1860 and was one of the first to make in America.

The Rowsome family were and still are a noted family of Irish pipers and makers going back many generations. Pipes made by William Rowsome and later Leo Rowsome are much sought after today by the top players. The family tradition carries on in Kevin Rowsome who is a maker and player himself.

The people who had the greatest effect on pipe making undoubtedly were the Taylor Brothers - they were born in the 1830’s in Drogheda and they were sons of a player-maker. The decline of the pipes after the great famine in Ireland in the 19th century forced the Taylors to America and Philadelphia in particular. In c1873 they started manufacturing and repairing pipes but they realised that the pipes they had were too quiet for the concert and music halls which were an important venue for a piper. So the pipes were redesigned and made more compact. The bore was widened, the holes enlarged and the end result was a d-pitched instrument which was also easier for others to play along with making it a much more popular instrument and winning many new players. These sets were in demand!

The pipes manufactured in this way were known as concert sets because they could now play in concert halls without being lost. The other narrow bore sets became known as flat sets even if they were in concert pitch (a=440). Present developments have included having four, sometimes up to six regulators! Having cylindrical regulators, drones tuned to different intervals and drones capable of playing in different pitches by venting a hole further up the drone via a sliding ring as in Northumbrian pipes.

24 Chanter

The style of playing has also evolved in different ways. Seamus Ennis has suggested three main styles. Tight or stacatto playing with many triplets and ornaments, the notes separated by a stopping of the chanter, similar to Northumbrian piping. Legato or smooth open playing is just the reverse and said to be more fluid. The third is called drawing room style, a cross between the two.

The biggest bone of contention in piping is probably the use of the regulators. It seems that it is every pipers ambition to have a set of regulators but many players do not, according to the late Seamus Ennis, play them at all well:

“They are an abomination if used as monsterous percussion.”

The great man also suggested that it took seven years listening, seven years practising/learning and seven years playing before you became a player! (Maybe a nod in the direction of piping colleges!)

With the improvement in amplification techniques there is not such a need for D chanters and many players such as Robbie Hannon use old flat sets to play on in concerts. Many think that the sound is better on the flat sets now. Today there is a great revival both in pipe-playing and making with probably over 30 makers in western Europe alone. The pipes are back on an upswing helped greatly by Brendan Breathnach and ‘Na Piobari Uilleannn’ which was formed in 1968 with the aims of promoting the playing, collecting and preserving the music, and promoting their manufacture and servicing. Pipes are played by lords, ladies, students, lawyers, buskers and people from all walks of life. Long may it continue!

Conclusion

The pipes as we know them in the form of Uilleann pipes via a convoluted path could be a distant cousin of the old Piob Mhor of Ireland.

Scotland shared the same piping traditions up until the 17th century. The Jacobite and Williamite wars caused makers to experiment giving rise to bellows blown smaller pipes. The pastoral pipes being one of those. Although not so popular in Scotland (few makers names) it took off in Ireland with the new 17th century craze for jigs, reels, hornpipes and dance music of other forms. These pipes were developed and became the union pipes, were adjusted and refined to become the Uilleann pipes we know now.

Materials such as box and elder are still being used along with brass and silver but these days makers are experimenting with ebony, blackwood, cocobolo, lignum vitae as well as using nickle silver, and replacing ivory with plastic or horn. There are new developments all the time including a stop mechanism for the chanter and a spring mounted popping-pad which fits under the chanter.

Chanter 25

The time for making and playing has never been better with many good modern players such as Liam O’Flinn, Paddy Keenan, Robbie Hannon, Sean og Potts, Ronan Brown, Declan Masterson, Billy Brown, John Murphy, to name but a few. Credit must be given to two who brought piping to a more commercial music world: Finbar Furry and Dave Spillane.

Bibliography

Armstrong,-Davidson MH, Galpin Society Journal, A note on the History of the Northumbrian Smallipes, 1985

Bagpipe Society Newsletter, Summer, 1988.

Baines A, Bagpipes, 1960

Breathnach B, Folk Music and Dances of Ireland, 1981

Cannon R, The Highland Bagpipe and Its Music, 1988

Carson, Irish Traditional Music, 1986

Charlton G, The Northumbrian Bagpipes, Archaeologica Aelianna, 4th series

Chaucer G, Complete Works (Prologue to Canterbury Tales) 1932

Clarke ET, The New Approach to Uilleann Piping, 1988

Cocks WA, The Northumbrian Bagpipes; Their Development and Makers 1933

Cleary W, The Bagpipe, 1982

Collinson F, The Bagpipe, Fiddle and Harp, 1983

Collinson F, The Bagpipe - The History of a Musical Instrument, 1975

Dineen Rev. P, Irish-English Dictionary

Flood G The Story of the Bagpipe, 1911

Galelei V, Dialogo Delia Musica Antica E Moderna, 1581

Galpin Society Journals 1985-89

Garvin W, The Irish Bagpipes, Construction and Maintainance

Geoghegan J, Compleat Tutor for Pastoral or New Bagpipe, London, 1771

Groves Dictionary of Music, 1984

Hunter, Peter, Anecdotes on Pipes (unpub)

Leppert, Richard D, Acardia at Versailles, 1978

La Rouse Encyclopadea, 1971

Mersenne M, Paris, Harmonie Universalle, 1636

Munro RW, Highland Clans and Tartans, 1977

Muskett, Mr D, The Muskette & Hurdy-Gurdy, 1984

O’Neill F, Irish Musicians & Minstrels, 1987 reprint

Sachs C, The History of Musical Instruments, 1940

Sachs C, Handbuch der Musikinstrumenten-Kunde, 1930

Schlesinger K, Boumas Boekhuls nu Gronigenito, The Greek Aulos, 1934

Shakespeare W, Complete Works, The Merchant of Venice

Stacy & Wishart, Bagpipes & Hurdy Gurdies, 1984

Sky, Patrick, A Manual for the Irish Uilleann Pipes, 1980

Weber W Die Agyptisch Griechischen Terracotten, 1921

Winternitz Musical Instruments and their Symbolism in Western Art, 1970

Chanter 27

1. Swedish Bagpipe (Säckpipa or Blasböck)
2. French Musette
3. Montguscon Bagpipe, French
4. Bassoon-shaped Bass Dulcian (Dulcian-trombone) for Bass, German

Note: This page features an image of various traditional bagpipes and a bassoon-shaped dulcian. The instruments are numbered and their names are listed accordingly.

Drones and Modal Music

The mention of the Appalachian Dulcimer in Newsletter 18, and the way in which the drones are used against different modal tunings prompts me to write about my wanderings in this musical minefield. At least two of the modal scales should be familiar already to bagpipers, the Ionian and the Myxolydian, but the Aeolian and Dorian also deserve examination. Both are commonly used in British and other European folk music traditions.

I have read numerous articles about the modal scales and most of them are very technical and confuse rather than clarify. To put it as simply as I can for the four modes I want to describe I suggest that the reader picks up a whistle and tries them. any pitch will do. First the Ionian or Doh mode. This is the common or garden major scale. Just play straight up the scale from the all fingers down position from Doh to Doh. Next there is the Myxolidian or Soh mode, the scale which is found on many sorts of bagpipe, e.g. Scottish Piob Mhor. To play it on the whistle start from the two top holes covered and play straight up from Soh to Soh crossing over the octave Doh on the way. You will notice that it is exactly like the Ionian mode until the final two intervals. Three fingers down gives the familiar whole tone leading note below the Soh you started on.

The next two modes are sometimes described as minor because they do resemble the minor scale used in Western Europe “serious” music. It is my feeling that whereas they are moody, to call them minor suggests that they are essentially said in character. Under certain circumstances tunes in these modes show many shifts of mood as the tune progresses.

The Dorian or Ray mode can be played on a whistle by starting from five holes covered and playing straight up to the corresponding five holes covered in the second octave. Here is a tune which will be within the compass of most chanters:

[Musical notation]

The Aeolian or Lah mode can be played by starting with one hole covered and playing straight up into the second octave until the same note is reached.

Another popular way of illustrating the modes is to use the white notes of a piano, the key of C, and playing straight up using no sharps or flats. The Ionian mode (Doh) is C to c Dorian (Ray) is D to d, Myxolidian (Soh) is G to g, and Aeolian (Lah) is A to a.

A good way to investigate them on whistle or chanter which has the option of either a flattened or sharpened interval just before the octave is as follows. Ionian from Doh to Doh with the seventh or leading note sharpened, Myxolidian from Doh to Doh with the seventh flattened, Dorian Ray to Ray with sharpened seventh, Aeolian Ray to Ray with flattened seventh note.

I don’t want to worry about the other modes but for people who want to delve into them the Phrygian goes from Mi to Mi, the Lydian from Fah to Fah, and the Locrian from Ti to Ti. They don’t occur too often in our part of the world.

Without doubt the Appalachian Dulcimer or related instruments, Epinette des Vosges, Hummel etc, are excellent for finding the haunting qualities of the Dorian and Myxolidian. The system they use is to have two drone strings tuned a fifth apart and to shift the paired unison strings accordingly. For example, keeping the drones the same, you can have:

Ionian or Doh
Myxolidian or Soh
Dorian or Ray
Aeolian or Lah

AA - A - D
DD - A - D
GG - A - D
CC - A - D

The arrangement of the frets makes it possible to play each of the seven common modes merely by starting on the appropriate fret. There are many variations in tuning but the thing that should interest the piper is that the starting note of each mode is an octave above the bass drone. The relationship with the other drone remains at a fourth below the melody starting note and a fifth above the bass drone.

Clearly most sorts of bagpipes can cope with the Ionian and Myxolidian. In fact the Myxolidian scale is the feature which attracts so many of us, and to be fair, is what some other musicians find strange. The problems start to arise when attempting to play a tune in the Dorian or Aeolian. In a conversation with a Chabrette player a long time ago I formed the impression that he was able to cope with other modes by swapping chanters and keeping the drones the same. However, my French was not up to deep technical musical discussions and my notions of the modes were pretty hazy at the time. Perhaps a Chabrette player could take up this point and enlighten me. Some how for most of us the “home” note of the mode has to be brought in tune with the drones. The range of the chanter may be capable of playing the scale but unless you have the sort of drone arrangement found on the Northumbrian pipes you are unlikely to be able to try out these modes against the drones.

One way to try the effect is to find a friend who has an instrument with drones in D and play along on a whistle in C using the scales described above,

i.e. starting on D and using either the B# for Dorian or B♭ for Aeolian. A quick rule of thumb for finding out whether a tune is in the Dorian or Aeolian, or any other mode, is to look at the last note of the tune. Nearly always they finish on the home note of the mode. Examination of the last two notes of the scale will determine whether or not it is Dorian or Aeolian.

Now the rationale for the pipes I make and play should be clear. I was faced with a repertoire which was difficult to exploit against the drones. The answer was to conceive an instrument which could overcome the difficulty by having drones which could be raised by a tone, as on the Northumbrian Pipes. This brought almost the entire range of Manks tunes within reach. It also in another way avoided the necessity of adjusting the repertoire to fit the instrument.

Finally, here is a tune in the Aeolian mode which most chanters will be able to play. If, as well, you can get an E out of the drones you will get the full effect.

Colin Jerry

This is a black and white photograph of an elderly man playing the bagpipes. He is wearing a bowler hat, a dark jacket, and light-colored pants. He is seated and appears to be concentrating on playing the instrument. Beside him, there is a wooden barrel with a glass of beer placed on top of it. The background shows a wall with tiles.

La Gaita De Fuelle o Cornamusa Aragonesa

Los Autores

Pedro Mir Tierz tiene 36 anos, es licenciadoo en Ciencias Quimicas, lee ingles, habla y lee frances con bastante fluidez y trabaja de profesor en Sevilla. Residio en Francia casi dos anos en la decada de los setenta, descubriendo con much asombro las llamadas musicas celticas, que fueron para el, el despertar hacia la busqueda de su propia identidad.

Martin Blecua Vitales tiene 33 anos, es propietario de una tienda de comestibles. Reside en Sarinena (Huesca), lugar donde nacio, y desde los 10 anos, forma parte del grupo de danzantes de alli. Fue preparado como gaitero por el antiquo mayoral (jefe de los danzantes) Antonia Susin Palacios, fallecido hace unos anos. lleva pues 23 anos en el folklore, de los que 14 son como gaitero. No tiene conocimientos de musica y es sin lugar a dudas el gaitero de musica tradicional mas completo de Aragon.

Los dos, somos originarios de Sarinena (Huesca), el ultimo pueblo de Aragon que mantuvo viva la gaita aragonesa. Desde nuestra infancia hemos escuchado siempre el instrumento, recordamos perfectamente al gaitero Vicente Capitan Inglan (muerto en 1967). Conocemos al gaitero Juan Mir Susin, que fue su continuador y con el que nos unen lazos de amistad y parentesco. Eramos pues, a todas luces los mas idoneos para recuperar el instrumento, que dejo de sonar durante un periodo de 5 anos.

Siempre contamos con la colaboracion entusiasta del Grupo de Dance y de todo el pueblo en general.

Hoy tras 14 anos de trabajos e investigaciones, nos vemos en la obligacion de escribir algo, que todavia es desconocido para la inmensa mayoria de los aragoneses. Sobre esto, hay muy poco esctrito, y lo poco que hay, son nociones generales.

Pasaremos ahora a contar brevemente, ell proceso de recuperacion del instrumento, dando asi a este trabajo un orden cronologico similar al que tuvo lugar en nuestras actuaciones.

Recuperacion del Instrumento

Es obvio que cuando se habla de recuperacion de un instrumento quiere decir que hubo un tiempo en que desaparecio, asii ocurrio con la gaita de fuelle aragonesa, otro tiempo muy frecuente en toda la provincia de Huesca y que

desde los anos 60 queda reducida unicamente a un pueblo, el nuestro; nosotros conocemos a dos gaiteros, Capitan y Juan Mir, quien sucede al anterior tras su muerte. Juan Mir toca hasta 1975.

Deja de tocar por motivos personales y familiares, llevandose consigo su vieja gaita. Al jefe de los danzantes, no le queda mas remedio que formar un nuevo gaitero: Martin Blecua, quien tocara con gaita gallega al no poderse obtener las aragonesas en las tiendas. Nadie sabe quien o cuando se construyeron, llegando muchos a ignorar hasta que existe este instrumento en nuestra region.

Desde 1976 comenzamos a pensar la manera de sustituir la gaita gallega por una aragonesa, que fuera copia de la de Juan Mir, siendo imposible encontrar gente dispuesta a hacerlo, nadie quiere intentarlo. Por fin, en 1980, un pastor de Sangarren (Huesca) llamado Clemente Brun, realiza una copia “a mano” de la gaita vieja, marcando por fin la recuperacion del instrumento. Esa gaita fue montada en el odre y presentada en publico en Zaragoza en el mes de Mayo de 1980.

Como en aquella epoca nadie nos habia instruido en la afinacion de los bordones, los bordones sonaban absolutamente desafinados.

Desde 1974, Pedro Mir seguia la pista de una gaita aragonesa que segun le habia contado Anchel Conte, era propiedad del ayuntamiento de Ainsa (Huesca) y que habia sido cedida a unos vascos para su estudio, los cuales la habian llevado a Francia para que un artesano les hiciese copias.

En Agosto de 1980, Pedro Mir conoce a este artesano en Tarbes (Francia), se trata de Marcel Gastellu Etchegorry.

Marcel Gastellu habia heco 6 copias de la gaita de Bestue (Huesca), nos conto que habia pertenecido a Juan Cazcarra (muerto en 1963) y que Juan Antonia Urbeltz y sus equipo de San Sebastian eran los que tenian la gaita.

Marcel Gastellu marca tambien la recuperacion de la gaita aragonesa, y sera al cedernos gratuitamente 4 copias, asesorandonos con conocimientos y bibliografia, el Recuperador de la gaita en Aragon y nuestro “guia”. Todo se lo debemos a el, y desde estas paginas asi lo declaramos.

Volveremos posteriormente all tema de la vieja gaita de Buestue, ya que fue y es todavia hoy, objeto de teorias sin base real.

Luego ya en 1982, poseemos 5 ejemplares funcionando correctamente, hemos aprendido la nocion de afinar los bordones e incluso somos capaces de fabricarnos las canas para el instrumento.

Se necesita para la revitalizacion definitive del instrumento, que desplace las gaitas gallegas de Aragon, y que en la medida de lo posible, vuelva a tener la difusion que tenia a principio de siglo. Faltaba claro esta, alguien que fuese

34
Chanter

capaz de construirla en Aragon.

Felizmente, nuestros amigos Mario Gros y Jose Luis Sarrablo del Grupo de Musica Tradicional Biella Nuey, residentes en Zaragonsa, fueron capaces de montar un taller, que en 1986, fabrican una copia de la gaita de Bestue. Desde entonces, muchas cosas han cambiado.

Habia una gran necesidad de gaitas aragonesas por parte de los grupos folk y por parte de los pueblos que querian sustituir la gaita gallega. Para todos ellos les hacia falta una gaita con una escala musical “normalizada”, y Biella Nuey hizo el trabajo, conscientes de que era prioritario el disponer de la mayor cantidad de gaitas posible, para posteriormente con mas tranquilidad acometer el estudio de escalas musicales de los clarines. Hasta la fecha, Biella Nuey lleva construidos mas de 12 ejemplares de gaita del modelo de Bestue (Huesca).

Description del Instrumento y sus Canas

Para la perfecta comprension de lo que aqui viene, les recomendamos vean el dibujo anejo y la tabla de equivalencias.

Tras un profundo analisis, de las viejas gaitas aragonesas encontradas hasta ahora, podemos deducir que existe un modelo unico, del que se hicieron varias versiones, conservando todas una unidad dentro de su variedad (todavia no se han encontrado dos que sean igual les).

La gaita de fuelle aragonesa, consta de:

A) Un odre para reserva de aire (llamado bot, botico, boto, botarron, bocoy etc), siempre de piel de cabra e impermeabilizado con pe para evitar la pérdida de aire a traves de los poros de la piel curitda. Al cuello y patas delanteras del animal, se ataran los “cepos”. La capacidad del odre es de unos 25 litros de aire.

B) Los cepos, que son piezas de madera que van atadas directamente al cuello y patas, su mision es la de acoplar los distintos tubos: el soplador, el clarin (protegiendo a la vez la pita o cana doble del roce con la piel del boto) y los bordones (protegiendo igualmente las canas de estos).

C) Un soplador o tubo para llenar el boto de aire, provisto de una lengueta de cuero, que actua de valvula neumatica, con un hierro que impide su apertura total. A veces esta constituido por un hueso vaciado, pero casi siempre es de madera, forrado de laton, bronce o incluso directamente el tubo de bronce (para que no se deteriore con el uso).

D) Tres tubos sonoros: clarin, bordon y bordoneta, con funcion melodica aquell y pedal estos. El clarin y la bordoneta se disponen en paralelo, en un cepo comun llamado pieza de los clarines. La forma de llevar el bordon es

Chanter 35

Gaita de Fuelle O Cornamusa Aragonesa

pieza de los clarines
bordoneta
    clarín
          regulador del bordón
                   bordón
                                       boto
                                                 cepo
                                                    soplador

clarín bordoneta bordón

Dibujo sacado de Charles Alexandre (ver bibliografía) basado en la gaita de Bestue (Huesca)

generalmente debajo del brazo, correspondiendo a la anatomia del animal y del gaitero.

E) Pita o cana doble-lengueta para el clarin y canas simples para el bordon y la bordoneta. En Bestue (Huesca), se nos has asegurado que Juan Cazcarra llevaba “incheta” o cana doble en la bordoneta, siendo la excepcion al resto de los hallazgos. Hay bordonetas que presentan una perforacion conica y otras en cambio que son pequenos bordones con perforacion cilindrica.

F) Tela estampada y de vivos colores que forra el boto, que al ser un cuerpo de animal (cabrito), da una apariencia de vestido de nina, ya que termina en unos volantes. Algo similar ocurre con la gaita de Sencelles (Mallorca).

G) Piel de serpiente que recubre los tubos sonoros (que nosotros sepamos es la unica gaita del mundo con estas caracteristicas).

36 Chanter

Chanter

Descripcion pormenorizada

El botico
Se despelleja el animal por la pata trasera derecha y se saca la piel entera por alli, sin necesidad de hacer mas costuras. Despues se curte, se vuelve del reves (con el pelo por dentro) y con este material, se fabrican pellejos, botas de vino etc.

Normalmente el pelo va esquilado, quedando de una largura de 1/2 cm para que alli se agarre mejor la pez, cuya mision es evitar las fungas a traves de los poros, del aire o del vino, segun su uso, quedando asi impermeable.

Todas las gaitas viejas aragonesas llevan el boto impermeahlizado con pez. Nosotros, siguiendo la tradicion, montamos en 1980 la gaita hecha a mano en un boto con pez, y comprobamos:

• que la piel adquiere una rigidez excesiva
• cuando la pez se seca y la gaita esta desinflada, se pega por dentro y para despegarla hay que echar agua caliente dentro o poner el boto largo rato al sol.
• es muy engorrosa la puesta a punto del instrumento.

En la recuperacion del instrumento, hemos sustituido la pez por unas lanolinas que provienen de Escocia, que ademas de tapar los poros, dan una gran flexibilidad a la piel, estando siempre el boto y la gaita listos para tocar.

Los bordones
Estan compuestos de dos piezas, una de ellas va dentro de la otra y su alargamiento o acortamiento modifica la nota continua hasta la afinacion deseada, dentro de los limites de la nota dada por la cana.

Presentan aros de estano para proteger las zonas de deslizamiento y tambien como funcion ornamental, aunque esta ultima, en Aragon es muy sobria. Igualmente, en amplias zonas de Europa se encuentra el mismo fenomeno:

“Los pastores del Alto Isabana, valles de Barrabes, Bohi y Bosia en algunos casos hendian los dibujos (en la talla de la madera) mas que de ordinario para rellenarlos de estano, metiendo el objeto dentro de un trozo de piel o nai·pe arrollado y echando el metal derretido. Esta tecnica de estanado ornamental, ademas de en la Ribagorza y el Pallars, tambien aparece en el Pais Vasco y Portugal, asi como en la Bretana armoricana y en otras comarcas francesas de los Alpes”>(1)

Todos los bordones presentan caja de resonancia; uno de ellos presenta bajo la piel de serpiente un hermoso trabajo pastoril de tallada a cuchillo y decoracion de hexafolias, lineas de puntos etc.

Las bordonetas
La mayoría de ellas son de un tipo determinado, dos piezas con un interior conico, muy dificiles de ajustar y deslizar una dentro de otra debido a la conicidad. Salvo una de ellas, todas las demas presentan caña simple.

Las bordonetas que son como bordones pequenos por su forma a interior suelen contener la otra pieza de una largura tal que la bordoneta casi tiene la largura del clarin.

Los clarines
La mayoría de los encontrados son de muy buena construcion, hechos con torno y largura muy similar. Al ser la parte principal de la gaita y ser faciles de deteriorar (se rajan con bastante facilidad), algunos gaiteros los reforzaban por fuera con aros de alambre, que al ser cubiertos con piel de serpiente, dan una apariencia y tacto muy extrano. Son de interior conico y varian de uno a otro en el numero de oidos o agujeros de resonancia. Siempre llevan pita o caña de doble lengueta.

Maderas usadas
La mayor parte de las gaitas encontradas son de boj, madera que tiene unas propiedades de dureza, brillo, duracion etc. que hace que sea la favorita de los pastores.

El boj solia tenerse hacia unos tonos rojizos, para lo cual se enterraba durante un cierto tiempo en estiercol.

La tela de flores
Sobre la tela de flores que recubre el botico, se han contado muchas historias, tales como que al gaitero de Bestue, Juan Cazcarra se le murio una hija, y que el lleno de dolor, tomo el vestido de ella y vistio la gaita. Lastima que esta bonita historia llena de ternura no sea verdad. Sus descendientes asi lo ratifican.

Igualmente, tenemos fotografias de gaiteros antiguos con estas telas de flores. Seguramente, por no mostrar la desnudez de la piel es costumbre en muchos paises del mundo el vestir la gaita.

La piell de serpiente
Pertenece este instrumento a una epoca en la que el hombre, con un claro sentido magico de la vida, usaba partes de los cuerpos de los animales para construir los instrumentos de musica. La serpiente, totem de mucho pueblos primitivos, refuerza todavia mas el caracter ritual del instrumento y del que lo tocaba.

Ademas de la gaita, existe en Aragon una flauta de tres agujeros llamada “chiflo” (en aragones chiflar es silbar), que tambien va forrada de piel de serpiente.

                                                                                      Chanter 39

Los pastores aragoneses hacen bastones tallados con navaja y el motivo casi generalizado es la serpiente, cayados terminados en una cabeza de serpiente son tambien abundantes (2).

Los antiguos gaiteros de nuestro pueblo, siempre han dicho y creido firmemente, que si in se forraban los tubos de la gaita con piel de serpiente, esta no sonaba bien. No hace falta decir que eso no es cierto.

Hay varias opiniones que tratan de explicar el uso de la piel de serpiente:

a) Para que no se les ocurra tocar la gaita a las mujeres, conocido el asco que sienten por los reptiles. Hay en el fondo una cierta misoginia ancestral, pero no hay que olvidar que la gaita sonaba mayoritariamente en el Dance o lo que es lo mismo, en las danzas rituales de palos y espades que son exclusivamente masculinas.

b) Uso de la piel de serpiente como “capa termica” que evitaria que el instrumento se desafinase. No podemos creer que seamós los unicos del mundo en haber encontrado esta solucion.

c) Uso de la piel de serpiente para evitar fugas de aire que se producian al agrietarse las piezas de madera. Teoria muy logica, util y nada despreciable, puede ser exacta.

d) Nosotros nos inclinamos a pensar en un caracter magico de la serpiente, que podria quedar reflejado en la mudanza de espadas “la culebreta” (la pequeña serpiente) del Dance de Graus (Huesca), donde los “volantes” en zig-zag serpentean a lo largo de la fila de danzantes, imitando claramente los movimientos de la serpiente.

Hay abundancia como as de esperar de alusiones a la serpiente y la brujería, conservandose en el alma del pueblo en forma de supersticion. Nuestro antiguo gaitero Vicente Capitan, cuando fue grabado en magnetofon en 1950, al oirse se echo a correr asustado.

Situacion Actual Del Instrumento

Hoy nos encontramos con unos 6 grupos folk en toda la region, todos ellos llevan gaita aragonesa. En cuanto a los pueblos con grupos de folklore, de ser nuestro pueblo el unico en tener gaita hemos pasado a ser ya 5 pueblos importantes.

Se ha pasado de untaller de construccion en Zaragoza, a tener otro en Sarinena, donde Martin Blecua lleva construidas tres gaitas y pronto Jose Luis Sarrablo pondra en funcionamiento otro taller en Boltana (Huesca).

Mario Gros tiene en Zaragoza un exceso de trabajo, que le impide abarcar

40 Chanter

Clarines de Castejon de Monegros (Huesca), paertenecieron al gaitero Senen Pueyo (muerto en 1954).

Clarines de La Almolda (Zaragoza), pertenecieron al gaitero Cristobal Falceto (muerto en 1953).

Chanter 41

Two axes of iron (figs. 4-6) were found in one of the huts at Vulci, and a socketed axe in a pit near by.

Fig. 4.-Iron axe. Length, 15.5 cm.

Fig. 5.-Iron axe. Length, 17.cm.

Fig. 6.-Iron axe. Length, 21 cm.

Photograph 58. — Column of the “chi” in Holy Cross Church, Segovia.

The so-called Column of the “chi” is found in the church of the Holy Cross, one of the two churches named in the jurisdiction of the Convent of San Juan de Duero.

The column, which has a shape easily recognizable by its circular base and capital and its central smooth quadrangular body, is adorned on two of them with incised designs: on one face a “chi” with two bars which intersect at right angles, and on one of the lateral sides a cross with a bit truncated arms in the style called “batavian” in the international art museums.

The stone has a length of about 1.20 m.

These carved designs are the same as those represented in many rock art painted figures in the territory of Burgos, La Rioja and Soria, generally in the same form: the “chi” or rosette and the “batavian” cross. The importance of this column lies in the artistic and symbolic verification that it provides, proving that these Christian signs were in use among the ancient Christians of the vicinity.

As for the column itself, there are no data to designate the christian date or the period of its works. It is possible that it has dates of the eleventh century, since this type of ornamentation is known in some architectural elements from that time. But it could belong to a later period, up to the fourteenth or fifteenth century.

This must be taken into account in studies of medieval art and also in the study of our ancient Christian beliefs.

Gaita de Boto (Morón de Almazán)

This edition is from our archives, so it is presented as scanned pages rather than text.

You may need to scroll to find the article you’re looking for.

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.

We continue to extract members from all around the world — great stuff! But why are you a tiny short letting us know about piping in your countries (tell us honestly, exceptions in this issue’s Letters column)? Please write. Don’t worry if your English isn’t too good; we probably put it right. If you like, write in French or Spanish (for instance). We’re supposed by international organisations on why not give us something to print in your own language? And perhaps we might want to transliterate and print it in English as well. Doesn’t have to be a full scale article — anything would be nice. A signal nowhere will do. Tell us about the state of piping in your country. What’s the revival like? How healthy is the local tradition? What’s known about older forms of bagpipe in your country that haven’t died out? What’s the weather like? The world thirsts for knowledge (well I do anyway) — so write about it.

Roy Sloan of N. Hastings writes to say that on pre-print Geordie languishing in Hastings he would be pleased to hear from other pipers in the area. He would also be happy to teach Northumbrian 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 can only undertake repairs at the moment.

Still losing members in the cessation of the Membership List. No time it’s £11 Crofman who has, according to the Post Office, “Being Away”. Any of you Crofmans reading? Where where he’s gone? Ohmigawd! Roy’s bagpiping to all you CAS? And when the Phantom Piper appears, has found with them, what letter will he start on next? Meanwhile, what sort of you remain under C. lost your door and windows next time you get the old pipes out for a practice — even New Zealand’s not too far away to except the cluthes.

Couple of juicy records we hear of: Hamish Moore’s “Open Friday” (Sablet) on 7-CH01 is currently getting airtime on Folk on two and BBC History 1900 - 2030. Hamish features lots of great musicians on this disc such as Nigel Eaton on hurdy-gurdy.

I hear Ian Sloan reported up hear of (via Julian Goodacre) that Italian piper and nifty bracis of Moses playing on it, well he would say that wouldn’t he? There of course is why Ian Sloan has not made it to many pipes, as many think, but one may be interested in news it was because one of their number had an argument with a tree while doing a bit of lumberjacking: the tree won.

Ian Smith would like it to be known that, due still health, he is winding up his just under cases selling business, but please don’t mind if you have an order in the pipeline Ian will be fulfilling all existing orders first.

Couple of important changes for you to note in your File: your Geordie Bagpipe Society position out open — only sixty quid!! Your Hon. Treasurer has grabbed the money and run all the way to Dollar . . . (with Vic and Drolin’s blessing, anyway).

The letter columns is a grave Society Editor who, faced in sultan idea of how to get out of his job, has indeed for every 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 dives of the country, we are pleased to report that she has at last broken 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 virtuosic 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, is there anyone else who would be willing to host/organise some sort of rural or 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, but, who keeps 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 29th, 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 eagerly-read 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 Moutlarch 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 I’ve 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

square when there will be Morris dancing around the Town with White Rose Morris, Queen Esther, Jenny and Simon Mon — ‘dancing will finish in the Square at 1.30. Don’t worry if you arrive late—just fetch out for the bells and the pipes to find where everyone is. And bring your instruments, for from 12 noon onwards (says there all afternoon) there will be sessions at the Bowling Green and ‘The Talbot’. Also at noon there will be a craft fair at Norwich Civic Hall. From 3 till 5 there will be workshops at the Methodist Church Hall (Folk Cent.) with demonstrations and discussion, on a variety of pipes and styles with Bob White, Anne Cross, Jean Pierre Rasle, Ann Seymore, Masiah Moore, Dave Shaw and Peter Stacey. This is all absolutely FREE to members (quid to non-members).

Don’t forget—Somewhere in the midst of all this festivity we shall be appearing in an (all day—ringing!) But the actual timing you will have little oddity how that we have only allowed an hour for it to shift by time for the service wondering (and we have made more hot air than anyone last year). Having said that, there is a bit of free time between acts in case any pressing urgent items crop up (ho-hum). Food, side stalls and odd (?) 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 Whitehall’s just as the AGM is getting really exciting, we’ve allowed an hour or two (the acting for you to partake of some excellent wholefood grub of sensible prices - also all the Full Centre).

By now, in fonding anticipation, you will all have mentally lost your seats for the last item of the day: Tar-raah — The Grand Concert from 6 till 10, featuring (in order of appearance) Dave Shaw, Ann Seymore, Masiah Moore and Jean-Pierre Rasle & Peter Stacey. Once again, what will be entirely FREE to members (3 quid to non-members).

Bob Criss, to whom we are indebted for organising all this, can arrange a certain amount of accommodation. But you must contact him quickly (unless you want to end up sleeping under the town bridge. You can contact Bob on 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 are some who won’t go then?) 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 list is now being coordinated by DM member Bob Aston (that’s the one from Crosley; 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 two of these at the moment). Ross has a pretty hefty collection of bagpipe 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. Recognise 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 SH, 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 (via Membership List update) or the London College of Furniture (Old address).

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 pointer 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 bots 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 all of work, just ‘corral’ and get others to do it. Quite a lot of you ticked the ‘willling to help’ boxes on the Membership Form; now’s your chance to help, either at a national (international?) or local level. The ‘sort of things we’re thinking about are organisation concerts, busking, sponsoring piping, things for sale etc. At least, those are the sort of things we have thought of so far. Even if you’re not willing to take on the job 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. Godalton (Coventry, I’ve forgotten which one?)

“Le premier numero de Chanter, le journal du “Bagpipe Society” d’Angleterre est, pour Octobre (60 pages concues aux cornemuses, c’est un omest> pour les sauveteurs anglais. Au sommaire du No. 1 interview du floboiata, commentaire reparer les cornemuses, Westernshire small pipes, partitions et copies de stripes, 104 cornemuses italiennes et une étude de repertoire possible pour la cornemuse du sud de l’Angleterre, instrument disparu depuis plusieurs siècles, mais qui jouit d’un regain d’interet 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 theirs 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 swelling 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 out of earshot”

Oh well, at least it’s something when the press actually admit that pipers so turn up. ‘sbetter than being told to move out of the c, 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 picture (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?

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 in 1960, Julius Pilling visited and duly laid Barrowford who said he father had played the bagpipe when wickd if he was Scottish, he replied “No, celically not, he played the Union Pipe,” What sort of tunes did he play? “Hinyes,” 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 I look at “Yates Dictionary in the following voluy 4: “Indelible”. A sin who plays the Union Pipes is called a tweedler.” To receive as only in this book shows how popular the pipes have been. Of all pipes, however, none have been as cherished 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 Skip, nearby, on the estate of Lord Dundas. He was apprenticed as a wheelsmith to John Alcull of Richmond, but by the age of 26 he had left that trade and became an incident hardened artisan and knife grinder based on Whalcliffe Mill about a mile West of Richmond. His travels took him all over the North and West Riding and it appears he was very poorly paid given his work, but also for the stories he told, the songs he sang, and the conjuring tricks he performed. Country persons appear to have been his principal fans, rather oddly perhaps since he was a musical Catholic, ever eager to put forward his own views.

Billy’s obituary I does not say when he heard to play the pipes but dates other evidence to put forward it is probable that he was taught while living in the Richmond area, since by one of his own family, or by a friend during his youth. The fact mention of his piping comes in 1886 when Dr. J. H. Dixon wrote of a ballad called “The Gerald Gace” that he collected from Billy. “We first heard it sung in Malhamdale, Yorkshire, by Billy Bolton, an old Dales 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-coles” was “ay getting Malhamdale and the fine dale Gordale and another one the clear slipping source of the Aire and there by night the famous glenander ja The Cove, with pips and chanter playing which fell pick, and this in the grand and romantic styles of Craven was spent many of the happiest days of the old Dales Minstrel."

“When press of hours began to tell upon the old grinder, the machine slackened its revolutions, the fingers became less active on the pipes and the song would rarely be continued because when it was about this time that the old minstrel had the misfortune to with the little handle of Hilton East, where, after having done certain work for the collages and farmers and the chief magistrate of that place, he unfortunately felt his pipes with the magicians’ charms who promised he old minstrel that the voice of care alone should be taken off them until his return on the following day. Gebri, however, was the old man’s grief, when, on his return, the pipes, which he valued at three pounds, were smashed, burst, and entirely spoilt. However, after a household or family council, in which the old minstrel had the first time in his life made threats of law, the 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 through repairs, but failing to do so, ultimately had the pipe fond fair fillings.”

I would put the above event as happening in about 1870, since Billy eventually settled down in retirement in the village of Barnsill, in Whalcliffe, 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 Barrowford, near Leyburn, had befriended him, 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 Barnsill 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

page 6 page 7

REFERENCES

• Brierley B. “Abc of ‘Yates Dictionary” Craven Pioneer, 12th September 1884
• 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.

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 an great, 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 *” repaired, tourist and surely polished." Also when the York pipes were made Billy was over 50 years of age, an old man for these 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 ringing in Yorlksire during the last hundred years.

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 belongings to Paul 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 course) but has a few secondhand sets in the process of restoration, mostly a set of Irish pipes and a set of smallpipes if anyone is interested.

Calfskin Bodhran and beater. As new. £20. Duncan Ross.

Still for Sale: Dulcibro (Dollcimer/Dulcifo) by Homer Ledford of Kentucky. As there are no takers yet for this superb example of rug Dulcimer maker’s art, I am forced to drop the price to a final £1000. 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 new start on typesetting, I am extremely grateful to Val for her help and well with the job (you may still notify changes directly to the keeper of the Society’s bits, Don Ward, if you prefer, for loan to put straight onto his tame 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 tasd earlier, he is in the throes of moving house

page 8 page 9

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 with leaves little or no project work at this. Any philanthropists among you? In the meantime, he would still love 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 we would, wouldn’t we?), our main aim being to provide lots of good quality publications (recently, 1 of net always printing wise). 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 no, you’re wrong – at least I hope so. . . one more. 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 trifle out of present for us though – if everyone paid up promptly! If 15/- then old news about careful . . Even as I write I’m not sure we can afford the paper and mail, but this newsletter – because so many of you haven’t renewed who should have done so in the summer (with apologies to those who have paid up promptly).

We hate having to moan like this, particularly when so many of you of the offenders have done so much good work for the Society in other ways, but we simply can’t go on without money. So what have you of objects have you magic piece, please take note of this typed little behind-the-block “notices” at the time they’re printed (aren’t these the same corner?), first the once per used magazine Society.

Unfortunately, although we hope to keep going static, minimal hope got to go by. We just didn’t anticipate the rise in publications being so strict and heavy when we put the rate and aimed is almost expensive! The good news (for some) is that it would appear that surface mail from everywhere but the Far East and Oz/ NZ is pretty well as quiet as air mail I think: at 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 Uniform, Bagpipes, Baggage Repairs, Drums, Band Accessories, Shortbread, Concert tickets, Trophies, etc, Books, Jewellery Gifts.

The other big problem at this moment, is the date of renewals. Like all bodies, we tried to make it so that everyone renewed at the same after joining: it was ain’t that easy! Everyone we’ve got to was due a subs for every period of renewal. This means that subs will be shortchanged while others get out a bit of that for nothing. These just doesn’t show to be any other way. The present proposal (for the AGM) 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 members.

MEET YOUR MAKER

People often ask me where they can get French pipes. Well this issue features a maker of all sorts of fine French bagpipes, Dominique Butruille 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 at 11900F; a Bulgarian Kaba Gajda (that’s the deep one!) at 3500F in blackwood or 3700F in blackwood; Swedish pipes in fruitwood at 2500F; and Southdown student pipes (14 or 16 pouces) in fruitwood at 2700F.

But he is best known (for his traditional French pipes, the southdowns Bourdonnais/Berrichann pipes come in two sizes 14 pouces (A/D/E) and 16 pouces (Sol/Do; G/C) in fruitwood or blackwood with mounts of pewter or bone with prices ranging from 4900F to 8000F 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 tone would not go amiss; while we’re all sadly going metric, the French cling invented it all, still use the inch (le pouce) to describe their pipes! So a 14 pouces bagpipe has a 14 inch chanter. This is obviously just convention and I’m not sure whose thumb they used to arrive at the inch – it probably doesn’t correspond exactly to our imperial inch anyway. In convention, the 14 pouces pipes are pitched in B-Upper D – Three finger giving the proper keynote for French pipes – but they usually quote it C-G-finger notes as well (firsts). 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 Bourdonnais/Berrichon pipes has a 14 inch chanter (approximately), the third finger (3-finger/3-finger), otherwise known as A/D. Drones are always tuned to the 6-finger note and/or small pipes (Setti). To continue:

In addition to the smaller southdowns Bourdonnais pipes Dominique also makes the Grande Correnoise and Nivernais & Bourbonnais – all with the smaller pipes from the region. They have two drones but are only available only in fruitwood with mounts of pewter or horn. They come in three sizes: 20 pouces (Re/Sol; D#G); 22 pouces, (Do/Fa; C/F); and 24 pouces (Re/ Mi/ BVF) – to complicate matters further, this latter …

5-reopen (in French) as a 5/4 pitch. Prices range from 6200F to 7500F depending on size.
And so on to the bellows-blown. The Musette dechonnet is well-known in lovers of French bagpipes. Unlike most French pipes, it alone is name from its inventor, not a region. Rene dechonnet (Dechonnet converted these pipes towards the end of the last century and they were entirely played through the central region of France during and after his lifetime. A number of makers, including Dominic Bourg, continue the tradition with pipes modeled after the style of the old master. Dechonnet’s are in full wood or bell-tawed with bone mounts. The pipes may be ordered with the most nearly French or southern of 4 tenor drops in parallel with the chanter one octave below its 6-finger note plus a bass drone one octave below that; alternatively, dechonnet pipes can be had with two tenor and two bass accompanied by a small treble drone, pipe in the chanter/tenor drone (trotier), which is tuned in unison with the “limier” note. This tiny drone gives an unexpected lift to the sound of the pipes. It is brought into play. The dechonnet pipes are available in A mance (>4,292 hrl) and 16 pounces (501/Dc) or in B flat, corning to 50 or to 1500F depending on size and material.
Dominc Bourg makes 14 pieces (La/Rg A/D) bellows-blown musettes. Premiums will turn drones made entirely from boxwood for 5600F. No bagpipe not very well known outside its native Brittany is the Veeuze. It is a larger bagpipe than the better known Breton Binioù, being more akin in style and sound to the Gaitas of northern Spain and Portugal. Dominiqne differs the Yeeuze with one or two drones in Do (C) and La (A) or fours; three or beazart 2700F.
In addition to bagpipes, M. Bouge also makes excellent oboes from 1350F, musettes (a small oboe in G) from 1300F and serpents in C from 1900F.
Most of his pipes have around a 6 to 8 month waiting period which can months to a year for most of William. All instruments come fully correct and playing when are available upon request. A 50% deposit is required. He also paysable before delivery.
Contact: Denis Bouge

BANSPIPE FESTIVAL, PRESTON HALL MUSEUM, STOCKTON by Dave McQuade

This event, held on the August bank holiday, turned out to be surprising successful and approximately 7,500 visitors to the museum entertained by members of the Society and other local folk dancers and musicians. I was surprisingly as I think it is true to say that the Society and the Museum administration did not quite get their act together. Problems with organisation meant that we did not twist people’s arms so badly, so we should have done and contacting folk during the holiday period proved exceptionally difficult. In fact, we were not very precisely who was going to turn up until the actual weekend itself.
As you can imagine, cold problems made proper advertising almost impossible and the curator decided to relay safe by cutting the original programme. Apologies to those who were squeezed out at the last minute, or traded up providing a very informal concert to the visitors by playing in a crumpet outside Victoria Street within the museum on Sunday and Monday afternoons. To add to the atmosphere, most of the performers were presented twists provided on traditional dress. although this made page 12

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 hotels, and this to me has the highlight of the weekend. It was quite an experience to hear Maisie Moor and Jean Pierre Basle fully ensemble really heartwarming when Jon Swayne 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 participants. Again, it was a pity that advertising was so sparse as a lot of local pipers would have appreciated this.
Throughout the weekend, piping was provided by Peter Stev and Jean-Pierre Basle, Hamish Moore, Jon Swayne, the Goudarce Tetral, James Merryweather, Colin Ross, Malachi Simon, Judy Rockcliffe, Joe Flin and Mary Cannon. Folk groups featuring pipes were Northern Irish Folk , 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 themselves. One certainly must have done - he sent his cheque back cancelled!

THE SOCIETY OF IRISH PIPERS - NA PIOBAIRI UILLEANN

As promised in an earlier Newsletter, we are continuing with our feature on other piping societies with Na Piobairi Uilleann.
The society caters for Uilleann pipers and was founded in 1968; from modest beginnings, it now boasts a worldwide membership of 400 with active clubs in London, Sheffield, Paris, Holland, Toronto, Francisco and Seattle with many members in continental Europe, America and New Zealand. The majority of members, as may be expected, now live in Ireland with many in the Dublin area where tuition is given weekly basis at the Society’s membership. Sheet music stores are free to all and encompasses 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 piping classes and workshops, thus reaching members outside Dublin and also cooperates with pipers in England and further afield in conduct similar functions abroad. The most important event on the calendar is the annual Willie Clancy Summer School at Miltown Malbay. Co Clare in July. Na Piobairi Uilleann runs the piping section of the school, providing teachers, organising the classes, selling piping concert, daily recitals by competent players for students, and exhibition of pipes and piping.
The growth in the number of members of Uilleann piping throughout the world since the foundation of the society is a reflection of the increased interest in Irish piping being translated into a demand for pipe, this increased interest is also in large part to the singular work of Na Piobairi Uilleann in protecting the playing and making of pipes.
Contact: Na Piobairi Uilleann, page 13

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 setting up a well-funded enquiry.

The disaster to which I refer occurred at the Blowzabella weekend 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 accident as unforeseeable—an Act of God—but I believe it was deliberate. 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 organisers 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 throng of molecular bombardment they receive from the hideous buzzing of several hundred hurdy-gurdies. During the last twelve months a portion of one of the towers collapsed and some segments of a parapet became so unsafe that they had to be removed. Portions of the outbuilding are now little more than ruins.

In the village square where much music and dancing takes place from midnight to sunrise the organisers 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 beg all hurdy-gurdy players to be very sparing in their use of the trumpets and to take all sensible precautions.

Aside from the collapsing Bar Disaster the Blowzabella weekend was extremely enjoyable. Much praise must go to Paul James for programming 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: ‘THANK YOU FOR NOT SNORING’

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

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 informant 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 removed 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 polythene bags.

I 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 ‘tin’ jokes, an examination of Chaucer and Julian’s catalogue will reveal all.

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

Page 14 Page 15

FESTIVAL OF EUROPEAN PIPING IN EDINBURGH by John Gardacre

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 wind’ 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 Monckton Hill 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 swing’ played by his group the Easy Club at their concert. They were not the only ones to be playing this jaunty piping ‘jazz’. The Easy Club Reel. In another direction Mark Duff, who plays recorder and whistles in the young group Capercaillie, 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 fellows pipers. 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 precise comment 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 Northumbrian pipes 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 haronny 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, Makirag, 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 between returning home. The central French tradition was represented by Andre Kierus, the virtuoso cabrette player from the Auvergne, accompanied on diatonic accordion by Jacques Laveigne. Arresting Spanish music was contributed by Los Raperigos, a group from Galicia who play gaita, 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 planned 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 reported an hopes for the future of ‘breaking down the barriers’ between lowland and 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 pipers playing in Ireland. He prefers jigs and reels to hornpipes, which are ‘more European than Irish’ and have ’no sadness’.

Xan Silver, with Los Raperigos, gave an expert introduction and demonstration of their music, starting from simple percussion instruments and the gaita as a solo instrument and concluding with ‘composed’ music and ‘classical arrangements’, sometimes using three gaitas in harmony.

The principal theme for the piping festival was stated by Hugh Cheape in his talk ‘The European Roots of Scottish Piping’, illustrated with diagrams (instead of the musical examples) in the other talks. He is assistant 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 pipes to 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 confirm the pattern: the development of the Scottish pipes must be accounted a nineteenth century movement, part of the re-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 pipers’ societies. Now it is hoped that EEC support can be obtained via the EEC Cultural Co-operation Committee likewise. Much has been achieved by the Festival Administrator, Marian Ramsay, under the ofbeat festival directorship of Robin Morton and with the enthusiastic help of the others. What is needed is a presiding genius to pursue energetically the ideas that have been thrown around so far. Marsh 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 continue 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 Owers
XORIMA–KORIMA Edigal Bell 70007
This is the first, and only record, by this young Galician group Korima, 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 to good use, without a continuous evolutionary process, any culture becomes fossilized and its practitioners risk becoming intolerant of differing philosophies or traditions which consequent disastrous results at either personal or national level. (End of digression.)

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

The band features two gaitas, bombards, recorders, bozouk, 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 bombard 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 Korima’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 panderiada (named after the dance named after the drum – the pandeiro – used to provide the rythms which motors along very smartly with the two gaitas taking the main part. Following this, the second part is the well-known Up of Slurs 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 re-appearance 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 Collatt’s or if not by mail order (along with all other Galician and other Spanish records) from ARPAFOLK,
S.O.

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 folkore festival in Bulgaria for something less than a bargain price (23688+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 Bulgoraphil 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, queuing 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 Gajdi 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 Gajda 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.

Page 20

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 bagpipes 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 Galias), 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 in to the Celtic fold, and now their neighbours and fellow Gaelters, 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 Brown from Pencerdd 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 Elsftedfa-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 chackling 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 21

Cherchez l’intrus…

[Image: Surprise pour les festivaliers assemblés samedi après-midi, sous le chapiteau des arts : un jour de gaîté figurait au nombre des musiciens de groupe gaëlls]

Pencerdé, « La goIte, m’a-t-il expliqué, ressemble à la cornemuse gaëllole au Moyen Age. » (?)

Having settled into the routine fairly quickly, certain things became obvious. Primarily among these was the enthusiasm of the Lorient and Vittelng 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, Armegüi, 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 Lian de Cubel, who featured an excellent gaitero. Not to everyone’s taste were the Gallican 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.

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 Slabh and Tamalin. Unfortunately I missed seeing Davy Spillane, who I think was performing solo and also missed hearing Calticants, who are an Italian band using the ‘bags’ (the North Indian pipe resurrected by Massimo Fumagalli) 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 to a bagpipe mountain stacked up while their owners partook of the excellent food. On several occasions I was transfixed by a pile of Antonio Corral gaitas twenty or thirty deep (the Man himself ran 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 them 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-Bihoué. Pride of place (I this time went to the Frenchmen marching band of two flatau, 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 turned passes behind us was playing (2 gaitas vs. 20 pipes, 20 bombarders and 8 drums) our only embarrassment was the lack of a national costume. Alex Evans’ suggestion that we went naked painted with blood was not put into practise since it was a chill morning and none of the shops sold woad.

I love the sound of a massed palta marching band, and the Gallican costumes were the most elegant on display, especially those of the men. The Asturian seem less lamboyant, both in costumes and music, although not without charm of their own. They do not go to for large groups of pipers (a dozen or so at the must) and marching is made most uncomfortable due to their amazing three-pronged clogs. The Asturian pipes are outwardly the same as Gallican 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 Galician drones. However, they employ exclusively closed fingering as opposed to the Gallican open or semi-closed and the tunes use overblowing 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 stratum 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 bolts… 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 tuned 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 hale’s pipes appears to be attached by binding 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 a glance to be very modern and anachronisms appear to abound, what with the tune, the pipes and details from the illustration. Accuracy or concentration?

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 bagpipe.

In Switzerland there are two Pipebands: one in Basle and one in Zürich. 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 in 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 country 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 from or 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.

East Wiches
Markus Schermer.

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 Capercaillie 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/e?

Agitely Yours,
Uncle P.

Have you heard about the amazing young Northumbrian piper Paul Higgs (hope I’ve got the name right) who has been shopping for Kathryn Tickell? Now this one really is young, Peter; I believe he’s about 12 (correct me if I’m wrong Don Bender). Apparently he’s good enough to study musicians 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 Spirus 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 ??pcvfjpa Society Newsletter 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 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 Romanisms 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 4 finger notes 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 ‘Tulumb’.

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 was bad 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. We contact address can be found in the newsletter 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 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-longes 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!

Ulliean 1 Eugene Lamb 4 set (small drone down side of chanter 2 David Quinn (not in boxwood) 3 Pat McNulty practice set 4 Pete Riley set in maple (made in Maine, USA) 5 David Quinn Bflat 4 set (Original 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 D. 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 (footjoint?) - 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 Greensit 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 Gaita 2 drones, blackwood, in C (made by Veuze malers in Brittany) 3 Swedish Saxpipa 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 Baino’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 (or 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 slipcover for the mouth-piece would be necessary 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). gaida, 2 bands
Bulgaria Unesco Coll. Univeral. 76, 10” gajda, 1 band

Argo ZRG 562, 2945, 2 bands
Chant du Monde LD-M8313a. 101, gajda trio arranged

Czecho: Supraphon SP 20377; “V” (contained in V. longó’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, dudý, many bands
  Rescho HV 72253, 45. 7” (contained in music book by König)

England: Northumbrian: Unesco Coll. Univ. 78 10” (no artist named)
Topic 12t283: ‘Holey Ha’ penny’ Clough & others.

Estonia; Unesco Coll.Univ. 78 10” (no.19 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 WL 5334, (IKFC Pampolona festival) cabreta, 1 band
Brittany - no old 78 not yet listed, with old biniou.
Germany Colos.SM 3014. Uppere Palatinata (Eichensoer 1975 collection)
Greece SDNM 110. Chios tsabouna, 2 bands
Fan Vox BIGA 1357) 10143. (Songs etc from Pontous) tulum, recorded in Greece.
Hungary Hung. Acad of Sciences. Quallton LPX 1187 (IMFC ‘64). 1 band

Ireland: Unesco Coll Univ 78 10” union pipes; no name, 1 band.
Westminster ‘Als above, France) R.Ragh. 1 band.
HWV DLP 1143 ’K Recorded in Scotland 1 band
HWV CLP 1327 (Kennedy), McPeaks, 2 bands.
HWV L.M.498 78 10" Rowzona (all)
Decca W.4009,4046,4332 76 10” Walsh (3 records)
Italy: Col.KL-5137, Latium, Molise (unusual) 2 bands. Also Sicilian.
Col. KL-5174 zampogna, 3 bands.
Col D.Q. 426. 78 10” Zampognari
Homecord A-6366, 78 10” ………….
Sicilly: Odeon GO 17874, 78 10”, Cormamusa.
Col.D.Q. 553
Portugal Request SRLP 0089, galateros, 2 bands
Rumania Electrecord EPD 78, 10”, cimpoi
Topic 10T12 10”, …………..
Antalogia muz.porp romin.5. 10”, cimpoi
Scotland Coll.DB115 S. Pipe-maJ, Forsyth, 78 10"
Westminster (San France). sword dance

Spain Col. KL-216. Gallicas, 1 band
Yugos. Col. KL-217. Five bands, different types
Jugotorn Ethnophilia. 78 10” mih.
Vegner Verlag. Lieder der Welt VIII, diple? 1 band
Unesco coll. univ. 78 10" Macedonia, gajda
Radiotel Beograd LPV 175 Tanset’ gajda.

Yours sincerely, Anthony Baines, Faculty of Music. …[redacted] Oxford
Nov. 1977

What a treasure trove this little lot is! Unfortunately, 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

PIPERS’ PROBLEM PAGE

Double Trouble.
I have a strange effect in the common drone stock of my E.M.S. Praetorius bagpipes. It is 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 usually) with a bassoon reed. I suspect incorrectly placed or sized finger holes. The trouble is 4 of 5th holes and 8 (5th hole) numbered from the bottom, which play almost one semi-tone sharp. I’ve been playing these for nearly thirty 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 (G & C no longer makes them). If any of your members 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.
Al Saguto,
First of all, let me say that I am only glancingly familiar with the E.H.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 tile type used on Border or Loth 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 compressor/compression 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, by contrast 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 a stiffer reed is less 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.

As to the second problem, even Uncle Octavius (inds 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 acquired a set of “ullan HoofdraHESTEeetanshirane saal l pipes, 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-tek for plugging up the end of the drone, couple with the fact that Mr. Goddill has rather inconsistently 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 failing 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 consided 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 (gaddit?) with us. As for surgical separation, I think this suggestion smacks no a little of panic every. 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 them 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.

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, Shadwell

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, in fact, 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 uninitiated. The aspirant must purify the dense matter of his being before he can bear the intensity of the vibrations 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 uplifting; 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, the 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 pouting 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 portent 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 GOODGORE

JACK MY HEDGEHOG by Dirk Campbell

A farmer whose wife had been childless for many years wished eventually 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 hogpie from the market, having received this gift, he went to the smith to have the hoops took about, 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 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, but the cock crowed 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 flying over the walls 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 usual way, but after a few miles he stopped. Tears of all her life crowded her all over with his bristles and sent the poor girl home in disgrace.

Page 35

The Pastoral Pipes

Very little appears to have been written about the pastoral pipes. We do know that a year after Culloden a tutor appeared published in London by Geoghegan. Some suggest that this was a Scottish version of the Irish pipes but I think that in fact it is the other way around. It is possible that after the first Jacobite uprising in 1715 someone realised the effect that warpipes had on the enemy or it may have been that a pipemaker who required something more refined started work on this new set.

Geoghegan shows in his tutor fingering for ornaments already familiar to the Scottish piper, birls and grips and the like. He also gives the range of this instrument two octaves from ‘d’ in D major (A4 15) bearing out his statement that: “It is able to perform the same number of notes with the flute or hautboy”. This instrument also had a detachable foot joint usually half the length of the chanter again with two tone holes in Scottish style. One of the difficulties with the historical analysis of the instrument is the fact that many early makers did not put a name to their instrument.

A drawing by Hogarth in 1728 “The Beggars Opera Burlesqued” shows a piper standing whilst playing the pipes. He does not appear to be playing them by blowing into the bag so I presume the bellows are hidden. The bag is tucked in underneath an arm and the drones and one regulator issue from a common stock. This could well be the pastoral pipe which Geoghegan wrote his tutor for. It would be pointless to write a tutor for an unpopular instrument so they must have been common for some time previous to the tutor. According to Rod Cannon (Galpin Society Journal 1989) Hogarth must have seen one somewhere shortly before making the drawing. The instrument is also described by Gehot in his treatese on “The Theory and Practice of Music” (1784) as the pastoral or new pipes. Cocks (1954) attributes the pastoral pipes to a Scottish adaptation of the union (or Irish or Uilleann) pipes in his entry for Groves under bagpipes but I think most people would now refute this.

Few people were known as makers as few signed their work. This was possibly because if the new pipes did not gain popularity they could not be denegrated for making them! According to a popular belief Reid from Tyneside, a maker of Northumbrian and later Uilleann pipes, was a maker of pastoral pipes. He is supposed to have done a fair amount of research. There is extant in Scotland a set of these pastoral pipes without a makers name dated by an authority on pipes as about 1710. This has a detachable foot-joint and plays e^b with the foot-joint taken off and the chanter placed upon the knee. Possibly Reid and others altered the drones to d’d and D. By about 1730 they were appearing with three drones. The foot joint is supposed to provide the chanter with a length of air which when the bag is squeezed harder aids the chanter to jump up to the next register. A maker of Northumbrian half-long pipes had a bell joint which came off and when he tried using modern Irish piping fingering, found he could get nearly two octaves with the chanter placed

Chanter 19

upon the knee. Some pastoral pipes are said to be more in tune when played Irish-style. The foot joints on extant pastoral pipes seems to be half the length of the chanter without foot joint. An interesting observation to note is the morphology of the last two inches of many Irish pipe chanters. They have a noticeable bulge and a brass ferrule on the bottom.

This could well be the tenon of a new pastoral pipes preserved in the external features of the pipe known now as the Irish pipe, Uilleann pipe, organ pipe or union pipe. I prefer to call it the Irish or Uilleann pipes.

![An Irish warpiper with bagpipes]

An Irish warpiper

20 Chanter

The Irish Pipes

Bagpipes in Ireland have without doubt a long and varied history. Before what is now the Irish pipe there was an older bagpipe called the great pipe or Piob Mhor in Gaelic.

Some sources give the earliest documentary evidence of Piob Mhor as occurring in the Brehon laws of the fifth century. O’Curry mentions a reference to them in the Trinity College Library, Dublin. It contains a list of fines payable to lower grade professionals for insults or bodily injury and concludes:

“These are base, that is inferior professionals and entitled to the same level of fine as Pipairedha or pipers and Cuisleannach or pipe blowers.”

This makes the distinction between bagpipers and flute players. In the 11th century a poem about the fair of Carmen mentions the pipes in the sixty-third stanza. It was noted that the pipers were used from early times in many varied roles. They played for cattle raids, dances, weddings, fairs, battles and other social gatherings including funerals where they were used to great effect.

The Irish pipes were, much as with their cousins the Scottish pipes, a martial instrument with connotations of war for the players. Many had a brush with the clergy or the law.

One story told today talks about a chap playing on the pipes on a Sunday morning just before mass. The priest on his way to mass stops the piper and shouts at him saying “You should be ashamed of yourself playing instead of going inside to mass, don’t you know the Ten Commandments?” “I’m not sure” said the piper “Would you care to hum the first part, I’m no good at remembering the names of tunes?”.

The Statutes of Kilkenny were another time of persecution for the art of piping. A law in 1367, the work of Edward the Third, stated that there would be imprisonment for Irish pipers or minstrels or whosoever helps them.

In 1475 Irish mercenaries complete with their pipers accompanied the Kings Crown soldiers to Calais. Kerns and their pipers fought for whoever would pay them and throughout the fifteenth and sixteenth century there are many references. They fought in Belgium in 1513, Boulogne 1544, and were seen in London in 1544 and 1566. Derricks images of Ireland shows a piper playing in front of a group of kearns. The picture, while showing a piper with a bag, should not be taken too literally, but it does show the pipes in historical perspective.

Galilei in his ‘Dialogue’ published in 1581 offers a good description of the role of a piper in Ireland at the time:

“To its sound, this unconquered fierce and warlike people march their

armies and encourage one another to feats of valour with it. Also they accompany their dead to the grave, making such mourneful sounds as almost to force the bystander to weep.”

The original pipes probably had a single drone of some description and by the 16th century development two. As described in “De Rebus in Hibernia Getis” there were two drones as well as the blowpipe and chanter (cf O’Neill, Musicians and Minstrels). There are numerous mentions of this pipe in the 15th century and there must have been much cross fertilisation of ideas between Scottish and Irish pipers for the McCrimmonds to travel between the two. Flood has suggested that there is a reference to Irish pipes in Shakespeares time but we will deal with that suggestion in the next section.

Slowly but surely the pipes began to decline in use and there was quite a downturn in their use after the Williamite wars of the 1680’s and 90’s. The playing of Irish war pipes was supressed largely due to their rousing influence on the Irish. By the mid 18th century they were little in evidence. The last recorded use of the Piob Mhor is at the Battle of Fontenoy where an Irish brigade fought with the French against the English on May 11th 1745. There are no extant remains of these pipes anywhere. There used to be an old set of pipes in the Musee De Cluny in Paris which have subsequently disappeared.

The decline of the large pipes was also due no doubt to the influence of dance music which began to become very popular. There is a good account of the rise in popularity in the Breathnach book “Folk Music and Dances of Ireland”:

“Arthur Young in his account of his travels in Ireland … 1776-1779 remarked that dancing was so universal through the country from cabin to cabin, with a piper or blind fiddler, and were paid by the cottiers for teaching their children dancing.”

The pipes mentioned above were not the Piob Mhor but quite another sort altogether. As western tonality and music requiring notes outside one or two confined scales developed in Ireland, so too did the need to change the instrument. The new one was bellows-blown with two to three drones and a similar number of regulators. The chanter had a range of over two octaves. This was the Union Irish or Uilleann pipes.

The Irish, Union, Organ or Uilleann Pipes

As the above title suggests there are many names for the newer form of pipes played in Ireland. The pipes were known as union pipes in a tutor published by O’Farrell c1800 which is the earliest known tutor for the instrument. Some suggest that the name union comes from the Act of Union (1800) but this is also not the case as it appears in a poem of 1796 where the playing of a musician is recorded thus:

“For he can play the union pipes and nobly squeeze his bags.” 22 Chanter

Frontispiece from O’farrell’s National Irish Music for the Union Pipes

Another possibility is that “union” is a variation of “unison”. The tenor regulator would sound in unison with the chanter. At this stage I can reintroduce Shakespeare namely the character of Shylock who talks of a “woolen” pipe in Act iv, Scene 1 of the Merchant of Venice. Flood did suggest that this was a corruption of Uilleann. The word uill comes from the Irish word for elbow. It would be difficult as Breathnach suggests to anglicise it into union in 18th century Ireland. The term uilleann has caught on and is used today. “Woolen” as previously mentioned more than likely refers to the bag being an animal (sheep or goat) skin turned with fleece outermost. It may even be a corruption of wooden pipe the material of the chanter.

The earliest form was, I suggest the new or pastoral pipes which as in the modern instrument had a key note of D (old pitch). The octave obtained by squeezing the bag harder. Geoghegans tutor as mentioned before showed largely Scottish technique. These sets had usually two drones set one octave apart and a regulator. The idea for that probably deriving from the Sordinella.

In the early 18th two sometimes three regulators were added giving the possibility of chordal work. The drones were extended to three in number and dropped into the modern tuning of an octave above, below and unison with the chanter. Double chanter sets appeared, as did keyed chanters, in the early part of the last century and were used in non traditional music. Chanters were

Chanter 23

made in pitches from low a up as high as e^b. A drone switch was also added about then. It enabled the drones to be turned on and off at the players discretion.

O’Farrell published the first tutor for what was then known as the union pipes. He gave its range as d’-d’’’ with a fully chromatic scale. The tutor was written by a noted performer who appeared often on the London stage. He was noted for using the pipes as accompaniment to songs providing a melody on the chanter and harmonies with the regulators.

The Moloney brothers of Knockerra near Kilrush are credited with providing the pipes with the perculiar trombone-slide on the bass drone to aid with tuning in the mid-late 1800’s. But certainly the most sought after makers were the Kennas, Maurice Coyne, Michael and John Egan, and the Rowsome family. Tim Kenna was an excellent maker and made top quality sets from 1768 up until about 1794. The younger Kenna worked in the first part of the 19th century was supposed to be more secretive about the way he worked though he was a great maker. Coynes pipes are much sought after today as they provide a mellow, quiet, pure tone and are beautifully made. John Egan is supposed to have been a Dublin pipe maker but Michael Egan is considered one of the best makers of all. He was in business in the early nineteenth century making good sets from 1830-1860 and was one of the first to make in America.

The Rowsome family were and still are a noted family of Irish pipers and makers going back many generations. Pipes made by William Rowsome and later Leo Rowsome are much sought after today by the top players. The family tradition carries on in Kevin Rowsome who is a maker and player himself.

The people who had the greatest effect on pipe making undoubtedly were the Taylor Brothers - they were born in the 1830’s in Drogheda and they were sons of a player-maker. The decline of the pipes after the great famine in Ireland in the 19th century forced the Taylors to America and Philadelphia in particular. In c1873 they started manufacturing and repairing pipes but they realised that the pipes they had were too quiet for the concert and music halls which were an important venue for a piper. So the pipes were redesigned and made more compact. The bore was widened, the holes enlarged and the end result was a d-pitched instrument which was also easier for others to play along with making it a much more popular instrument and winning many new players. These sets were in demand!

The pipes manufactured in this way were known as concert sets because they could now play in concert halls without being lost. The other narrow bore sets became known as flat sets even if they were in concert pitch (a=440). Present developments have included having four, sometimes up to six regulators! Having cylindrical regulators, drones tuned to different intervals and drones capable of playing in different pitches by venting a hole further up the drone via a sliding ring as in Northumbrian pipes.

24 Chanter

The style of playing has also evolved in different ways. Seamus Ennis has suggested three main styles. Tight or stacatto playing with many triplets and ornaments, the notes separated by a stopping of the chanter, similar to Northumbrian piping. Legato or smooth open playing is just the reverse and said to be more fluid. The third is called drawing room style, a cross between the two.

The biggest bone of contention in piping is probably the use of the regulators. It seems that it is every pipers ambition to have a set of regulators but many players do not, according to the late Seamus Ennis, play them at all well:

“They are an abomination if used as monsterous percussion.”

The great man also suggested that it took seven years listening, seven years practising/learning and seven years playing before you became a player! (Maybe a nod in the direction of piping colleges!)

With the improvement in amplification techniques there is not such a need for D chanters and many players such as Robbie Hannon use old flat sets to play on in concerts. Many think that the sound is better on the flat sets now. Today there is a great revival both in pipe-playing and making with probably over 30 makers in western Europe alone. The pipes are back on an upswing helped greatly by Brendan Breathnach and ‘Na Piobari Uilleannn’ which was formed in 1968 with the aims of promoting the playing, collecting and preserving the music, and promoting their manufacture and servicing. Pipes are played by lords, ladies, students, lawyers, buskers and people from all walks of life. Long may it continue!

Conclusion

The pipes as we know them in the form of Uilleann pipes via a convoluted path could be a distant cousin of the old Piob Mhor of Ireland.

Scotland shared the same piping traditions up until the 17th century. The Jacobite and Williamite wars caused makers to experiment giving rise to bellows blown smaller pipes. The pastoral pipes being one of those. Although not so popular in Scotland (few makers names) it took off in Ireland with the new 17th century craze for jigs, reels, hornpipes and dance music of other forms. These pipes were developed and became the union pipes, were adjusted and refined to become the Uilleann pipes we know now.

Materials such as box and elder are still being used along with brass and silver but these days makers are experimenting with ebony, blackwood, cocobolo, lignum vitae as well as using nickle silver, and replacing ivory with plastic or horn. There are new developments all the time including a stop mechanism for the chanter and a spring mounted popping-pad which fits under the chanter.

Chanter 25

The time for making and playing has never been better with many good modern players such as Liam O’Flinn, Paddy Keenan, Robbie Hannon, Sean og Potts, Ronan Brown, Declan Masterson, Billy Brown, John Murphy, to name but a few. Credit must be given to two who brought piping to a more commercial music world: Finbar Furry and Dave Spillane.

Bibliography

Armstrong,-Davidson MH, Galpin Society Journal, A note on the History of the Northumbrian Smallipes, 1985

Bagpipe Society Newsletter, Summer, 1988.

Baines A, Bagpipes, 1960

Breathnach B, Folk Music and Dances of Ireland, 1981

Cannon R, The Highland Bagpipe and Its Music, 1988

Carson, Irish Traditional Music, 1986

Charlton G, The Northumbrian Bagpipes, Archaeologica Aelianna, 4th series

Chaucer G, Complete Works (Prologue to Canterbury Tales) 1932

Clarke ET, The New Approach to Uilleann Piping, 1988

Cocks WA, The Northumbrian Bagpipes; Their Development and Makers 1933

Cleary W, The Bagpipe, 1982

Collinson F, The Bagpipe, Fiddle and Harp, 1983

Collinson F, The Bagpipe - The History of a Musical Instrument, 1975

Dineen Rev. P, Irish-English Dictionary

Flood G The Story of the Bagpipe, 1911

Galelei V, Dialogo Delia Musica Antica E Moderna, 1581

Galpin Society Journals 1985-89

Garvin W, The Irish Bagpipes, Construction and Maintainance

Geoghegan J, Compleat Tutor for Pastoral or New Bagpipe, London, 1771

Groves Dictionary of Music, 1984

Hunter, Peter, Anecdotes on Pipes (unpub)

Leppert, Richard D, Acardia at Versailles, 1978

La Rouse Encyclopadea, 1971

Mersenne M, Paris, Harmonie Universalle, 1636

Munro RW, Highland Clans and Tartans, 1977

Muskett, Mr D, The Muskette & Hurdy-Gurdy, 1984

O’Neill F, Irish Musicians & Minstrels, 1987 reprint

Sachs C, The History of Musical Instruments, 1940

Sachs C, Handbuch der Musikinstrumenten-Kunde, 1930

Schlesinger K, Boumas Boekhuls nu Gronigenito, The Greek Aulos, 1934

Shakespeare W, Complete Works, The Merchant of Venice

Stacy & Wishart, Bagpipes & Hurdy Gurdies, 1984

Sky, Patrick, A Manual for the Irish Uilleann Pipes, 1980

Weber W Die Agyptisch Griechischen Terracotten, 1921

Winternitz Musical Instruments and their Symbolism in Western Art, 1970

Chanter 27

1. Swedish Bagpipe (Säckpipa or Blasböck)
2. French Musette
3. Montguscon Bagpipe, French
4. Bassoon-shaped Bass Dulcian (Dulcian-trombone) for Bass, German

Note: This page features an image of various traditional bagpipes and a bassoon-shaped dulcian. The instruments are numbered and their names are listed accordingly.

Drones and Modal Music

The mention of the Appalachian Dulcimer in Newsletter 18, and the way in which the drones are used against different modal tunings prompts me to write about my wanderings in this musical minefield. At least two of the modal scales should be familiar already to bagpipers, the Ionian and the Myxolydian, but the Aeolian and Dorian also deserve examination. Both are commonly used in British and other European folk music traditions.

I have read numerous articles about the modal scales and most of them are very technical and confuse rather than clarify. To put it as simply as I can for the four modes I want to describe I suggest that the reader picks up a whistle and tries them. any pitch will do. First the Ionian or Doh mode. This is the common or garden major scale. Just play straight up the scale from the all fingers down position from Doh to Doh. Next there is the Myxolidian or Soh mode, the scale which is found on many sorts of bagpipe, e.g. Scottish Piob Mhor. To play it on the whistle start from the two top holes covered and play straight up from Soh to Soh crossing over the octave Doh on the way. You will notice that it is exactly like the Ionian mode until the final two intervals. Three fingers down gives the familiar whole tone leading note below the Soh you started on.

The next two modes are sometimes described as minor because they do resemble the minor scale used in Western Europe “serious” music. It is my feeling that whereas they are moody, to call them minor suggests that they are essentially said in character. Under certain circumstances tunes in these modes show many shifts of mood as the tune progresses.

The Dorian or Ray mode can be played on a whistle by starting from five holes covered and playing straight up to the corresponding five holes covered in the second octave. Here is a tune which will be within the compass of most chanters:

[Musical notation]

The Aeolian or Lah mode can be played by starting with one hole covered and playing straight up into the second octave until the same note is reached.

Another popular way of illustrating the modes is to use the white notes of a piano, the key of C, and playing straight up using no sharps or flats. The Ionian mode (Doh) is C to c Dorian (Ray) is D to d, Myxolidian (Soh) is G to g, and Aeolian (Lah) is A to a.

A good way to investigate them on whistle or chanter which has the option of either a flattened or sharpened interval just before the octave is as follows. Ionian from Doh to Doh with the seventh or leading note sharpened, Myxolidian from Doh to Doh with the seventh flattened, Dorian Ray to Ray with sharpened seventh, Aeolian Ray to Ray with flattened seventh note.

I don’t want to worry about the other modes but for people who want to delve into them the Phrygian goes from Mi to Mi, the Lydian from Fah to Fah, and the Locrian from Ti to Ti. They don’t occur too often in our part of the world.

Without doubt the Appalachian Dulcimer or related instruments, Epinette des Vosges, Hummel etc, are excellent for finding the haunting qualities of the Dorian and Myxolidian. The system they use is to have two drone strings tuned a fifth apart and to shift the paired unison strings accordingly. For example, keeping the drones the same, you can have:

Ionian or Doh
Myxolidian or Soh
Dorian or Ray
Aeolian or Lah

AA - A - D
DD - A - D
GG - A - D
CC - A - D

The arrangement of the frets makes it possible to play each of the seven common modes merely by starting on the appropriate fret. There are many variations in tuning but the thing that should interest the piper is that the starting note of each mode is an octave above the bass drone. The relationship with the other drone remains at a fourth below the melody starting note and a fifth above the bass drone.

Clearly most sorts of bagpipes can cope with the Ionian and Myxolidian. In fact the Myxolidian scale is the feature which attracts so many of us, and to be fair, is what some other musicians find strange. The problems start to arise when attempting to play a tune in the Dorian or Aeolian. In a conversation with a Chabrette player a long time ago I formed the impression that he was able to cope with other modes by swapping chanters and keeping the drones the same. However, my French was not up to deep technical musical discussions and my notions of the modes were pretty hazy at the time. Perhaps a Chabrette player could take up this point and enlighten me. Some how for most of us the “home” note of the mode has to be brought in tune with the drones. The range of the chanter may be capable of playing the scale but unless you have the sort of drone arrangement found on the Northumbrian pipes you are unlikely to be able to try out these modes against the drones.

One way to try the effect is to find a friend who has an instrument with drones in D and play along on a whistle in C using the scales described above,

i.e. starting on D and using either the B# for Dorian or B♭ for Aeolian. A quick rule of thumb for finding out whether a tune is in the Dorian or Aeolian, or any other mode, is to look at the last note of the tune. Nearly always they finish on the home note of the mode. Examination of the last two notes of the scale will determine whether or not it is Dorian or Aeolian.

Now the rationale for the pipes I make and play should be clear. I was faced with a repertoire which was difficult to exploit against the drones. The answer was to conceive an instrument which could overcome the difficulty by having drones which could be raised by a tone, as on the Northumbrian Pipes. This brought almost the entire range of Manks tunes within reach. It also in another way avoided the necessity of adjusting the repertoire to fit the instrument.

Finally, here is a tune in the Aeolian mode which most chanters will be able to play. If, as well, you can get an E out of the drones you will get the full effect.

Colin Jerry

This is a black and white photograph of an elderly man playing the bagpipes. He is wearing a bowler hat, a dark jacket, and light-colored pants. He is seated and appears to be concentrating on playing the instrument. Beside him, there is a wooden barrel with a glass of beer placed on top of it. The background shows a wall with tiles.

La Gaita De Fuelle o Cornamusa Aragonesa

Los Autores

Pedro Mir Tierz tiene 36 anos, es licenciadoo en Ciencias Quimicas, lee ingles, habla y lee frances con bastante fluidez y trabaja de profesor en Sevilla. Residio en Francia casi dos anos en la decada de los setenta, descubriendo con much asombro las llamadas musicas celticas, que fueron para el, el despertar hacia la busqueda de su propia identidad.

Martin Blecua Vitales tiene 33 anos, es propietario de una tienda de comestibles. Reside en Sarinena (Huesca), lugar donde nacio, y desde los 10 anos, forma parte del grupo de danzantes de alli. Fue preparado como gaitero por el antiquo mayoral (jefe de los danzantes) Antonia Susin Palacios, fallecido hace unos anos. lleva pues 23 anos en el folklore, de los que 14 son como gaitero. No tiene conocimientos de musica y es sin lugar a dudas el gaitero de musica tradicional mas completo de Aragon.

Los dos, somos originarios de Sarinena (Huesca), el ultimo pueblo de Aragon que mantuvo viva la gaita aragonesa. Desde nuestra infancia hemos escuchado siempre el instrumento, recordamos perfectamente al gaitero Vicente Capitan Inglan (muerto en 1967). Conocemos al gaitero Juan Mir Susin, que fue su continuador y con el que nos unen lazos de amistad y parentesco. Eramos pues, a todas luces los mas idoneos para recuperar el instrumento, que dejo de sonar durante un periodo de 5 anos.

Siempre contamos con la colaboracion entusiasta del Grupo de Dance y de todo el pueblo en general.

Hoy tras 14 anos de trabajos e investigaciones, nos vemos en la obligacion de escribir algo, que todavia es desconocido para la inmensa mayoria de los aragoneses. Sobre esto, hay muy poco esctrito, y lo poco que hay, son nociones generales.

Pasaremos ahora a contar brevemente, ell proceso de recuperacion del instrumento, dando asi a este trabajo un orden cronologico similar al que tuvo lugar en nuestras actuaciones.

Recuperacion del Instrumento

Es obvio que cuando se habla de recuperacion de un instrumento quiere decir que hubo un tiempo en que desaparecio, asii ocurrio con la gaita de fuelle aragonesa, otro tiempo muy frecuente en toda la provincia de Huesca y que

desde los anos 60 queda reducida unicamente a un pueblo, el nuestro; nosotros conocemos a dos gaiteros, Capitan y Juan Mir, quien sucede al anterior tras su muerte. Juan Mir toca hasta 1975.

Deja de tocar por motivos personales y familiares, llevandose consigo su vieja gaita. Al jefe de los danzantes, no le queda mas remedio que formar un nuevo gaitero: Martin Blecua, quien tocara con gaita gallega al no poderse obtener las aragonesas en las tiendas. Nadie sabe quien o cuando se construyeron, llegando muchos a ignorar hasta que existe este instrumento en nuestra region.

Desde 1976 comenzamos a pensar la manera de sustituir la gaita gallega por una aragonesa, que fuera copia de la de Juan Mir, siendo imposible encontrar gente dispuesta a hacerlo, nadie quiere intentarlo. Por fin, en 1980, un pastor de Sangarren (Huesca) llamado Clemente Brun, realiza una copia “a mano” de la gaita vieja, marcando por fin la recuperacion del instrumento. Esa gaita fue montada en el odre y presentada en publico en Zaragoza en el mes de Mayo de 1980.

Como en aquella epoca nadie nos habia instruido en la afinacion de los bordones, los bordones sonaban absolutamente desafinados.

Desde 1974, Pedro Mir seguia la pista de una gaita aragonesa que segun le habia contado Anchel Conte, era propiedad del ayuntamiento de Ainsa (Huesca) y que habia sido cedida a unos vascos para su estudio, los cuales la habian llevado a Francia para que un artesano les hiciese copias.

En Agosto de 1980, Pedro Mir conoce a este artesano en Tarbes (Francia), se trata de Marcel Gastellu Etchegorry.

Marcel Gastellu habia heco 6 copias de la gaita de Bestue (Huesca), nos conto que habia pertenecido a Juan Cazcarra (muerto en 1963) y que Juan Antonia Urbeltz y sus equipo de San Sebastian eran los que tenian la gaita.

Marcel Gastellu marca tambien la recuperacion de la gaita aragonesa, y sera al cedernos gratuitamente 4 copias, asesorandonos con conocimientos y bibliografia, el Recuperador de la gaita en Aragon y nuestro “guia”. Todo se lo debemos a el, y desde estas paginas asi lo declaramos.

Volveremos posteriormente all tema de la vieja gaita de Buestue, ya que fue y es todavia hoy, objeto de teorias sin base real.

Luego ya en 1982, poseemos 5 ejemplares funcionando correctamente, hemos aprendido la nocion de afinar los bordones e incluso somos capaces de fabricarnos las canas para el instrumento.

Se necesita para la revitalizacion definitive del instrumento, que desplace las gaitas gallegas de Aragon, y que en la medida de lo posible, vuelva a tener la difusion que tenia a principio de siglo. Faltaba claro esta, alguien que fuese

34
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capaz de construirla en Aragon.

Felizmente, nuestros amigos Mario Gros y Jose Luis Sarrablo del Grupo de Musica Tradicional Biella Nuey, residentes en Zaragonsa, fueron capaces de montar un taller, que en 1986, fabrican una copia de la gaita de Bestue. Desde entonces, muchas cosas han cambiado.

Habia una gran necesidad de gaitas aragonesas por parte de los grupos folk y por parte de los pueblos que querian sustituir la gaita gallega. Para todos ellos les hacia falta una gaita con una escala musical “normalizada”, y Biella Nuey hizo el trabajo, conscientes de que era prioritario el disponer de la mayor cantidad de gaitas posible, para posteriormente con mas tranquilidad acometer el estudio de escalas musicales de los clarines. Hasta la fecha, Biella Nuey lleva construidos mas de 12 ejemplares de gaita del modelo de Bestue (Huesca).

Description del Instrumento y sus Canas

Para la perfecta comprension de lo que aqui viene, les recomendamos vean el dibujo anejo y la tabla de equivalencias.

Tras un profundo analisis, de las viejas gaitas aragonesas encontradas hasta ahora, podemos deducir que existe un modelo unico, del que se hicieron varias versiones, conservando todas una unidad dentro de su variedad (todavia no se han encontrado dos que sean igual les).

La gaita de fuelle aragonesa, consta de:

A) Un odre para reserva de aire (llamado bot, botico, boto, botarron, bocoy etc), siempre de piel de cabra e impermeabilizado con pe para evitar la pérdida de aire a traves de los poros de la piel curitda. Al cuello y patas delanteras del animal, se ataran los “cepos”. La capacidad del odre es de unos 25 litros de aire.

B) Los cepos, que son piezas de madera que van atadas directamente al cuello y patas, su mision es la de acoplar los distintos tubos: el soplador, el clarin (protegiendo a la vez la pita o cana doble del roce con la piel del boto) y los bordones (protegiendo igualmente las canas de estos).

C) Un soplador o tubo para llenar el boto de aire, provisto de una lengueta de cuero, que actua de valvula neumatica, con un hierro que impide su apertura total. A veces esta constituido por un hueso vaciado, pero casi siempre es de madera, forrado de laton, bronce o incluso directamente el tubo de bronce (para que no se deteriore con el uso).

D) Tres tubos sonoros: clarin, bordon y bordoneta, con funcion melodica aquell y pedal estos. El clarin y la bordoneta se disponen en paralelo, en un cepo comun llamado pieza de los clarines. La forma de llevar el bordon es

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Gaita de Fuelle O Cornamusa Aragonesa

pieza de los clarines
bordoneta
    clarín
          regulador del bordón
                   bordón
                                       boto
                                                 cepo
                                                    soplador

clarín bordoneta bordón

Dibujo sacado de Charles Alexandre (ver bibliografía) basado en la gaita de Bestue (Huesca)

generalmente debajo del brazo, correspondiendo a la anatomia del animal y del gaitero.

E) Pita o cana doble-lengueta para el clarin y canas simples para el bordon y la bordoneta. En Bestue (Huesca), se nos has asegurado que Juan Cazcarra llevaba “incheta” o cana doble en la bordoneta, siendo la excepcion al resto de los hallazgos. Hay bordonetas que presentan una perforacion conica y otras en cambio que son pequenos bordones con perforacion cilindrica.

F) Tela estampada y de vivos colores que forra el boto, que al ser un cuerpo de animal (cabrito), da una apariencia de vestido de nina, ya que termina en unos volantes. Algo similar ocurre con la gaita de Sencelles (Mallorca).

G) Piel de serpiente que recubre los tubos sonoros (que nosotros sepamos es la unica gaita del mundo con estas caracteristicas).

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Descripcion pormenorizada

El botico
Se despelleja el animal por la pata trasera derecha y se saca la piel entera por alli, sin necesidad de hacer mas costuras. Despues se curte, se vuelve del reves (con el pelo por dentro) y con este material, se fabrican pellejos, botas de vino etc.

Normalmente el pelo va esquilado, quedando de una largura de 1/2 cm para que alli se agarre mejor la pez, cuya mision es evitar las fungas a traves de los poros, del aire o del vino, segun su uso, quedando asi impermeable.

Todas las gaitas viejas aragonesas llevan el boto impermeahlizado con pez. Nosotros, siguiendo la tradicion, montamos en 1980 la gaita hecha a mano en un boto con pez, y comprobamos:

• que la piel adquiere una rigidez excesiva
• cuando la pez se seca y la gaita esta desinflada, se pega por dentro y para despegarla hay que echar agua caliente dentro o poner el boto largo rato al sol.
• es muy engorrosa la puesta a punto del instrumento.

En la recuperacion del instrumento, hemos sustituido la pez por unas lanolinas que provienen de Escocia, que ademas de tapar los poros, dan una gran flexibilidad a la piel, estando siempre el boto y la gaita listos para tocar.

Los bordones
Estan compuestos de dos piezas, una de ellas va dentro de la otra y su alargamiento o acortamiento modifica la nota continua hasta la afinacion deseada, dentro de los limites de la nota dada por la cana.

Presentan aros de estano para proteger las zonas de deslizamiento y tambien como funcion ornamental, aunque esta ultima, en Aragon es muy sobria. Igualmente, en amplias zonas de Europa se encuentra el mismo fenomeno:

“Los pastores del Alto Isabana, valles de Barrabes, Bohi y Bosia en algunos casos hendian los dibujos (en la talla de la madera) mas que de ordinario para rellenarlos de estano, metiendo el objeto dentro de un trozo de piel o nai·pe arrollado y echando el metal derretido. Esta tecnica de estanado ornamental, ademas de en la Ribagorza y el Pallars, tambien aparece en el Pais Vasco y Portugal, asi como en la Bretana armoricana y en otras comarcas francesas de los Alpes”>(1)

Todos los bordones presentan caja de resonancia; uno de ellos presenta bajo la piel de serpiente un hermoso trabajo pastoril de tallada a cuchillo y decoracion de hexafolias, lineas de puntos etc.

Las bordonetas
La mayoría de ellas son de un tipo determinado, dos piezas con un interior conico, muy dificiles de ajustar y deslizar una dentro de otra debido a la conicidad. Salvo una de ellas, todas las demas presentan caña simple.

Las bordonetas que son como bordones pequenos por su forma a interior suelen contener la otra pieza de una largura tal que la bordoneta casi tiene la largura del clarin.

Los clarines
La mayoría de los encontrados son de muy buena construcion, hechos con torno y largura muy similar. Al ser la parte principal de la gaita y ser faciles de deteriorar (se rajan con bastante facilidad), algunos gaiteros los reforzaban por fuera con aros de alambre, que al ser cubiertos con piel de serpiente, dan una apariencia y tacto muy extrano. Son de interior conico y varian de uno a otro en el numero de oidos o agujeros de resonancia. Siempre llevan pita o caña de doble lengueta.

Maderas usadas
La mayor parte de las gaitas encontradas son de boj, madera que tiene unas propiedades de dureza, brillo, duracion etc. que hace que sea la favorita de los pastores.

El boj solia tenerse hacia unos tonos rojizos, para lo cual se enterraba durante un cierto tiempo en estiercol.

La tela de flores
Sobre la tela de flores que recubre el botico, se han contado muchas historias, tales como que al gaitero de Bestue, Juan Cazcarra se le murio una hija, y que el lleno de dolor, tomo el vestido de ella y vistio la gaita. Lastima que esta bonita historia llena de ternura no sea verdad. Sus descendientes asi lo ratifican.

Igualmente, tenemos fotografias de gaiteros antiguos con estas telas de flores. Seguramente, por no mostrar la desnudez de la piel es costumbre en muchos paises del mundo el vestir la gaita.

La piell de serpiente
Pertenece este instrumento a una epoca en la que el hombre, con un claro sentido magico de la vida, usaba partes de los cuerpos de los animales para construir los instrumentos de musica. La serpiente, totem de mucho pueblos primitivos, refuerza todavia mas el caracter ritual del instrumento y del que lo tocaba.

Ademas de la gaita, existe en Aragon una flauta de tres agujeros llamada “chiflo” (en aragones chiflar es silbar), que tambien va forrada de piel de serpiente.

                                                                                      Chanter 39

Los pastores aragoneses hacen bastones tallados con navaja y el motivo casi generalizado es la serpiente, cayados terminados en una cabeza de serpiente son tambien abundantes (2).

Los antiguos gaiteros de nuestro pueblo, siempre han dicho y creido firmemente, que si in se forraban los tubos de la gaita con piel de serpiente, esta no sonaba bien. No hace falta decir que eso no es cierto.

Hay varias opiniones que tratan de explicar el uso de la piel de serpiente:

a) Para que no se les ocurra tocar la gaita a las mujeres, conocido el asco que sienten por los reptiles. Hay en el fondo una cierta misoginia ancestral, pero no hay que olvidar que la gaita sonaba mayoritariamente en el Dance o lo que es lo mismo, en las danzas rituales de palos y espades que son exclusivamente masculinas.

b) Uso de la piel de serpiente como “capa termica” que evitaria que el instrumento se desafinase. No podemos creer que seamós los unicos del mundo en haber encontrado esta solucion.

c) Uso de la piel de serpiente para evitar fugas de aire que se producian al agrietarse las piezas de madera. Teoria muy logica, util y nada despreciable, puede ser exacta.

d) Nosotros nos inclinamos a pensar en un caracter magico de la serpiente, que podria quedar reflejado en la mudanza de espadas “la culebreta” (la pequeña serpiente) del Dance de Graus (Huesca), donde los “volantes” en zig-zag serpentean a lo largo de la fila de danzantes, imitando claramente los movimientos de la serpiente.

Hay abundancia como as de esperar de alusiones a la serpiente y la brujería, conservandose en el alma del pueblo en forma de supersticion. Nuestro antiguo gaitero Vicente Capitan, cuando fue grabado en magnetofon en 1950, al oirse se echo a correr asustado.

Situacion Actual Del Instrumento

Hoy nos encontramos con unos 6 grupos folk en toda la region, todos ellos llevan gaita aragonesa. En cuanto a los pueblos con grupos de folklore, de ser nuestro pueblo el unico en tener gaita hemos pasado a ser ya 5 pueblos importantes.

Se ha pasado de untaller de construccion en Zaragoza, a tener otro en Sarinena, donde Martin Blecua lleva construidas tres gaitas y pronto Jose Luis Sarrablo pondra en funcionamiento otro taller en Boltana (Huesca).

Mario Gros tiene en Zaragoza un exceso de trabajo, que le impide abarcar

40 Chanter

Clarines de Castejon de Monegros (Huesca), paertenecieron al gaitero Senen Pueyo (muerto en 1954).

Clarines de La Almolda (Zaragoza), pertenecieron al gaitero Cristobal Falceto (muerto en 1953).

Chanter 41

Two axes of iron (figs. 4-6) were found in one of the huts at Vulci, and a socketed axe in a pit near by.

Fig. 4.-Iron axe. Length, 15.5 cm.

Fig. 5.-Iron axe. Length, 17.cm.

Fig. 6.-Iron axe. Length, 21 cm.

Photograph 58. — Column of the “chi” in Holy Cross Church, Segovia.

The so-called Column of the “chi” is found in the church of the Holy Cross, one of the two churches named in the jurisdiction of the Convent of San Juan de Duero.

The column, which has a shape easily recognizable by its circular base and capital and its central smooth quadrangular body, is adorned on two of them with incised designs: on one face a “chi” with two bars which intersect at right angles, and on one of the lateral sides a cross with a bit truncated arms in the style called “batavian” in the international art museums.

The stone has a length of about 1.20 m.

These carved designs are the same as those represented in many rock art painted figures in the territory of Burgos, La Rioja and Soria, generally in the same form: the “chi” or rosette and the “batavian” cross. The importance of this column lies in the artistic and symbolic verification that it provides, proving that these Christian signs were in use among the ancient Christians of the vicinity.

As for the column itself, there are no data to designate the christian date or the period of its works. It is possible that it has dates of the eleventh century, since this type of ornamentation is known in some architectural elements from that time. But it could belong to a later period, up to the fourteenth or fifteenth century.

This must be taken into account in studies of medieval art and also in the study of our ancient Christian beliefs.

Gaita de Boto (Morón de Almazán)

A couple of years ago I wrote about the revival of the Minstrels’ Court in Chester, a tra- dition where all the entertainers of the county would gather at Midsummer to obtain their licences in memory of the day when the musicians stormed a Welsh castle and saved the Earl of Chester. We’ve managed to keep the annual gathering happening and it goes from strength to strength. As this year’s event had a lot more bagpiping involved I thought I should write a little update.

In the lead up to the event I had arranged two days of workshops in a local school working with 5 classes to explore the Minstrels’ Court tradition through storytelling, roleplay, music and dance and also give a chance to introduce them to some of the in- struments known in medieval Cheshire, especially bagpipes. It was really rewarding to overhear some of the 10 year-old lads chatting in the playground as I packed things into the car at the end of the second day. One said, “There’s that bagpipe man.” Another replied, “Bagpipes are pretty cool actually.” “Yeah, they’re awesome” they agreed.

Then came the event itself, which we are lucky to hold in its original and authen- tic location of the church of St John the Baptist in Chester. The day comprises of per- formances of music, storytelling and mummers’ plays with the chance for visitors to have a try for themselves. This year I had arranged to run a few beginners’ bagpipe workshops during the day and was very grateful to Ian Clabburn for the loan of four sets of G pipes for this purpose. The workshops were a great success, with everyone manag- ing to get drone and chanter sounding evenly and some managing to play simple tunes. Perhaps a greater measure of the success of this is that at least two of the participants are now looking to order their own sets of pipes.

Another new addition to the pro-

gramme this year was to have a procession of minstrels through the streets of Chester along part of the origi- nal route used in me- dieval times. We’d chosen to play a me- dieval pilgrim’s pro- cessional tune – Dum Pater Familias – for the duration of the parade, which gave plenty of time to really get ourselves into a hypnotic trance state with the music. This experience was a real highlight for me, especially the change in sounds echoing back to us as we moved between different settings, from busy streets to within the Roman amphitheatre and then most strikingly from outdoors to inside the church. After processing through the church to the high altar, all minstrels then received their licences to perform.

We took a photo opportunity to recreate a record of an early 15th century payment “to 2 Pypers on Midsomer Eve before the Gyants 00- 02-00” although we had several more musicians this time so the two shillings didn’t go very far between us.

The afternoon continued with much shared music and dancing thanks to the many musicians who had travelled from far and wide to take part in the event. Next year promises to be bigger and better, with even more bagpiping.

The date has now been set - Saturday 16th June 2012 - do come along and join in the fun.

This edition is from our archives, so it is presented as scanned pages rather than text.

You may need to scroll to find the article you’re looking for.

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.

We continue to extract members from all around the world — great stuff! But why are you a tiny short letting us know about piping in your countries (tell us honestly, exceptions in this issue’s Letters column)? Please write. Don’t worry if your English isn’t too good; we probably put it right. If you like, write in French or Spanish (for instance). We’re supposed by international organisations on why not give us something to print in your own language? And perhaps we might want to transliterate and print it in English as well. Doesn’t have to be a full scale article — anything would be nice. A signal nowhere will do. Tell us about the state of piping in your country. What’s the revival like? How healthy is the local tradition? What’s known about older forms of bagpipe in your country that haven’t died out? What’s the weather like? The world thirsts for knowledge (well I do anyway) — so write about it.

Roy Sloan of N. Hastings writes to say that on pre-print Geordie languishing in Hastings he would be pleased to hear from other pipers in the area. He would also be happy to teach Northumbrian 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 can only undertake repairs at the moment.

Still losing members in the cessation of the Membership List. No time it’s £11 Crofman who has, according to the Post Office, “Being Away”. Any of you Crofmans reading? Where where he’s gone? Ohmigawd! Roy’s bagpiping to all you CAS? And when the Phantom Piper appears, has found with them, what letter will he start on next? Meanwhile, what sort of you remain under C. lost your door and windows next time you get the old pipes out for a practice — even New Zealand’s not too far away to except the cluthes.

Couple of juicy records we hear of: Hamish Moore’s “Open Friday” (Sablet) on 7-CH01 is currently getting airtime on Folk on two and BBC History 1900 - 2030. Hamish features lots of great musicians on this disc such as Nigel Eaton on hurdy-gurdy.

I hear Ian Sloan reported up hear of (via Julian Goodacre) that Italian piper and nifty bracis of Moses playing on it, well he would say that wouldn’t he? There of course is why Ian Sloan has not made it to many pipes, as many think, but one may be interested in news it was because one of their number had an argument with a tree while doing a bit of lumberjacking: the tree won.

Ian Smith would like it to be known that, due still health, he is winding up his just under cases selling business, but please don’t mind if you have an order in the pipeline Ian will be fulfilling all existing orders first.

Couple of important changes for you to note in your File: your Geordie Bagpipe Society position out open — only sixty quid!! Your Hon. Treasurer has grabbed the money and run all the way to Dollar . . . (with Vic and Drolin’s blessing, anyway).

The letter columns is a grave Society Editor who, faced in sultan idea of how to get out of his job, has indeed for every 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 dives of the country, we are pleased to report that she has at last broken 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 virtuosic 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, is there anyone else who would be willing to host/organise some sort of rural or 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, but, who keeps 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 29th, 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 eagerly-read 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 Moutlarch 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 I’ve 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

square when there will be Morris dancing around the Town with White Rose Morris, Queen Esther, Jenny and Simon Mon — ‘dancing will finish in the Square at 1.30. Don’t worry if you arrive late—just fetch out for the bells and the pipes to find where everyone is. And bring your instruments, for from 12 noon onwards (says there all afternoon) there will be sessions at the Bowling Green and ‘The Talbot’. Also at noon there will be a craft fair at Norwich Civic Hall. From 3 till 5 there will be workshops at the Methodist Church Hall (Folk Cent.) with demonstrations and discussion, on a variety of pipes and styles with Bob White, Anne Cross, Jean Pierre Rasle, Ann Seymore, Masiah Moore, Dave Shaw and Peter Stacey. This is all absolutely FREE to members (quid to non-members).

Don’t forget—Somewhere in the midst of all this festivity we shall be appearing in an (all day—ringing!) But the actual timing you will have little oddity how that we have only allowed an hour for it to shift by time for the service wondering (and we have made more hot air than anyone last year). Having said that, there is a bit of free time between acts in case any pressing urgent items crop up (ho-hum). Food, side stalls and odd (?) 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 Whitehall’s just as the AGM is getting really exciting, we’ve allowed an hour or two (the acting for you to partake of some excellent wholefood grub of sensible prices - also all the Full Centre).

By now, in fonding anticipation, you will all have mentally lost your seats for the last item of the day: Tar-raah — The Grand Concert from 6 till 10, featuring (in order of appearance) Dave Shaw, Ann Seymore, Masiah Moore and Jean-Pierre Rasle & Peter Stacey. Once again, what will be entirely FREE to members (3 quid to non-members).

Bob Criss, to whom we are indebted for organising all this, can arrange a certain amount of accommodation. But you must contact him quickly (unless you want to end up sleeping under the town bridge. You can contact Bob on 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 are some who won’t go then?) 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 list is now being coordinated by DM member Bob Aston (that’s the one from Crosley; 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 two of these at the moment). Ross has a pretty hefty collection of bagpipe 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. Recognise 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 SH, 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 (via Membership List update) or the London College of Furniture (Old address).

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 pointer 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 bots 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 all of work, just ‘corral’ and get others to do it. Quite a lot of you ticked the ‘willling to help’ boxes on the Membership Form; now’s your chance to help, either at a national (international?) or local level. The ‘sort of things we’re thinking about are organisation concerts, busking, sponsoring piping, things for sale etc. At least, those are the sort of things we have thought of so far. Even if you’re not willing to take on the job 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. Godalton (Coventry, I’ve forgotten which one?)

“Le premier numero de Chanter, le journal du “Bagpipe Society” d’Angleterre est, pour Octobre (60 pages concues aux cornemuses, c’est un omest> pour les sauveteurs anglais. Au sommaire du No. 1 interview du floboiata, commentaire reparer les cornemuses, Westernshire small pipes, partitions et copies de stripes, 104 cornemuses italiennes et une étude de repertoire possible pour la cornemuse du sud de l’Angleterre, instrument disparu depuis plusieurs siècles, mais qui jouit d’un regain d’interet 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 theirs 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 swelling 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 out of earshot”

Oh well, at least it’s something when the press actually admit that pipers so turn up. ‘sbetter than being told to move out of the c, 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 picture (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?

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 in 1960, Julius Pilling visited and duly laid Barrowford who said he father had played the bagpipe when wickd if he was Scottish, he replied “No, celically not, he played the Union Pipe,” What sort of tunes did he play? “Hinyes,” 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 I look at “Yates Dictionary in the following voluy 4: “Indelible”. A sin who plays the Union Pipes is called a tweedler.” To receive as only in this book shows how popular the pipes have been. Of all pipes, however, none have been as cherished 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 Skip, nearby, on the estate of Lord Dundas. He was apprenticed as a wheelsmith to John Alcull of Richmond, but by the age of 26 he had left that trade and became an incident hardened artisan and knife grinder based on Whalcliffe Mill about a mile West of Richmond. His travels took him all over the North and West Riding and it appears he was very poorly paid given his work, but also for the stories he told, the songs he sang, and the conjuring tricks he performed. Country persons appear to have been his principal fans, rather oddly perhaps since he was a musical Catholic, ever eager to put forward his own views.

Billy’s obituary I does not say when he heard to play the pipes but dates other evidence to put forward it is probable that he was taught while living in the Richmond area, since by one of his own family, or by a friend during his youth. The fact mention of his piping comes in 1886 when Dr. J. H. Dixon wrote of a ballad called “The Gerald Gace” that he collected from Billy. “We first heard it sung in Malhamdale, Yorkshire, by Billy Bolton, an old Dales 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-coles” was “ay getting Malhamdale and the fine dale Gordale and another one the clear slipping source of the Aire and there by night the famous glenander ja The Cove, with pips and chanter playing which fell pick, and this in the grand and romantic styles of Craven was spent many of the happiest days of the old Dales Minstrel."

“When press of hours began to tell upon the old grinder, the machine slackened its revolutions, the fingers became less active on the pipes and the song would rarely be continued because when it was about this time that the old minstrel had the misfortune to with the little handle of Hilton East, where, after having done certain work for the collages and farmers and the chief magistrate of that place, he unfortunately felt his pipes with the magicians’ charms who promised he old minstrel that the voice of care alone should be taken off them until his return on the following day. Gebri, however, was the old man’s grief, when, on his return, the pipes, which he valued at three pounds, were smashed, burst, and entirely spoilt. However, after a household or family council, in which the old minstrel had the first time in his life made threats of law, the 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 through repairs, but failing to do so, ultimately had the pipe fond fair fillings.”

I would put the above event as happening in about 1870, since Billy eventually settled down in retirement in the village of Barnsill, in Whalcliffe, 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 Barrowford, near Leyburn, had befriended him, 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 Barnsill 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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REFERENCES

• Brierley B. “Abc of ‘Yates Dictionary” Craven Pioneer, 12th September 1884
• 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.

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 an great, 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 *” repaired, tourist and surely polished." Also when the York pipes were made Billy was over 50 years of age, an old man for these 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 ringing in Yorlksire during the last hundred years.

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 belongings to Paul 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 course) but has a few secondhand sets in the process of restoration, mostly a set of Irish pipes and a set of smallpipes if anyone is interested.

Calfskin Bodhran and beater. As new. £20. Duncan Ross.

Still for Sale: Dulcibro (Dollcimer/Dulcifo) by Homer Ledford of Kentucky. As there are no takers yet for this superb example of rug Dulcimer maker’s art, I am forced to drop the price to a final £1000. 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 new start on typesetting, I am extremely grateful to Val for her help and well with the job (you may still notify changes directly to the keeper of the Society’s bits, Don Ward, if you prefer, for loan to put straight onto his tame 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 tasd earlier, he is in the throes of moving house

page 8 page 9

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 with leaves little or no project work at this. Any philanthropists among you? In the meantime, he would still love 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 we would, wouldn’t we?), our main aim being to provide lots of good quality publications (recently, 1 of net always printing wise). 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 no, you’re wrong – at least I hope so. . . one more. 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 trifle out of present for us though – if everyone paid up promptly! If 15/- then old news about careful . . Even as I write I’m not sure we can afford the paper and mail, but this newsletter – because so many of you haven’t renewed who should have done so in the summer (with apologies to those who have paid up promptly).

We hate having to moan like this, particularly when so many of you of the offenders have done so much good work for the Society in other ways, but we simply can’t go on without money. So what have you of objects have you magic piece, please take note of this typed little behind-the-block “notices” at the time they’re printed (aren’t these the same corner?), first the once per used magazine Society.

Unfortunately, although we hope to keep going static, minimal hope got to go by. We just didn’t anticipate the rise in publications being so strict and heavy when we put the rate and aimed is almost expensive! The good news (for some) is that it would appear that surface mail from everywhere but the Far East and Oz/ NZ is pretty well as quiet as air mail I think: at 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 Uniform, Bagpipes, Baggage Repairs, Drums, Band Accessories, Shortbread, Concert tickets, Trophies, etc, Books, Jewellery Gifts.

The other big problem at this moment, is the date of renewals. Like all bodies, we tried to make it so that everyone renewed at the same after joining: it was ain’t that easy! Everyone we’ve got to was due a subs for every period of renewal. This means that subs will be shortchanged while others get out a bit of that for nothing. These just doesn’t show to be any other way. The present proposal (for the AGM) 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 members.

MEET YOUR MAKER

People often ask me where they can get French pipes. Well this issue features a maker of all sorts of fine French bagpipes, Dominique Butruille 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 at 11900F; a Bulgarian Kaba Gajda (that’s the deep one!) at 3500F in blackwood or 3700F in blackwood; Swedish pipes in fruitwood at 2500F; and Southdown student pipes (14 or 16 pouces) in fruitwood at 2700F.

But he is best known (for his traditional French pipes, the southdowns Bourdonnais/Berrichann pipes come in two sizes 14 pouces (A/D/E) and 16 pouces (Sol/Do; G/C) in fruitwood or blackwood with mounts of pewter or bone with prices ranging from 4900F to 8000F 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 tone would not go amiss; while we’re all sadly going metric, the French cling invented it all, still use the inch (le pouce) to describe their pipes! So a 14 pouces bagpipe has a 14 inch chanter. This is obviously just convention and I’m not sure whose thumb they used to arrive at the inch – it probably doesn’t correspond exactly to our imperial inch anyway. In convention, the 14 pouces pipes are pitched in B-Upper D – Three finger giving the proper keynote for French pipes – but they usually quote it C-G-finger notes as well (firsts). 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 Bourdonnais/Berrichon pipes has a 14 inch chanter (approximately), the third finger (3-finger/3-finger), otherwise known as A/D. Drones are always tuned to the 6-finger note and/or small pipes (Setti). To continue:

In addition to the smaller southdowns Bourdonnais pipes Dominique also makes the Grande Correnoise and Nivernais & Bourbonnais – all with the smaller pipes from the region. They have two drones but are only available only in fruitwood with mounts of pewter or horn. They come in three sizes: 20 pouces (Re/Sol; D#G); 22 pouces, (Do/Fa; C/F); and 24 pouces (Re/ Mi/ BVF) – to complicate matters further, this latter …

5-reopen (in French) as a 5/4 pitch. Prices range from 6200F to 7500F depending on size.
And so on to the bellows-blown. The Musette dechonnet is well-known in lovers of French bagpipes. Unlike most French pipes, it alone is name from its inventor, not a region. Rene dechonnet (Dechonnet converted these pipes towards the end of the last century and they were entirely played through the central region of France during and after his lifetime. A number of makers, including Dominic Bourg, continue the tradition with pipes modeled after the style of the old master. Dechonnet’s are in full wood or bell-tawed with bone mounts. The pipes may be ordered with the most nearly French or southern of 4 tenor drops in parallel with the chanter one octave below its 6-finger note plus a bass drone one octave below that; alternatively, dechonnet pipes can be had with two tenor and two bass accompanied by a small treble drone, pipe in the chanter/tenor drone (trotier), which is tuned in unison with the “limier” note. This tiny drone gives an unexpected lift to the sound of the pipes. It is brought into play. The dechonnet pipes are available in A mance (>4,292 hrl) and 16 pounces (501/Dc) or in B flat, corning to 50 or to 1500F depending on size and material.
Dominc Bourg makes 14 pieces (La/Rg A/D) bellows-blown musettes. Premiums will turn drones made entirely from boxwood for 5600F. No bagpipe not very well known outside its native Brittany is the Veeuze. It is a larger bagpipe than the better known Breton Binioù, being more akin in style and sound to the Gaitas of northern Spain and Portugal. Dominiqne differs the Yeeuze with one or two drones in Do (C) and La (A) or fours; three or beazart 2700F.
In addition to bagpipes, M. Bouge also makes excellent oboes from 1350F, musettes (a small oboe in G) from 1300F and serpents in C from 1900F.
Most of his pipes have around a 6 to 8 month waiting period which can months to a year for most of William. All instruments come fully correct and playing when are available upon request. A 50% deposit is required. He also paysable before delivery.
Contact: Denis Bouge

BANSPIPE FESTIVAL, PRESTON HALL MUSEUM, STOCKTON by Dave McQuade

This event, held on the August bank holiday, turned out to be surprising successful and approximately 7,500 visitors to the museum entertained by members of the Society and other local folk dancers and musicians. I was surprisingly as I think it is true to say that the Society and the Museum administration did not quite get their act together. Problems with organisation meant that we did not twist people’s arms so badly, so we should have done and contacting folk during the holiday period proved exceptionally difficult. In fact, we were not very precisely who was going to turn up until the actual weekend itself.
As you can imagine, cold problems made proper advertising almost impossible and the curator decided to relay safe by cutting the original programme. Apologies to those who were squeezed out at the last minute, or traded up providing a very informal concert to the visitors by playing in a crumpet outside Victoria Street within the museum on Sunday and Monday afternoons. To add to the atmosphere, most of the performers were presented twists provided on traditional dress. although this made page 12

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 hotels, and this to me has the highlight of the weekend. It was quite an experience to hear Maisie Moor and Jean Pierre Basle fully ensemble really heartwarming when Jon Swayne 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 participants. Again, it was a pity that advertising was so sparse as a lot of local pipers would have appreciated this.
Throughout the weekend, piping was provided by Peter Stev and Jean-Pierre Basle, Hamish Moore, Jon Swayne, the Goudarce Tetral, James Merryweather, Colin Ross, Malachi Simon, Judy Rockcliffe, Joe Flin and Mary Cannon. Folk groups featuring pipes were Northern Irish Folk , 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 themselves. One certainly must have done - he sent his cheque back cancelled!

THE SOCIETY OF IRISH PIPERS - NA PIOBAIRI UILLEANN

As promised in an earlier Newsletter, we are continuing with our feature on other piping societies with Na Piobairi Uilleann.
The society caters for Uilleann pipers and was founded in 1968; from modest beginnings, it now boasts a worldwide membership of 400 with active clubs in London, Sheffield, Paris, Holland, Toronto, Francisco and Seattle with many members in continental Europe, America and New Zealand. The majority of members, as may be expected, now live in Ireland with many in the Dublin area where tuition is given weekly basis at the Society’s membership. Sheet music stores are free to all and encompasses 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 piping classes and workshops, thus reaching members outside Dublin and also cooperates with pipers in England and further afield in conduct similar functions abroad. The most important event on the calendar is the annual Willie Clancy Summer School at Miltown Malbay. Co Clare in July. Na Piobairi Uilleann runs the piping section of the school, providing teachers, organising the classes, selling piping concert, daily recitals by competent players for students, and exhibition of pipes and piping.
The growth in the number of members of Uilleann piping throughout the world since the foundation of the society is a reflection of the increased interest in Irish piping being translated into a demand for pipe, this increased interest is also in large part to the singular work of Na Piobairi Uilleann in protecting the playing and making of pipes.
Contact: Na Piobairi Uilleann, page 13

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 setting up a well-funded enquiry.

The disaster to which I refer occurred at the Blowzabella weekend 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 accident as unforeseeable—an Act of God—but I believe it was deliberate. 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 organisers 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 throng of molecular bombardment they receive from the hideous buzzing of several hundred hurdy-gurdies. During the last twelve months a portion of one of the towers collapsed and some segments of a parapet became so unsafe that they had to be removed. Portions of the outbuilding are now little more than ruins.

In the village square where much music and dancing takes place from midnight to sunrise the organisers 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 beg all hurdy-gurdy players to be very sparing in their use of the trumpets and to take all sensible precautions.

Aside from the collapsing Bar Disaster the Blowzabella weekend was extremely enjoyable. Much praise must go to Paul James for programming 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: ‘THANK YOU FOR NOT SNORING’

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

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 informant 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 removed 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 polythene bags.

I 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 ‘tin’ jokes, an examination of Chaucer and Julian’s catalogue will reveal all.

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

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FESTIVAL OF EUROPEAN PIPING IN EDINBURGH by John Gardacre

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 wind’ 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 Monckton Hill 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 swing’ played by his group the Easy Club at their concert. They were not the only ones to be playing this jaunty piping ‘jazz’. The Easy Club Reel. In another direction Mark Duff, who plays recorder and whistles in the young group Capercaillie, 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 fellows pipers. 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 precise comment 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 Northumbrian pipes 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 haronny 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, Makirag, 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 between returning home. The central French tradition was represented by Andre Kierus, the virtuoso cabrette player from the Auvergne, accompanied on diatonic accordion by Jacques Laveigne. Arresting Spanish music was contributed by Los Raperigos, a group from Galicia who play gaita, 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 planned 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 reported an hopes for the future of ‘breaking down the barriers’ between lowland and 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 pipers playing in Ireland. He prefers jigs and reels to hornpipes, which are ‘more European than Irish’ and have ’no sadness’.

Xan Silver, with Los Raperigos, gave an expert introduction and demonstration of their music, starting from simple percussion instruments and the gaita as a solo instrument and concluding with ‘composed’ music and ‘classical arrangements’, sometimes using three gaitas in harmony.

The principal theme for the piping festival was stated by Hugh Cheape in his talk ‘The European Roots of Scottish Piping’, illustrated with diagrams (instead of the musical examples) in the other talks. He is assistant 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 pipes to 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 confirm the pattern: the development of the Scottish pipes must be accounted a nineteenth century movement, part of the re-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 pipers’ societies. Now it is hoped that EEC support can be obtained via the EEC Cultural Co-operation Committee likewise. Much has been achieved by the Festival Administrator, Marian Ramsay, under the ofbeat festival directorship of Robin Morton and with the enthusiastic help of the others. What is needed is a presiding genius to pursue energetically the ideas that have been thrown around so far. Marsh 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 continue 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 Owers
XORIMA–KORIMA Edigal Bell 70007
This is the first, and only record, by this young Galician group Korima, 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 to good use, without a continuous evolutionary process, any culture becomes fossilized and its practitioners risk becoming intolerant of differing philosophies or traditions which consequent disastrous results at either personal or national level. (End of digression.)

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

The band features two gaitas, bombards, recorders, bozouk, 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 bombard 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 Korima’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 panderiada (named after the dance named after the drum – the pandeiro – used to provide the rythms which motors along very smartly with the two gaitas taking the main part. Following this, the second part is the well-known Up of Slurs 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 re-appearance 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 Collatt’s or if not by mail order (along with all other Galician and other Spanish records) from ARPAFOLK,
S.O.

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 folkore festival in Bulgaria for something less than a bargain price (23688+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 Bulgoraphil 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, queuing 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 Gajdi 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 Gajda 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.

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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 bagpipes 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 Galias), 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 in to the Celtic fold, and now their neighbours and fellow Gaelters, 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 Brown from Pencerdd 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 Elsftedfa-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 chackling 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!

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Cherchez l’intrus…

[Image: Surprise pour les festivaliers assemblés samedi après-midi, sous le chapiteau des arts : un jour de gaîté figurait au nombre des musiciens de groupe gaëlls]

Pencerdé, « La goIte, m’a-t-il expliqué, ressemble à la cornemuse gaëllole au Moyen Age. » (?)

Having settled into the routine fairly quickly, certain things became obvious. Primarily among these was the enthusiasm of the Lorient and Vittelng 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, Armegüi, 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 Lian de Cubel, who featured an excellent gaitero. Not to everyone’s taste were the Gallican 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.

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 Slabh and Tamalin. Unfortunately I missed seeing Davy Spillane, who I think was performing solo and also missed hearing Calticants, who are an Italian band using the ‘bags’ (the North Indian pipe resurrected by Massimo Fumagalli) 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 to a bagpipe mountain stacked up while their owners partook of the excellent food. On several occasions I was transfixed by a pile of Antonio Corral gaitas twenty or thirty deep (the Man himself ran 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 them 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-Bihoué. Pride of place (I this time went to the Frenchmen marching band of two flatau, 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 turned passes behind us was playing (2 gaitas vs. 20 pipes, 20 bombarders and 8 drums) our only embarrassment was the lack of a national costume. Alex Evans’ suggestion that we went naked painted with blood was not put into practise since it was a chill morning and none of the shops sold woad.

I love the sound of a massed palta marching band, and the Gallican costumes were the most elegant on display, especially those of the men. The Asturian seem less lamboyant, both in costumes and music, although not without charm of their own. They do not go to for large groups of pipers (a dozen or so at the must) and marching is made most uncomfortable due to their amazing three-pronged clogs. The Asturian pipes are outwardly the same as Gallican 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 Galician drones. However, they employ exclusively closed fingering as opposed to the Gallican open or semi-closed and the tunes use overblowing 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 stratum 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 bolts… 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 tuned 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 hale’s pipes appears to be attached by binding 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 a glance to be very modern and anachronisms appear to abound, what with the tune, the pipes and details from the illustration. Accuracy or concentration?

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 bagpipe.

In Switzerland there are two Pipebands: one in Basle and one in Zürich. 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 in 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 country 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 from or 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.

East Wiches
Markus Schermer.

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 Capercaillie 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/e?

Agitely Yours,
Uncle P.

Have you heard about the amazing young Northumbrian piper Paul Higgs (hope I’ve got the name right) who has been shopping for Kathryn Tickell? Now this one really is young, Peter; I believe he’s about 12 (correct me if I’m wrong Don Bender). Apparently he’s good enough to study musicians 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 Spirus 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 ??pcvfjpa Society Newsletter 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 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 Romanisms 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 4 finger notes 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 ‘Tulumb’.

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 was bad 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. We contact address can be found in the newsletter 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 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-longes 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!

Ulliean 1 Eugene Lamb 4 set (small drone down side of chanter 2 David Quinn (not in boxwood) 3 Pat McNulty practice set 4 Pete Riley set in maple (made in Maine, USA) 5 David Quinn Bflat 4 set (Original 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 D. 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 (footjoint?) - 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 Greensit 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 Gaita 2 drones, blackwood, in C (made by Veuze malers in Brittany) 3 Swedish Saxpipa 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

Page 29

Dear Bagpipe Society
I thought you might like to publish Dr Baino’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 (or 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 slipcover for the mouth-piece would be necessary 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). gaida, 2 bands
Bulgaria Unesco Coll. Univeral. 76, 10” gajda, 1 band

Argo ZRG 562, 2945, 2 bands
Chant du Monde LD-M8313a. 101, gajda trio arranged

Czecho: Supraphon SP 20377; “V” (contained in V. longó’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, dudý, many bands
  Rescho HV 72253, 45. 7” (contained in music book by König)

England: Northumbrian: Unesco Coll. Univ. 78 10” (no artist named)
Topic 12t283: ‘Holey Ha’ penny’ Clough & others.

Estonia; Unesco Coll.Univ. 78 10” (no.19 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 WL 5334, (IKFC Pampolona festival) cabreta, 1 band
Brittany - no old 78 not yet listed, with old biniou.
Germany Colos.SM 3014. Uppere Palatinata (Eichensoer 1975 collection)
Greece SDNM 110. Chios tsabouna, 2 bands
Fan Vox BIGA 1357) 10143. (Songs etc from Pontous) tulum, recorded in Greece.
Hungary Hung. Acad of Sciences. Quallton LPX 1187 (IMFC ‘64). 1 band

Ireland: Unesco Coll Univ 78 10” union pipes; no name, 1 band.
Westminster ‘Als above, France) R.Ragh. 1 band.
HWV DLP 1143 ’K Recorded in Scotland 1 band
HWV CLP 1327 (Kennedy), McPeaks, 2 bands.
HWV L.M.498 78 10" Rowzona (all)
Decca W.4009,4046,4332 76 10” Walsh (3 records)
Italy: Col.KL-5137, Latium, Molise (unusual) 2 bands. Also Sicilian.
Col. KL-5174 zampogna, 3 bands.
Col D.Q. 426. 78 10” Zampognari
Homecord A-6366, 78 10” ………….
Sicilly: Odeon GO 17874, 78 10”, Cormamusa.
Col.D.Q. 553
Portugal Request SRLP 0089, galateros, 2 bands
Rumania Electrecord EPD 78, 10”, cimpoi
Topic 10T12 10”, …………..
Antalogia muz.porp romin.5. 10”, cimpoi
Scotland Coll.DB115 S. Pipe-maJ, Forsyth, 78 10"
Westminster (San France). sword dance

Spain Col. KL-216. Gallicas, 1 band
Yugos. Col. KL-217. Five bands, different types
Jugotorn Ethnophilia. 78 10” mih.
Vegner Verlag. Lieder der Welt VIII, diple? 1 band
Unesco coll. univ. 78 10" Macedonia, gajda
Radiotel Beograd LPV 175 Tanset’ gajda.

Yours sincerely, Anthony Baines, Faculty of Music. …[redacted] Oxford
Nov. 1977

What a treasure trove this little lot is! Unfortunately, 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.

Page 31

DEAR UNCLE OCTAVIUS

PIPERS’ PROBLEM PAGE

Double Trouble.
I have a strange effect in the common drone stock of my E.M.S. Praetorius bagpipes. It is 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 usually) with a bassoon reed. I suspect incorrectly placed or sized finger holes. The trouble is 4 of 5th holes and 8 (5th hole) numbered from the bottom, which play almost one semi-tone sharp. I’ve been playing these for nearly thirty 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 (G & C no longer makes them). If any of your members 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.
Al Saguto,
First of all, let me say that I am only glancingly familiar with the E.H.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 tile type used on Border or Loth 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 compressor/compression 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, by contrast 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 a stiffer reed is less 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.

As to the second problem, even Uncle Octavius (inds 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 acquired a set of “ullan HoofdraHESTEeetanshirane saal l pipes, 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-tek for plugging up the end of the drone, couple with the fact that Mr. Goddill has rather inconsistently 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 failing 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 consided 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 (gaddit?) with us. As for surgical separation, I think this suggestion smacks no a little of panic every. 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 them 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.

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, Shadwell

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, in fact, 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 uninitiated. The aspirant must purify the dense matter of his being before he can bear the intensity of the vibrations 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 uplifting; 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, the 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 pouting 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 portent 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 GOODGORE

JACK MY HEDGEHOG by Dirk Campbell

A farmer whose wife had been childless for many years wished eventually 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 hogpie from the market, having received this gift, he went to the smith to have the hoops took about, 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 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, but the cock crowed 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 flying over the walls 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 usual way, but after a few miles he stopped. Tears of all her life crowded her all over with his bristles and sent the poor girl home in disgrace.

Page 35

The Pastoral Pipes

Very little appears to have been written about the pastoral pipes. We do know that a year after Culloden a tutor appeared published in London by Geoghegan. Some suggest that this was a Scottish version of the Irish pipes but I think that in fact it is the other way around. It is possible that after the first Jacobite uprising in 1715 someone realised the effect that warpipes had on the enemy or it may have been that a pipemaker who required something more refined started work on this new set.

Geoghegan shows in his tutor fingering for ornaments already familiar to the Scottish piper, birls and grips and the like. He also gives the range of this instrument two octaves from ‘d’ in D major (A4 15) bearing out his statement that: “It is able to perform the same number of notes with the flute or hautboy”. This instrument also had a detachable foot joint usually half the length of the chanter again with two tone holes in Scottish style. One of the difficulties with the historical analysis of the instrument is the fact that many early makers did not put a name to their instrument.

A drawing by Hogarth in 1728 “The Beggars Opera Burlesqued” shows a piper standing whilst playing the pipes. He does not appear to be playing them by blowing into the bag so I presume the bellows are hidden. The bag is tucked in underneath an arm and the drones and one regulator issue from a common stock. This could well be the pastoral pipe which Geoghegan wrote his tutor for. It would be pointless to write a tutor for an unpopular instrument so they must have been common for some time previous to the tutor. According to Rod Cannon (Galpin Society Journal 1989) Hogarth must have seen one somewhere shortly before making the drawing. The instrument is also described by Gehot in his treatese on “The Theory and Practice of Music” (1784) as the pastoral or new pipes. Cocks (1954) attributes the pastoral pipes to a Scottish adaptation of the union (or Irish or Uilleann) pipes in his entry for Groves under bagpipes but I think most people would now refute this.

Few people were known as makers as few signed their work. This was possibly because if the new pipes did not gain popularity they could not be denegrated for making them! According to a popular belief Reid from Tyneside, a maker of Northumbrian and later Uilleann pipes, was a maker of pastoral pipes. He is supposed to have done a fair amount of research. There is extant in Scotland a set of these pastoral pipes without a makers name dated by an authority on pipes as about 1710. This has a detachable foot-joint and plays e^b with the foot-joint taken off and the chanter placed upon the knee. Possibly Reid and others altered the drones to d’d and D. By about 1730 they were appearing with three drones. The foot joint is supposed to provide the chanter with a length of air which when the bag is squeezed harder aids the chanter to jump up to the next register. A maker of Northumbrian half-long pipes had a bell joint which came off and when he tried using modern Irish piping fingering, found he could get nearly two octaves with the chanter placed

Chanter 19

upon the knee. Some pastoral pipes are said to be more in tune when played Irish-style. The foot joints on extant pastoral pipes seems to be half the length of the chanter without foot joint. An interesting observation to note is the morphology of the last two inches of many Irish pipe chanters. They have a noticeable bulge and a brass ferrule on the bottom.

This could well be the tenon of a new pastoral pipes preserved in the external features of the pipe known now as the Irish pipe, Uilleann pipe, organ pipe or union pipe. I prefer to call it the Irish or Uilleann pipes.

![An Irish warpiper with bagpipes]

An Irish warpiper

20 Chanter

The Irish Pipes

Bagpipes in Ireland have without doubt a long and varied history. Before what is now the Irish pipe there was an older bagpipe called the great pipe or Piob Mhor in Gaelic.

Some sources give the earliest documentary evidence of Piob Mhor as occurring in the Brehon laws of the fifth century. O’Curry mentions a reference to them in the Trinity College Library, Dublin. It contains a list of fines payable to lower grade professionals for insults or bodily injury and concludes:

“These are base, that is inferior professionals and entitled to the same level of fine as Pipairedha or pipers and Cuisleannach or pipe blowers.”

This makes the distinction between bagpipers and flute players. In the 11th century a poem about the fair of Carmen mentions the pipes in the sixty-third stanza. It was noted that the pipers were used from early times in many varied roles. They played for cattle raids, dances, weddings, fairs, battles and other social gatherings including funerals where they were used to great effect.

The Irish pipes were, much as with their cousins the Scottish pipes, a martial instrument with connotations of war for the players. Many had a brush with the clergy or the law.

One story told today talks about a chap playing on the pipes on a Sunday morning just before mass. The priest on his way to mass stops the piper and shouts at him saying “You should be ashamed of yourself playing instead of going inside to mass, don’t you know the Ten Commandments?” “I’m not sure” said the piper “Would you care to hum the first part, I’m no good at remembering the names of tunes?”.

The Statutes of Kilkenny were another time of persecution for the art of piping. A law in 1367, the work of Edward the Third, stated that there would be imprisonment for Irish pipers or minstrels or whosoever helps them.

In 1475 Irish mercenaries complete with their pipers accompanied the Kings Crown soldiers to Calais. Kerns and their pipers fought for whoever would pay them and throughout the fifteenth and sixteenth century there are many references. They fought in Belgium in 1513, Boulogne 1544, and were seen in London in 1544 and 1566. Derricks images of Ireland shows a piper playing in front of a group of kearns. The picture, while showing a piper with a bag, should not be taken too literally, but it does show the pipes in historical perspective.

Galilei in his ‘Dialogue’ published in 1581 offers a good description of the role of a piper in Ireland at the time:

“To its sound, this unconquered fierce and warlike people march their

armies and encourage one another to feats of valour with it. Also they accompany their dead to the grave, making such mourneful sounds as almost to force the bystander to weep.”

The original pipes probably had a single drone of some description and by the 16th century development two. As described in “De Rebus in Hibernia Getis” there were two drones as well as the blowpipe and chanter (cf O’Neill, Musicians and Minstrels). There are numerous mentions of this pipe in the 15th century and there must have been much cross fertilisation of ideas between Scottish and Irish pipers for the McCrimmonds to travel between the two. Flood has suggested that there is a reference to Irish pipes in Shakespeares time but we will deal with that suggestion in the next section.

Slowly but surely the pipes began to decline in use and there was quite a downturn in their use after the Williamite wars of the 1680’s and 90’s. The playing of Irish war pipes was supressed largely due to their rousing influence on the Irish. By the mid 18th century they were little in evidence. The last recorded use of the Piob Mhor is at the Battle of Fontenoy where an Irish brigade fought with the French against the English on May 11th 1745. There are no extant remains of these pipes anywhere. There used to be an old set of pipes in the Musee De Cluny in Paris which have subsequently disappeared.

The decline of the large pipes was also due no doubt to the influence of dance music which began to become very popular. There is a good account of the rise in popularity in the Breathnach book “Folk Music and Dances of Ireland”:

“Arthur Young in his account of his travels in Ireland … 1776-1779 remarked that dancing was so universal through the country from cabin to cabin, with a piper or blind fiddler, and were paid by the cottiers for teaching their children dancing.”

The pipes mentioned above were not the Piob Mhor but quite another sort altogether. As western tonality and music requiring notes outside one or two confined scales developed in Ireland, so too did the need to change the instrument. The new one was bellows-blown with two to three drones and a similar number of regulators. The chanter had a range of over two octaves. This was the Union Irish or Uilleann pipes.

The Irish, Union, Organ or Uilleann Pipes

As the above title suggests there are many names for the newer form of pipes played in Ireland. The pipes were known as union pipes in a tutor published by O’Farrell c1800 which is the earliest known tutor for the instrument. Some suggest that the name union comes from the Act of Union (1800) but this is also not the case as it appears in a poem of 1796 where the playing of a musician is recorded thus:

“For he can play the union pipes and nobly squeeze his bags.” 22 Chanter

Frontispiece from O’farrell’s National Irish Music for the Union Pipes

Another possibility is that “union” is a variation of “unison”. The tenor regulator would sound in unison with the chanter. At this stage I can reintroduce Shakespeare namely the character of Shylock who talks of a “woolen” pipe in Act iv, Scene 1 of the Merchant of Venice. Flood did suggest that this was a corruption of Uilleann. The word uill comes from the Irish word for elbow. It would be difficult as Breathnach suggests to anglicise it into union in 18th century Ireland. The term uilleann has caught on and is used today. “Woolen” as previously mentioned more than likely refers to the bag being an animal (sheep or goat) skin turned with fleece outermost. It may even be a corruption of wooden pipe the material of the chanter.

The earliest form was, I suggest the new or pastoral pipes which as in the modern instrument had a key note of D (old pitch). The octave obtained by squeezing the bag harder. Geoghegans tutor as mentioned before showed largely Scottish technique. These sets had usually two drones set one octave apart and a regulator. The idea for that probably deriving from the Sordinella.

In the early 18th two sometimes three regulators were added giving the possibility of chordal work. The drones were extended to three in number and dropped into the modern tuning of an octave above, below and unison with the chanter. Double chanter sets appeared, as did keyed chanters, in the early part of the last century and were used in non traditional music. Chanters were

Chanter 23

made in pitches from low a up as high as e^b. A drone switch was also added about then. It enabled the drones to be turned on and off at the players discretion.

O’Farrell published the first tutor for what was then known as the union pipes. He gave its range as d’-d’’’ with a fully chromatic scale. The tutor was written by a noted performer who appeared often on the London stage. He was noted for using the pipes as accompaniment to songs providing a melody on the chanter and harmonies with the regulators.

The Moloney brothers of Knockerra near Kilrush are credited with providing the pipes with the perculiar trombone-slide on the bass drone to aid with tuning in the mid-late 1800’s. But certainly the most sought after makers were the Kennas, Maurice Coyne, Michael and John Egan, and the Rowsome family. Tim Kenna was an excellent maker and made top quality sets from 1768 up until about 1794. The younger Kenna worked in the first part of the 19th century was supposed to be more secretive about the way he worked though he was a great maker. Coynes pipes are much sought after today as they provide a mellow, quiet, pure tone and are beautifully made. John Egan is supposed to have been a Dublin pipe maker but Michael Egan is considered one of the best makers of all. He was in business in the early nineteenth century making good sets from 1830-1860 and was one of the first to make in America.

The Rowsome family were and still are a noted family of Irish pipers and makers going back many generations. Pipes made by William Rowsome and later Leo Rowsome are much sought after today by the top players. The family tradition carries on in Kevin Rowsome who is a maker and player himself.

The people who had the greatest effect on pipe making undoubtedly were the Taylor Brothers - they were born in the 1830’s in Drogheda and they were sons of a player-maker. The decline of the pipes after the great famine in Ireland in the 19th century forced the Taylors to America and Philadelphia in particular. In c1873 they started manufacturing and repairing pipes but they realised that the pipes they had were too quiet for the concert and music halls which were an important venue for a piper. So the pipes were redesigned and made more compact. The bore was widened, the holes enlarged and the end result was a d-pitched instrument which was also easier for others to play along with making it a much more popular instrument and winning many new players. These sets were in demand!

The pipes manufactured in this way were known as concert sets because they could now play in concert halls without being lost. The other narrow bore sets became known as flat sets even if they were in concert pitch (a=440). Present developments have included having four, sometimes up to six regulators! Having cylindrical regulators, drones tuned to different intervals and drones capable of playing in different pitches by venting a hole further up the drone via a sliding ring as in Northumbrian pipes.

24 Chanter

The style of playing has also evolved in different ways. Seamus Ennis has suggested three main styles. Tight or stacatto playing with many triplets and ornaments, the notes separated by a stopping of the chanter, similar to Northumbrian piping. Legato or smooth open playing is just the reverse and said to be more fluid. The third is called drawing room style, a cross between the two.

The biggest bone of contention in piping is probably the use of the regulators. It seems that it is every pipers ambition to have a set of regulators but many players do not, according to the late Seamus Ennis, play them at all well:

“They are an abomination if used as monsterous percussion.”

The great man also suggested that it took seven years listening, seven years practising/learning and seven years playing before you became a player! (Maybe a nod in the direction of piping colleges!)

With the improvement in amplification techniques there is not such a need for D chanters and many players such as Robbie Hannon use old flat sets to play on in concerts. Many think that the sound is better on the flat sets now. Today there is a great revival both in pipe-playing and making with probably over 30 makers in western Europe alone. The pipes are back on an upswing helped greatly by Brendan Breathnach and ‘Na Piobari Uilleannn’ which was formed in 1968 with the aims of promoting the playing, collecting and preserving the music, and promoting their manufacture and servicing. Pipes are played by lords, ladies, students, lawyers, buskers and people from all walks of life. Long may it continue!

Conclusion

The pipes as we know them in the form of Uilleann pipes via a convoluted path could be a distant cousin of the old Piob Mhor of Ireland.

Scotland shared the same piping traditions up until the 17th century. The Jacobite and Williamite wars caused makers to experiment giving rise to bellows blown smaller pipes. The pastoral pipes being one of those. Although not so popular in Scotland (few makers names) it took off in Ireland with the new 17th century craze for jigs, reels, hornpipes and dance music of other forms. These pipes were developed and became the union pipes, were adjusted and refined to become the Uilleann pipes we know now.

Materials such as box and elder are still being used along with brass and silver but these days makers are experimenting with ebony, blackwood, cocobolo, lignum vitae as well as using nickle silver, and replacing ivory with plastic or horn. There are new developments all the time including a stop mechanism for the chanter and a spring mounted popping-pad which fits under the chanter.

Chanter 25

The time for making and playing has never been better with many good modern players such as Liam O’Flinn, Paddy Keenan, Robbie Hannon, Sean og Potts, Ronan Brown, Declan Masterson, Billy Brown, John Murphy, to name but a few. Credit must be given to two who brought piping to a more commercial music world: Finbar Furry and Dave Spillane.

Bibliography

Armstrong,-Davidson MH, Galpin Society Journal, A note on the History of the Northumbrian Smallipes, 1985

Bagpipe Society Newsletter, Summer, 1988.

Baines A, Bagpipes, 1960

Breathnach B, Folk Music and Dances of Ireland, 1981

Cannon R, The Highland Bagpipe and Its Music, 1988

Carson, Irish Traditional Music, 1986

Charlton G, The Northumbrian Bagpipes, Archaeologica Aelianna, 4th series

Chaucer G, Complete Works (Prologue to Canterbury Tales) 1932

Clarke ET, The New Approach to Uilleann Piping, 1988

Cocks WA, The Northumbrian Bagpipes; Their Development and Makers 1933

Cleary W, The Bagpipe, 1982

Collinson F, The Bagpipe, Fiddle and Harp, 1983

Collinson F, The Bagpipe - The History of a Musical Instrument, 1975

Dineen Rev. P, Irish-English Dictionary

Flood G The Story of the Bagpipe, 1911

Galelei V, Dialogo Delia Musica Antica E Moderna, 1581

Galpin Society Journals 1985-89

Garvin W, The Irish Bagpipes, Construction and Maintainance

Geoghegan J, Compleat Tutor for Pastoral or New Bagpipe, London, 1771

Groves Dictionary of Music, 1984

Hunter, Peter, Anecdotes on Pipes (unpub)

Leppert, Richard D, Acardia at Versailles, 1978

La Rouse Encyclopadea, 1971

Mersenne M, Paris, Harmonie Universalle, 1636

Munro RW, Highland Clans and Tartans, 1977

Muskett, Mr D, The Muskette & Hurdy-Gurdy, 1984

O’Neill F, Irish Musicians & Minstrels, 1987 reprint

Sachs C, The History of Musical Instruments, 1940

Sachs C, Handbuch der Musikinstrumenten-Kunde, 1930

Schlesinger K, Boumas Boekhuls nu Gronigenito, The Greek Aulos, 1934

Shakespeare W, Complete Works, The Merchant of Venice

Stacy & Wishart, Bagpipes & Hurdy Gurdies, 1984

Sky, Patrick, A Manual for the Irish Uilleann Pipes, 1980

Weber W Die Agyptisch Griechischen Terracotten, 1921

Winternitz Musical Instruments and their Symbolism in Western Art, 1970

Chanter 27

1. Swedish Bagpipe (Säckpipa or Blasböck)
2. French Musette
3. Montguscon Bagpipe, French
4. Bassoon-shaped Bass Dulcian (Dulcian-trombone) for Bass, German

Note: This page features an image of various traditional bagpipes and a bassoon-shaped dulcian. The instruments are numbered and their names are listed accordingly.

Drones and Modal Music

The mention of the Appalachian Dulcimer in Newsletter 18, and the way in which the drones are used against different modal tunings prompts me to write about my wanderings in this musical minefield. At least two of the modal scales should be familiar already to bagpipers, the Ionian and the Myxolydian, but the Aeolian and Dorian also deserve examination. Both are commonly used in British and other European folk music traditions.

I have read numerous articles about the modal scales and most of them are very technical and confuse rather than clarify. To put it as simply as I can for the four modes I want to describe I suggest that the reader picks up a whistle and tries them. any pitch will do. First the Ionian or Doh mode. This is the common or garden major scale. Just play straight up the scale from the all fingers down position from Doh to Doh. Next there is the Myxolidian or Soh mode, the scale which is found on many sorts of bagpipe, e.g. Scottish Piob Mhor. To play it on the whistle start from the two top holes covered and play straight up from Soh to Soh crossing over the octave Doh on the way. You will notice that it is exactly like the Ionian mode until the final two intervals. Three fingers down gives the familiar whole tone leading note below the Soh you started on.

The next two modes are sometimes described as minor because they do resemble the minor scale used in Western Europe “serious” music. It is my feeling that whereas they are moody, to call them minor suggests that they are essentially said in character. Under certain circumstances tunes in these modes show many shifts of mood as the tune progresses.

The Dorian or Ray mode can be played on a whistle by starting from five holes covered and playing straight up to the corresponding five holes covered in the second octave. Here is a tune which will be within the compass of most chanters:

[Musical notation]

The Aeolian or Lah mode can be played by starting with one hole covered and playing straight up into the second octave until the same note is reached.

Another popular way of illustrating the modes is to use the white notes of a piano, the key of C, and playing straight up using no sharps or flats. The Ionian mode (Doh) is C to c Dorian (Ray) is D to d, Myxolidian (Soh) is G to g, and Aeolian (Lah) is A to a.

A good way to investigate them on whistle or chanter which has the option of either a flattened or sharpened interval just before the octave is as follows. Ionian from Doh to Doh with the seventh or leading note sharpened, Myxolidian from Doh to Doh with the seventh flattened, Dorian Ray to Ray with sharpened seventh, Aeolian Ray to Ray with flattened seventh note.

I don’t want to worry about the other modes but for people who want to delve into them the Phrygian goes from Mi to Mi, the Lydian from Fah to Fah, and the Locrian from Ti to Ti. They don’t occur too often in our part of the world.

Without doubt the Appalachian Dulcimer or related instruments, Epinette des Vosges, Hummel etc, are excellent for finding the haunting qualities of the Dorian and Myxolidian. The system they use is to have two drone strings tuned a fifth apart and to shift the paired unison strings accordingly. For example, keeping the drones the same, you can have:

Ionian or Doh
Myxolidian or Soh
Dorian or Ray
Aeolian or Lah

AA - A - D
DD - A - D
GG - A - D
CC - A - D

The arrangement of the frets makes it possible to play each of the seven common modes merely by starting on the appropriate fret. There are many variations in tuning but the thing that should interest the piper is that the starting note of each mode is an octave above the bass drone. The relationship with the other drone remains at a fourth below the melody starting note and a fifth above the bass drone.

Clearly most sorts of bagpipes can cope with the Ionian and Myxolidian. In fact the Myxolidian scale is the feature which attracts so many of us, and to be fair, is what some other musicians find strange. The problems start to arise when attempting to play a tune in the Dorian or Aeolian. In a conversation with a Chabrette player a long time ago I formed the impression that he was able to cope with other modes by swapping chanters and keeping the drones the same. However, my French was not up to deep technical musical discussions and my notions of the modes were pretty hazy at the time. Perhaps a Chabrette player could take up this point and enlighten me. Some how for most of us the “home” note of the mode has to be brought in tune with the drones. The range of the chanter may be capable of playing the scale but unless you have the sort of drone arrangement found on the Northumbrian pipes you are unlikely to be able to try out these modes against the drones.

One way to try the effect is to find a friend who has an instrument with drones in D and play along on a whistle in C using the scales described above,

i.e. starting on D and using either the B# for Dorian or B♭ for Aeolian. A quick rule of thumb for finding out whether a tune is in the Dorian or Aeolian, or any other mode, is to look at the last note of the tune. Nearly always they finish on the home note of the mode. Examination of the last two notes of the scale will determine whether or not it is Dorian or Aeolian.

Now the rationale for the pipes I make and play should be clear. I was faced with a repertoire which was difficult to exploit against the drones. The answer was to conceive an instrument which could overcome the difficulty by having drones which could be raised by a tone, as on the Northumbrian Pipes. This brought almost the entire range of Manks tunes within reach. It also in another way avoided the necessity of adjusting the repertoire to fit the instrument.

Finally, here is a tune in the Aeolian mode which most chanters will be able to play. If, as well, you can get an E out of the drones you will get the full effect.

Colin Jerry

This is a black and white photograph of an elderly man playing the bagpipes. He is wearing a bowler hat, a dark jacket, and light-colored pants. He is seated and appears to be concentrating on playing the instrument. Beside him, there is a wooden barrel with a glass of beer placed on top of it. The background shows a wall with tiles.

La Gaita De Fuelle o Cornamusa Aragonesa

Los Autores

Pedro Mir Tierz tiene 36 anos, es licenciadoo en Ciencias Quimicas, lee ingles, habla y lee frances con bastante fluidez y trabaja de profesor en Sevilla. Residio en Francia casi dos anos en la decada de los setenta, descubriendo con much asombro las llamadas musicas celticas, que fueron para el, el despertar hacia la busqueda de su propia identidad.

Martin Blecua Vitales tiene 33 anos, es propietario de una tienda de comestibles. Reside en Sarinena (Huesca), lugar donde nacio, y desde los 10 anos, forma parte del grupo de danzantes de alli. Fue preparado como gaitero por el antiquo mayoral (jefe de los danzantes) Antonia Susin Palacios, fallecido hace unos anos. lleva pues 23 anos en el folklore, de los que 14 son como gaitero. No tiene conocimientos de musica y es sin lugar a dudas el gaitero de musica tradicional mas completo de Aragon.

Los dos, somos originarios de Sarinena (Huesca), el ultimo pueblo de Aragon que mantuvo viva la gaita aragonesa. Desde nuestra infancia hemos escuchado siempre el instrumento, recordamos perfectamente al gaitero Vicente Capitan Inglan (muerto en 1967). Conocemos al gaitero Juan Mir Susin, que fue su continuador y con el que nos unen lazos de amistad y parentesco. Eramos pues, a todas luces los mas idoneos para recuperar el instrumento, que dejo de sonar durante un periodo de 5 anos.

Siempre contamos con la colaboracion entusiasta del Grupo de Dance y de todo el pueblo en general.

Hoy tras 14 anos de trabajos e investigaciones, nos vemos en la obligacion de escribir algo, que todavia es desconocido para la inmensa mayoria de los aragoneses. Sobre esto, hay muy poco esctrito, y lo poco que hay, son nociones generales.

Pasaremos ahora a contar brevemente, ell proceso de recuperacion del instrumento, dando asi a este trabajo un orden cronologico similar al que tuvo lugar en nuestras actuaciones.

Recuperacion del Instrumento

Es obvio que cuando se habla de recuperacion de un instrumento quiere decir que hubo un tiempo en que desaparecio, asii ocurrio con la gaita de fuelle aragonesa, otro tiempo muy frecuente en toda la provincia de Huesca y que

desde los anos 60 queda reducida unicamente a un pueblo, el nuestro; nosotros conocemos a dos gaiteros, Capitan y Juan Mir, quien sucede al anterior tras su muerte. Juan Mir toca hasta 1975.

Deja de tocar por motivos personales y familiares, llevandose consigo su vieja gaita. Al jefe de los danzantes, no le queda mas remedio que formar un nuevo gaitero: Martin Blecua, quien tocara con gaita gallega al no poderse obtener las aragonesas en las tiendas. Nadie sabe quien o cuando se construyeron, llegando muchos a ignorar hasta que existe este instrumento en nuestra region.

Desde 1976 comenzamos a pensar la manera de sustituir la gaita gallega por una aragonesa, que fuera copia de la de Juan Mir, siendo imposible encontrar gente dispuesta a hacerlo, nadie quiere intentarlo. Por fin, en 1980, un pastor de Sangarren (Huesca) llamado Clemente Brun, realiza una copia “a mano” de la gaita vieja, marcando por fin la recuperacion del instrumento. Esa gaita fue montada en el odre y presentada en publico en Zaragoza en el mes de Mayo de 1980.

Como en aquella epoca nadie nos habia instruido en la afinacion de los bordones, los bordones sonaban absolutamente desafinados.

Desde 1974, Pedro Mir seguia la pista de una gaita aragonesa que segun le habia contado Anchel Conte, era propiedad del ayuntamiento de Ainsa (Huesca) y que habia sido cedida a unos vascos para su estudio, los cuales la habian llevado a Francia para que un artesano les hiciese copias.

En Agosto de 1980, Pedro Mir conoce a este artesano en Tarbes (Francia), se trata de Marcel Gastellu Etchegorry.

Marcel Gastellu habia heco 6 copias de la gaita de Bestue (Huesca), nos conto que habia pertenecido a Juan Cazcarra (muerto en 1963) y que Juan Antonia Urbeltz y sus equipo de San Sebastian eran los que tenian la gaita.

Marcel Gastellu marca tambien la recuperacion de la gaita aragonesa, y sera al cedernos gratuitamente 4 copias, asesorandonos con conocimientos y bibliografia, el Recuperador de la gaita en Aragon y nuestro “guia”. Todo se lo debemos a el, y desde estas paginas asi lo declaramos.

Volveremos posteriormente all tema de la vieja gaita de Buestue, ya que fue y es todavia hoy, objeto de teorias sin base real.

Luego ya en 1982, poseemos 5 ejemplares funcionando correctamente, hemos aprendido la nocion de afinar los bordones e incluso somos capaces de fabricarnos las canas para el instrumento.

Se necesita para la revitalizacion definitive del instrumento, que desplace las gaitas gallegas de Aragon, y que en la medida de lo posible, vuelva a tener la difusion que tenia a principio de siglo. Faltaba claro esta, alguien que fuese

34
Chanter

capaz de construirla en Aragon.

Felizmente, nuestros amigos Mario Gros y Jose Luis Sarrablo del Grupo de Musica Tradicional Biella Nuey, residentes en Zaragonsa, fueron capaces de montar un taller, que en 1986, fabrican una copia de la gaita de Bestue. Desde entonces, muchas cosas han cambiado.

Habia una gran necesidad de gaitas aragonesas por parte de los grupos folk y por parte de los pueblos que querian sustituir la gaita gallega. Para todos ellos les hacia falta una gaita con una escala musical “normalizada”, y Biella Nuey hizo el trabajo, conscientes de que era prioritario el disponer de la mayor cantidad de gaitas posible, para posteriormente con mas tranquilidad acometer el estudio de escalas musicales de los clarines. Hasta la fecha, Biella Nuey lleva construidos mas de 12 ejemplares de gaita del modelo de Bestue (Huesca).

Description del Instrumento y sus Canas

Para la perfecta comprension de lo que aqui viene, les recomendamos vean el dibujo anejo y la tabla de equivalencias.

Tras un profundo analisis, de las viejas gaitas aragonesas encontradas hasta ahora, podemos deducir que existe un modelo unico, del que se hicieron varias versiones, conservando todas una unidad dentro de su variedad (todavia no se han encontrado dos que sean igual les).

La gaita de fuelle aragonesa, consta de:

A) Un odre para reserva de aire (llamado bot, botico, boto, botarron, bocoy etc), siempre de piel de cabra e impermeabilizado con pe para evitar la pérdida de aire a traves de los poros de la piel curitda. Al cuello y patas delanteras del animal, se ataran los “cepos”. La capacidad del odre es de unos 25 litros de aire.

B) Los cepos, que son piezas de madera que van atadas directamente al cuello y patas, su mision es la de acoplar los distintos tubos: el soplador, el clarin (protegiendo a la vez la pita o cana doble del roce con la piel del boto) y los bordones (protegiendo igualmente las canas de estos).

C) Un soplador o tubo para llenar el boto de aire, provisto de una lengueta de cuero, que actua de valvula neumatica, con un hierro que impide su apertura total. A veces esta constituido por un hueso vaciado, pero casi siempre es de madera, forrado de laton, bronce o incluso directamente el tubo de bronce (para que no se deteriore con el uso).

D) Tres tubos sonoros: clarin, bordon y bordoneta, con funcion melodica aquell y pedal estos. El clarin y la bordoneta se disponen en paralelo, en un cepo comun llamado pieza de los clarines. La forma de llevar el bordon es

Chanter 35

Gaita de Fuelle O Cornamusa Aragonesa

pieza de los clarines
bordoneta
    clarín
          regulador del bordón
                   bordón
                                       boto
                                                 cepo
                                                    soplador

clarín bordoneta bordón

Dibujo sacado de Charles Alexandre (ver bibliografía) basado en la gaita de Bestue (Huesca)

generalmente debajo del brazo, correspondiendo a la anatomia del animal y del gaitero.

E) Pita o cana doble-lengueta para el clarin y canas simples para el bordon y la bordoneta. En Bestue (Huesca), se nos has asegurado que Juan Cazcarra llevaba “incheta” o cana doble en la bordoneta, siendo la excepcion al resto de los hallazgos. Hay bordonetas que presentan una perforacion conica y otras en cambio que son pequenos bordones con perforacion cilindrica.

F) Tela estampada y de vivos colores que forra el boto, que al ser un cuerpo de animal (cabrito), da una apariencia de vestido de nina, ya que termina en unos volantes. Algo similar ocurre con la gaita de Sencelles (Mallorca).

G) Piel de serpiente que recubre los tubos sonoros (que nosotros sepamos es la unica gaita del mundo con estas caracteristicas).

36 Chanter

Chanter

Descripcion pormenorizada

El botico
Se despelleja el animal por la pata trasera derecha y se saca la piel entera por alli, sin necesidad de hacer mas costuras. Despues se curte, se vuelve del reves (con el pelo por dentro) y con este material, se fabrican pellejos, botas de vino etc.

Normalmente el pelo va esquilado, quedando de una largura de 1/2 cm para que alli se agarre mejor la pez, cuya mision es evitar las fungas a traves de los poros, del aire o del vino, segun su uso, quedando asi impermeable.

Todas las gaitas viejas aragonesas llevan el boto impermeahlizado con pez. Nosotros, siguiendo la tradicion, montamos en 1980 la gaita hecha a mano en un boto con pez, y comprobamos:

• que la piel adquiere una rigidez excesiva
• cuando la pez se seca y la gaita esta desinflada, se pega por dentro y para despegarla hay que echar agua caliente dentro o poner el boto largo rato al sol.
• es muy engorrosa la puesta a punto del instrumento.

En la recuperacion del instrumento, hemos sustituido la pez por unas lanolinas que provienen de Escocia, que ademas de tapar los poros, dan una gran flexibilidad a la piel, estando siempre el boto y la gaita listos para tocar.

Los bordones
Estan compuestos de dos piezas, una de ellas va dentro de la otra y su alargamiento o acortamiento modifica la nota continua hasta la afinacion deseada, dentro de los limites de la nota dada por la cana.

Presentan aros de estano para proteger las zonas de deslizamiento y tambien como funcion ornamental, aunque esta ultima, en Aragon es muy sobria. Igualmente, en amplias zonas de Europa se encuentra el mismo fenomeno:

“Los pastores del Alto Isabana, valles de Barrabes, Bohi y Bosia en algunos casos hendian los dibujos (en la talla de la madera) mas que de ordinario para rellenarlos de estano, metiendo el objeto dentro de un trozo de piel o nai·pe arrollado y echando el metal derretido. Esta tecnica de estanado ornamental, ademas de en la Ribagorza y el Pallars, tambien aparece en el Pais Vasco y Portugal, asi como en la Bretana armoricana y en otras comarcas francesas de los Alpes”>(1)

Todos los bordones presentan caja de resonancia; uno de ellos presenta bajo la piel de serpiente un hermoso trabajo pastoril de tallada a cuchillo y decoracion de hexafolias, lineas de puntos etc.

Las bordonetas
La mayoría de ellas son de un tipo determinado, dos piezas con un interior conico, muy dificiles de ajustar y deslizar una dentro de otra debido a la conicidad. Salvo una de ellas, todas las demas presentan caña simple.

Las bordonetas que son como bordones pequenos por su forma a interior suelen contener la otra pieza de una largura tal que la bordoneta casi tiene la largura del clarin.

Los clarines
La mayoría de los encontrados son de muy buena construcion, hechos con torno y largura muy similar. Al ser la parte principal de la gaita y ser faciles de deteriorar (se rajan con bastante facilidad), algunos gaiteros los reforzaban por fuera con aros de alambre, que al ser cubiertos con piel de serpiente, dan una apariencia y tacto muy extrano. Son de interior conico y varian de uno a otro en el numero de oidos o agujeros de resonancia. Siempre llevan pita o caña de doble lengueta.

Maderas usadas
La mayor parte de las gaitas encontradas son de boj, madera que tiene unas propiedades de dureza, brillo, duracion etc. que hace que sea la favorita de los pastores.

El boj solia tenerse hacia unos tonos rojizos, para lo cual se enterraba durante un cierto tiempo en estiercol.

La tela de flores
Sobre la tela de flores que recubre el botico, se han contado muchas historias, tales como que al gaitero de Bestue, Juan Cazcarra se le murio una hija, y que el lleno de dolor, tomo el vestido de ella y vistio la gaita. Lastima que esta bonita historia llena de ternura no sea verdad. Sus descendientes asi lo ratifican.

Igualmente, tenemos fotografias de gaiteros antiguos con estas telas de flores. Seguramente, por no mostrar la desnudez de la piel es costumbre en muchos paises del mundo el vestir la gaita.

La piell de serpiente
Pertenece este instrumento a una epoca en la que el hombre, con un claro sentido magico de la vida, usaba partes de los cuerpos de los animales para construir los instrumentos de musica. La serpiente, totem de mucho pueblos primitivos, refuerza todavia mas el caracter ritual del instrumento y del que lo tocaba.

Ademas de la gaita, existe en Aragon una flauta de tres agujeros llamada “chiflo” (en aragones chiflar es silbar), que tambien va forrada de piel de serpiente.

                                                                                      Chanter 39

Los pastores aragoneses hacen bastones tallados con navaja y el motivo casi generalizado es la serpiente, cayados terminados en una cabeza de serpiente son tambien abundantes (2).

Los antiguos gaiteros de nuestro pueblo, siempre han dicho y creido firmemente, que si in se forraban los tubos de la gaita con piel de serpiente, esta no sonaba bien. No hace falta decir que eso no es cierto.

Hay varias opiniones que tratan de explicar el uso de la piel de serpiente:

a) Para que no se les ocurra tocar la gaita a las mujeres, conocido el asco que sienten por los reptiles. Hay en el fondo una cierta misoginia ancestral, pero no hay que olvidar que la gaita sonaba mayoritariamente en el Dance o lo que es lo mismo, en las danzas rituales de palos y espades que son exclusivamente masculinas.

b) Uso de la piel de serpiente como “capa termica” que evitaria que el instrumento se desafinase. No podemos creer que seamós los unicos del mundo en haber encontrado esta solucion.

c) Uso de la piel de serpiente para evitar fugas de aire que se producian al agrietarse las piezas de madera. Teoria muy logica, util y nada despreciable, puede ser exacta.

d) Nosotros nos inclinamos a pensar en un caracter magico de la serpiente, que podria quedar reflejado en la mudanza de espadas “la culebreta” (la pequeña serpiente) del Dance de Graus (Huesca), donde los “volantes” en zig-zag serpentean a lo largo de la fila de danzantes, imitando claramente los movimientos de la serpiente.

Hay abundancia como as de esperar de alusiones a la serpiente y la brujería, conservandose en el alma del pueblo en forma de supersticion. Nuestro antiguo gaitero Vicente Capitan, cuando fue grabado en magnetofon en 1950, al oirse se echo a correr asustado.

Situacion Actual Del Instrumento

Hoy nos encontramos con unos 6 grupos folk en toda la region, todos ellos llevan gaita aragonesa. En cuanto a los pueblos con grupos de folklore, de ser nuestro pueblo el unico en tener gaita hemos pasado a ser ya 5 pueblos importantes.

Se ha pasado de untaller de construccion en Zaragoza, a tener otro en Sarinena, donde Martin Blecua lleva construidas tres gaitas y pronto Jose Luis Sarrablo pondra en funcionamiento otro taller en Boltana (Huesca).

Mario Gros tiene en Zaragoza un exceso de trabajo, que le impide abarcar

40 Chanter

Clarines de Castejon de Monegros (Huesca), paertenecieron al gaitero Senen Pueyo (muerto en 1954).

Clarines de La Almolda (Zaragoza), pertenecieron al gaitero Cristobal Falceto (muerto en 1953).

Chanter 41

Two axes of iron (figs. 4-6) were found in one of the huts at Vulci, and a socketed axe in a pit near by.

Fig. 4.-Iron axe. Length, 15.5 cm.

Fig. 5.-Iron axe. Length, 17.cm.

Fig. 6.-Iron axe. Length, 21 cm.

Photograph 58. — Column of the “chi” in Holy Cross Church, Segovia.

The so-called Column of the “chi” is found in the church of the Holy Cross, one of the two churches named in the jurisdiction of the Convent of San Juan de Duero.

The column, which has a shape easily recognizable by its circular base and capital and its central smooth quadrangular body, is adorned on two of them with incised designs: on one face a “chi” with two bars which intersect at right angles, and on one of the lateral sides a cross with a bit truncated arms in the style called “batavian” in the international art museums.

The stone has a length of about 1.20 m.

These carved designs are the same as those represented in many rock art painted figures in the territory of Burgos, La Rioja and Soria, generally in the same form: the “chi” or rosette and the “batavian” cross. The importance of this column lies in the artistic and symbolic verification that it provides, proving that these Christian signs were in use among the ancient Christians of the vicinity.

As for the column itself, there are no data to designate the christian date or the period of its works. It is possible that it has dates of the eleventh century, since this type of ornamentation is known in some architectural elements from that time. But it could belong to a later period, up to the fourteenth or fifteenth century.

This must be taken into account in studies of medieval art and also in the study of our ancient Christian beliefs.

Gaita de Boto (Morón de Almazán)

3. Dry Cleaning Clothing articles that because of construction, fabric, twists, pleating, dyeing, or printing, cannot be cleaned with water are best cleaned by dry cleaning. The most common solvent used is perchloroethylene (perchlorethylene). It is a special liquid that dissolves oily and greasy dirt and stains but that water cannot. Dry cleaning solves the cleaning problem of clothes which could be spoiled by water, such as men’s suits, fine uniform coats, and embroidered clothes. The dry cleaning machine works like a washing machine except: The cleaning agent used is perchloroethylene The clothes need to be washed after each use of the liquid to make it clear and reusable. Every cleaning machine has a “filter” to remove lint, hair, dirt, etc. Clothes are dried at the end of the cleaning process (almost like a “tumbling dryer”). The clothes are pressed and ironed before they come out. The dry cleaner’s machine is expensive. Unless there is a problem that cannot be solved with ordinary washing, dry cleaning can be avoided in the home laundry. The disadvantage of dry cleaning is that if clothes are left too long in the dry cleaning liquid that is not clear, the grease and dirt deposit on the cloth and damage it. If clothes are dry cleaned by the local dry-cleaner, first remove the heavy dirt and bits of mud or dust on the garment by water or brushing, before sending the garment for dry cleaning. There is a liquid known as detergent, which is useful in removing mud stains and oily dirt from clothes. It contains a mixture of different chemicals prepared specially for use in household washing machines. Clothes which are cleaned in detergent solution easily rinse and clean thoroughly. But detergent solution may increase the dirtiness of the water and require special disposal methods. Almost all modern washing powders and liquids contain detergent. Detergents usually cost more than ordinary soap powders and do not make the clothes smell much or foam. A few detergents are made for some specialty cleaning like work clothes cleaned with special machines or for hand washing of very delicate clothes. When detergent is applied on a storage water pipe, it aids in dissolving grease and increases the risk of damaging the metal pipe. Hence the water pipes and the water source should be free of detergent or chemicals from cleaning wastes. If special detergents are unavailable, soap powder may be used instead for washing dirty clothes. But soap powder removes less dirt, especially oily dirt. Sometimes soft detergents or washing agents made from shampoo liquid and soap powder are available. These give quite good cleaning and are sometimes preferred. Good washing powders or liquids dissolve in water quickly and reach the dirt easily. One carefully checks the amount of washing powder (or detergent or soap) needed. Too little powder means the clothes are not washed properly; too much powder means it’s wasted and it may be harmful to the clothes and the environment. Too much powder causes heavy foam that interferes with washing, rinsing, and sometimes damages the clothes. The best way to use detergent and clothes washing powders is to: Use the recommended amount. Use warm water, not cold. Water that is too hot may damage delicate clothes. Because of the above, cold water washing is not preferred for washing oily clothes. If the clothes are very oily, solely detergent may not be enough. Pretreat the clothes by rubbing soap or detergent on grease stains. Allow some time for the soap to act before washing. When clothes have stubborn dirt and stains, washing powder should be dissolved well in warm water first. Then soak the clothes in this solution for some time before rubbing or washing. This gives better results. Increase the washing time for heavily soiled clothes but not excessively long as this may damage the clothes fabric. Delicate clothes do not need vigorous washing; it is better to do gentle hand washing or use a special delicate cycle in a machine.

4. Special Problems in Washing Some Clothes

The following clothes require special care in washing or cleaning:

• Woolen Clothes - Woolen clothes should not be dipped or soaked in water for a long time as it may easily deform them. Wool should never be cleaned with detergents for all-purpose washing. They should be washed in special wool detergents in water which is warm but not hot.
• Silk Clothes - Silk clothes are unsuitable for washing in water. They should preferably be washed in dry cleaning liquids but some varieties of silk can be washed in mild soapy water or very mild detergents. They should not be soaked in water for long or rubbed vigorously. Dry and iron promptly after washing or cleaning.
• Clothes with Embroidery or Decoration - Clothes which are embroidered or decorated with beads, sequins, fringes, or other delicate designs should be handled with gentle washing, often dry cleaned. If washed in water, handle the decoration carefully.
• Clothes with Bright Colors or Prints - Some clothes may have colors that bleed or fade while washing. Test a small area first in water before washing the entire garment.

The above precautions help to extend the life and appearance of special clothes.

Gaita de Vicente Capitan, gaitero de Sarinena la gaita se encuentra en Sena (Huesca)

la actual demanda (suele construir 6 unidades al año).

Todos los que participamos en esta labor somos amigos, la mayoría somos universitarios y esto lo realizamos en nuestro tiempo libre. Todas las gaitas que suenan en Aragón actualmente son copias del modelo de Bestue. La gaita del pastor hecha a mano, está en Sarinena guardada como recuerdo. Estamos trabajando en la fabricación de copias de los otros modelos encontrados hasta ahora, tal como la gaita de Vicente Capitan que se encuentra en Sena (Huesca), de la que Mario Gros acaba de hacer un prototipo en madera de boj.

Estamos construyendo una familia de canas para estudiar las escalas de los clarines, que poco a poco los estamos radiografiando para poder obtener replicas.

El trabajo principal esta todavia por hacer y sabemos que costara tiempo y esfuerzo, pero tenemos la satisfaccion de saber que estamos en el buen camino.

Otra cuestion de importancia capital es la formacion de gaiteros, hay muchos jovenes en las capitales que se interesan por el instrumento, pero en los pueblos cuesta muchisimo, por falte de paciencia en el aprendizaje. Quiza haya que abrir la puerta a las mjueres (ye hay dos de ellas).

![Image of bagpipe]

Copia de la gaita Bestue hecha por Mario gros en madera de boj

![Image of bagpipe]

Copia de la gaita de Vicente Caitán, hecha por Mario Gros en madera de boj

Chanter 45

Medidas approximadas del clarin del gaíta de Sarriñena (Huesca)

Serrión 6 158

Serrión 6 16

Serrión 6 185

Chanter

46

This edition is from our archives, so it is presented as scanned pages rather than text.

You may need to scroll to find the article you’re looking for.

Chanter
·the·journal·of·
·the·bagpipe·society·

·volume 2·part 1·

·interview·with·
·kathryn·tickell·

·dave·shaw·on·
·northumbrian·small·pipes·
·and·shuttle·pipes·

SPRING/SUMMER ’87

ISSN 0269-7939

Contents

The Development of the Northumbrian Small-pipes:
Richard Butler 3
Fundamentals of Tuning: Michael Muskett 13
Workshop: Dave Shaw 16
Focus on Kathryn Tickell: Kathryn
Tickell talks to Alistair Anderson 21

Welsh Bagpipes: 1. The Double Chanter
in the Welsh Folk Museum: Theo Schuurmans 28
Welsh Bagpipes: 2. The Bagpipe in Wales
in Recent Centuries: D. Roy Saer 30
Welsh Bagpipes: 3. A Reconstruction: Julian Goodacre 36

RECORD REVIEWS
Kathryn Tickell — Borderlands: Peter Stacey 38
Noise of Minstrels — Pass The Hat: Peter Davies 39
Vielleux de Bourbonnais — Coup de Quatre: Brian Radford 39
The Medieval Players — Al Manere Minstrelsy: Jason Goss 40

BOOK REVIEW
Richard Butler’s Handbook for the Northumbrian
Small Pipes: R. A. Greensitt 41

Editorial Address
All contributions for Chanter, including advertising material, should be sent to:

Peter Stacey
Journal Editor
62 Seymour Street
Splott
Cardiff
CF2 2NS

Address for Membership
If you are not a member of the Bagpipe Society and would like to join please write to:

Dave Van Doorn
49 Osborne Road
Hornchurch
RM11 1EX

Advertising Rates
£6.00 quarter page
£10.00 half page
£14.00 whole page (A5)
Please make all cheques payable to: The Bagpipe Society.

Deadlines
The next issue of Chanter should appear on 30 November 1987. Articles and advertising material should arrive no later than 5 October 1987.

© Copyright
The copyright of all material included in Chanter remains with the individual authors.

A Word of Thanks
We would like to thank all the contributors to this issue of Chanter and extend special thanks to André de Vries and Biddy Wells who have worked behind the scenes on typesetting and paste-up. Thanks go also to Keith Hudson for allowing us to reprint material first published in Taplas, and to Geoff Heslop of Mawson and Wareham (Music) Ltd.

Peter Stacey

The development of the music of the Northumbrian Small-pipes

Bagpipes in various shapes and forms have been played throughout the British Isles for about 800 years. In the first instance the bagpipe consisted of no more than a bag, chanter and mouthpiece. Slowly the bagpipe began to evolve and by the fourteenth century a single drone had been added. They were played at public and private functions, at dances, to accompany singers, on pilgrimage and to lead armies into battle. A piper’s repertoire at this time would have consisted of simple melodies handed down from piper to piper. Tunes from Shakespearian plays, Playford manuscripts and Morris dance tune collections would all have been played by the piper, and in many instances probably written by him.
The Civil War and the repercussions of the Puritan era of Cromwell were a turning point in the history of the bagpipes. As people were banned from the pursuits of mince-pie-eating and dancing around the maypole, what chance did the piper have as he played for the local knees-up? It meant the beginning of the demise of the English bagpipe, but in the outlying regions such as the Borders, Scotland and Ireland, the now regional variants survived and indeed flourished. With the advent of the Reformation and the introduction into the British Isles of a large number of new instruments such as the violin, lute, virginal and later the piano, the English bagpipes became less popular and were eventually lost. Fortunately, the Scottish, Irish and Border pipes survived and became more regionalised and refined.
By the 17th and 18th centuries the pipes of the border regions were being played in much the same way as the English bagpipe had probably been played for the past few hundred years; at dances, during harvesting, to signal the onset of curfew and to provide entertainment when and where required by the nobility, civic leaders and ordinary folk alike. The music of the pipes had changed little; pipers were still playing the well tried and tested favourite dance and song melodies and airs and, interestingly, if one compares the tune books originating from both sides of the border no highly characteristic style of music can be detected. The traditional tunes are now being played by the enthusiasts leading the revival of the Border or, as they are sometimes called, Cauld Wind pipes.
It was in this environment of intense bagpipe playing and complete public acceptance and involvement that the Northumbrian Small-pipes started to develop. During this period, 1600 to 1800, the pipes consisted of a keyless chanter, with a cylindrical bore and closed end, three drones, bellows and, of course, a bag. There are in existence a few sets dating from this time, and a piper playing such a set has the following notes available:

Chanter
3

Example 1 The scale of the keyless chanter

[Musical notation]

During the eighteenth century the Northumbrian Small-pipes had become recognised as an instrument quite different from the other indigenous bagpipes of the Border region. In fact, so accepted had the pipes become to the people of the north of England, that Elizabeth, Duchess of Northumberland, presented to Jimmy Allan (1734-1810) an ivory set of pipes which he then played at the royal court of King George III. He must have made quite an impression, because after he had been convicted of horse stealing and sent to the House of Correction in Durham, he was granted a royal pardon by the Prince Regent, later George IV, which sadly arrived a few days after he had died.

As Jimmy Allan, and probably a large number of his contemporaries, played not only the Small-pipes but also the fore-runners of the Northumbrian Half-long and Border pipes, it is difficult to determine exactly what type of music he actually played on the Small-pipes, and whether or not he adapted his style of playing to suit the newly developed instrument. The Life of James Allan records a number of tunes played by him, but then we are not told on which instrument he was playing,

Example 2 ‘Cuckold Come Out Of The Amrey’

[Musical notation]

By playing such a set, a piper can play in one of two keys, G major and A minor. In both cases the drone harmony consisting of the tonic, dominant and octave tonic. The key of G major was by far the most common key and there are many examples of tunes dating from this period which are written in this key. The key of A minor is not so common, mainly because the only method available to the piper of changing the drone harmony would be to adjust the reeds so that each of the drones could be tuned, within the limitations of the drone slides, up one tone to obtain the drone harmony, a e and octave A, for A Minor. Obviously it is not possible to ascertain whether or not pipers used this technique, but the writing of tunes which intimate the key of A minor, as is the case with ‘Cuckold Come Out Of The Amrey’ (Example 2), can be very effective if played with a G major drone harmony. Today, as pipers have more complex drones, it is possible to tune the drones to either harmony, and it is quite common to find one player preferring one tuning and another player the other.

4 Chanter

so we can only assume that he played the music which the pipers of the time played on the various pipes of the region. There is no evidence to suggest that he or any other piper adapted or composed specifically for the Small-pipes, but we can be sure that, in keeping with tradition, the players of the Small-pipes must have written music for the instrument. As the Small-pipe melodies did not differ in style from the other bagpipe music of the period, we cannot tell, out of all of the tunes which have been handed down to us which ones were specifically written for the instrument.

The music of the Small-pipes did not start to develop until the end of the eighteenth and beginning of the nineteenth century. It was also at about this time that pipers started to write down their music and in this respect the names of Peacock, Stanton, Bewick and Bruce will always hold pride of place in the minds of students of Northumbrian piping. By studying the music books of the period one can get a clear idea of a piper’s repertoire and his attitude to his music, and it soon becomes clear that for the first time a unique style of piping had developed. One of the best-known pipers of this era was John Peacock and his music book Peacock’s Tunes, which has been published in facsimile form by the Northumbrian Pipers’ Society, is frequently considered as the book which encapsulates the best of late eighteenth and early nineteenth-century piping. Within this twenty-four page book there are fifty pieces. Their most striking feature is that half are written with variations, and in some cases with more than five. At first sight the variations seem very simplistic and lacking in imagination, but when played by an experienced piper, well-practised in the art of staccato and legato playing, the intricate arrangements can be brought to life.

The actual method used by John Peacock to write variations can be grouped into a number of clearly definable techniques, namely:

1. Fast runs, either up or down the scale, varying in length from three or four notes to the whole scale (Example 3(a)).
2. The use of chord patterns or arpeggios (Example 3(b)).
3. The often liberal use of three specific ornaments, these being given a time duration and written into the melody (Examples 3(c), (d), (e)).
4. The moving bass or treble, this giving the momentary effect of two instruments being played (Examples 3(f) and (g)).

Example 3(a) Example 3 Extracts from John Peacock’s tune book

musical notation

Example 3(b)

musical notation

FROM: ‘MY AIN KIND DEARE’

FROM : ‘THE HIGHLAND LADDIE’

Chanter 5

Example 3(c)

FROM: ‘I SAW MY LOVE COME PASSING BY ME’

Example 3(d)

FROM: ‘JOCKEY STAYS LONG AT THE FAIR’

Example 3(e)

FROM: ‘WYLAM A WAY’

Example 3(f)

FROM: ‘I SAW MY LOVE COME PASSING BY ME’

Example 3(g)

FROM: ‘CUT AND DRY DOLLY’

Another striking feature of Peacock’s Tunes is that every variation is played twice clearly showing that the music has its roots deep in the dance music tradition. Even today, pipers religiously repeat lines because it has been bred into them to the point that it becomes second nature and they never question why every line has to be so methodically repeated. A similar observation can be made about the eight bar sequence. Indeed, in present-day piping so strong is this metre, that music which spans an odd number of bars is considered to be written incorrectly or badly composed.

John Peacock probably wrote so many pieces with variations because he only had a limited supply of music, communications were not what they are today, therefore it was an ideal way of increasing his repertoire and by writing variations of such intricacy he could demonstrate his musical and technical skills.

Apart from analysing John Peacock’s variation writing, the melodies in his book are also worth considering and a number of interesting features immediately become apparent:

1. Melodies do not always finish on the tonic, the supertonic ending occurs seven times, the 6th four times, whilst the dominant and mediant are each twice the last note. In many cases there is no hint throughout the piece that a note other than the tonic will be the last note, perhaps it is the piper’s last surprise. The reason that so many melodies do not finish on the tonic is probably that often they were melodies played for dancing and it was an ideal way of running one tune into another.
2. Many of the melodies alternate between the chord of the tonic and supertonic. This point has already been mentioned in connection with the musical keys available on the keyless chanter. One reason why so many tunes use this chordal pattern is that they are the only two root chords playable on the keyless chanter, all other chords requiring an inversion.
3. A number of the melodies have an accented F sharp. Bearing in mind that when an F sharp is played along with G drones a considerable discord is heard, this constitutes a significant difference from other traditional music.
4. A few of the pieces are definitely not melodies from the north-east of England. There are examples from Scotland, ‘My Ain Kind Dearie’, and the Borders, ‘Follow Her Ower the Border’, as well as one piece from the heart of England, ‘Lady Coventry’s Minuet’. This shows that John Peacock, not being content solely with playing melodies from the region, was looking outwards and playing melodies which he thought sounded well on the pipes, irrespective of their origin. It is interesting to note that even today, amid our ever-changing society and attitudes, there are a considerable number of pipers who will only play tunes which originate from the north-east on the Small-pipes.

Although I have only examined one book from this period, an investigation of other music books dating from the time is likely to lead to similar conclusions.

Throughout the first half of the nineteenth century keys were added to the chanter and the drones altered to produce the extra notes required for a total of five different keys, namely, G, D and A major and A and E minor, all with the tonic, dominant and octave tonic drone harmony. Pipers probably developed the instrument at this time, as they were finding themselves more and more isolated from other musicians, because of the pipes’ one octave range, and especially fiddlers, whose instrument was going through a phase of incredible popularity. With all of the extra notes suddenly available pipers started to expand their repertoire by playing or arranging other types of traditional music and, in a few cases, writing melodies specifically for the extended range, and in John Peacock’s tune book there are a few tunes which require, as he puts it, John Peacock’s ‘New Improved Pipe Chanter’. Unfortunately, the latter part of the nineteenth century saw a decline in the playing of the Small-pipes so any expected development of their music did not take place.

Chanter 7

Towards the end of the nineteenth century chanters were being made with as many as seventeen keys, giving a range of two chromatic octaves, from B below middle C to B above the Treble Clef, and five drones with a drone change to facilitate the quick changing of the drone harmony from G to D major. By having a chanter which was chromatic, one of the intentions of the pipers of the time was to produce an instrument capable of playing in any key, but this proved impossible for three reasons:

1. Most of the keys have to be played by the thumb of the right hand, making the instrument extremely difficult to play.
2. The drones, although numbering five, cannot produce all of the notes necessary for every key.
3. Because of the continually sounding drone the Small-pipe chanter must be tempered to its own unique scale. It cannot be tuned to Just or Even Temperament, so if the nineteenth-century pipers had tuned to all of the musical keys then they would have noticed that the pipes were appreciably out of tune with themselves. Whether or not they knew the ins and outs of the tempered scale is doubtful, but they would have been put off by the considerable discord of a number of musical keys.

Tom Clough was, for very good reasons, called the ‘The Prince of Players’, and it was he, more than anybody else, who continued the development of the music of the pipes where John Peacock and his contemporaries had left off. By studying his music books it soon becomes apparent that he was playing a considerable number of tunes dating from the early and middle nineteenth century, as well as tunes not written specifically for the pipes, and in this respect a large number of fiddle tunes are noted. He was also writing variations to traditional melodies in much the same way that John Peacock had done, by the use of fast runs, arpeggios and specific ornamentation, the only difference being that Tom Clough had the advantage of keys, and he certainly knew how to use them to great effect. His variations on ‘The Lee Rigges’ and ‘Oh Dear! What Can the Matter Be’, to mention but two, are masterpieces. The following two pieces of music taken from these two tunes will, when compared with the examples from John Peacock, show that the two pipers were using basically the same techniques. On his only record he shows that he has perfected the art of fast runs to an amazing degree (see Example 3(a)).

Example 4 Extracts from Tom Clough’s music books

8
Chanter

FROM: ‘OH DEAR! WHAT CAN THE MATTER BE?’

FROM: ‘THE LEE RIGGES’

Tom Clough was also writing melodies for the pipes and from his fingers came many well-known pieces, including ‘Nancy’ and ‘Reflections’. In addition to being a brilliant piper Tom Clough was also an accomplished pipe-maker and he saw no reason why the developments of the 19th century should not be continued. He made chanters of his own design and extended the range of the chanter by adding the extra A at the bottom of the chanter, thus facilitating the use of two octaves for the keys of A and A minor. He also extended the number of musical keys from the five previously mentioned to include the key of C major; he obtained the appropriate drone harmony, c, G and C, by means of drone slides to his two D drones.

Since the nineteenth century pipers had not produced any tune books, probably because of the decline in popularity of the pipes, but in 1936 the Northumbrian Pipers’ Society published the Northumbrian Pipers’ Tune Book. although extensively revised in 1970 it is this book that even today forms the basis of most pipers’ repertoires. Such is its popularity that it can fairly safely be said that most people taking up the instrument start off with this book.

Soon after this book was published war broke out and once again the popularity of the pipes decreased, but by the beginning of the 1950s they were making a comeback. At the forefront of this movement were two pipers, Jack Armstrong and Billy Pigg.

Chanter 9

As an enthusiastic fiddle player in his highly popular dance band, ‘The Barnstormers’, Jack Armstrong slowly acquired a vast amount of traditional music. From the poignant melodies of the Western Isles to the foot-tapping tunes of Ireland and Scotland, Jack Armstrong had the biggest collection of traditional music in the north of England. As an already accomplished player, renowned for his steady rhythm, haunting playing and writing of tunes like ‘Rothbury Hills’ and ‘Bracken Rigg’, Armstrong became one of the area’s leading players. He made available his vast collection of music to many fellow pipers and thus unwittingly motivated them to seek out and adapt other forms of music in exactly the same way that he had done.

At the same time, but in complete contrast, Billy Pigg was developing his own style of playing. As all pipers before him, he was listening to, adapting and playing many different styles of traditional music as well as writing melodies specifically for the pipes, and in this he became the master, composing tunes such as ‘The Carrick Hornpipe’ (Example 5), consisting of very fast repeated arpeggios which can also give the momentary effect of two instruments being played at the same time. John Doonan, a noted Irish piccolo player living on Tyneside, was astonished on first meeting Billy Pigg to find that he could play so many Irish melodies. Billy explained that he and his fellow musicians up Coquetdale regularly listened to Radio Erin’s folk programme and painstakingly mastered a great number of the airs which were broadcast.

Example 5 Extract from the ‘Carrick Hornpipe’ by Billy Pigg

[Musical notation not transcribed]

10
Chanter

By the 1960s and 1970s it became obvious that the music of the pipes was starting to go through a transformation. In the first of these two decades there was a drive to raise the standard of playing. This was the era when the solo piper and pieces with fast intricate runs were in vogue. At the same time there were more and more pipe makers making sets to meet the ever-increasing demand from people wanting to take up the instrument, and so the cycle repeated with the standard of piping rising higher and higher. Also the type of music being played on the pipes expanded dramatically to include a greater number of tunes from outside the region, clearly showing that the pipes were no longer being played exclusively in the north of England. In addition, pipers started to play along with other instrumentalists. At first they played merely in 3rds or 6ths but as pipers became more and more musically trained so all the subtleties of counterpoint began to be used. The reason why pipers suddenly started to play along with other pipers and musicians is not hard to understand; firstly it is a great deal more fun playing along with other pipers than playing solo, in fact the main reason why many people take up the pipes is to make friends, and secondly, whenever pipers play in public a far better musical programme can be devised if good arrangements are used, there being a limit to how much solo piping the lay person can listen to.

During the 1970s the pipes were further developed. Up until this time they had mainly been manufactured in their own unique key, their basic scale producing the scale of F sharp, or maybe slightly flat of pure F sharp. But as pipers started to play along with other musicians this key proved, to say the least, difficult. So the so-called concert-pitched instruments started to be produced. In the first instance the F sharp pipes were reduced to F; then concert G, D and C pipes were perfected to give a whole range of keys which proved far more convenient for other musicians. The D chanter was first made by James Reid in the nineteenth century, but he never made drones specifically for it, and the G chanter was developed by Forster Charlton for Billy Pigg so that he could play along with other musicians in the key of G, and the C pipes by Colin Ross. This meant that a massive expansion of the music of the pipes took place because pipers suddenly found that they could play in a wide variety of keys by simply switching the chanter and, if necessary, the drones. The pipes were now being played in folk groups and early music ensembles to accompany singers, and along with synthesisers, and even in seemingly impossible combination with the saxophone.

The contemporary composer also started to take an interest in the pipes. The now retired Professor of Music at the Royal Academy of Music, Alan Bush, wrote a piece for solo pipes called ‘Northumbrian Impressions’, and similarly, John Casken wrote a piece for the pipes and electronic tape entitled ‘Pipers Lynn’.

Apart from the greater number of sets that are now available, one reason for the dramatic increase in the repertoire of the pipes is the improvement in communications. The availability of music books has also helped — in the last ten years a large number have come on to the market. Duplicating facilities have also eliminated the need for tunes to be laboriously written out.

Chanter 11

At the present time the repertoire of the pipes is still expanding, new arrangements are continually being written and new avenues explored, with the result that the pipes are increasingly being played in environments which a few years previously would have been considered impossible. How many people would have thought they they could have been successfully played in a rock band? In this respect a certain degree of conflict is starting to emerge amongst pipers for there are those who consider that the pipes are a traditional instrument and that they should only be used to play traditional music, any modern arrangement being totally out of keeping. I have played both Alan Bush’s and John Casken’s pieces to a traditional audience and audiences who do not have any preconceived idea of the pipes but who take it for what it is, a musical instrument, and listen to the quality of the sound that it can produce. On the whole, the established piper finds difficulty in accepting the music while the non-piper accepts it as a musical work of art in its own right. I personally find the former attitude hard to understand, because if the music had not developed in the past we would not even be playing Peacock’s variations. Folk music is surely about change; if it ceases to develop it stagnates, becomes repetitive, and is then in danger of dying out. All of the great pipers of the past have developed the music of the pipes by drawing on all available sources and adapting or arranging them as they thought fit. It has therefore been handed down to us as a living tradition in exactly the same way that we should pass it on to our children.

I therefore look forward to an ever-increasing repertoire for the pipes, and only wish that I could be around in 200 years time to hear all of the differing styles of music that will be played on, what I consider to be, the most adaptable and versatile bagpipe in the world.

Richard Butler

12 Chanter

Fundamentals of tuning

I have from time to time heard of Northumbrian pipers tuning their drones in unorthodox ways, as for instance using an A drone when playing in G, or a G drone when playing in D or A minor. These dubious practices prompt me to define the reasons for selecting the drone notes.

The choice of drone is neither a matter of whim nor of tradition, but is fundamental to the nature and structure of music itself. The most natural note on which to drone is the key-note — G when playing in G major or minor, D when in D maj/min and A when in A maj/min. Against this drone the melody makes an ever-changing pattern of discord and concord, tension and relaxation, and the piece normally comes to rest on the key-note. The degrees of the scale which form a concord with the key-note G are the 3rd (B), 4th (C), 5th (D) and the 6th (E), while the 2nd (A) and 7th (F) are discordant. If you play G and A together you must agree that the sound is not a restful one.

Now the normal tendency is for a melody to pull towards its key-note and this note is implied the whole time even if not actually present. So to play a drone on A (2nd degree of the scale) is to imply a dissonance throughout the piece, which is not even allowed to resolve peacefully at the end. Conversely, playing in A minor while droning on G gives a similar effect. Even the wild music of Bosnia, which enjoys long-held clashing 2nds, ends with consonant harmonies, and this rule holds throughout the world of music.

Neither are the notes of a melody selected at random. They are carefully chosen for their relationship with the underlying harmonic structure of the piece. In the case of drone instruments it is the drone itself which dictates the melodic movement. Dissonances are used by composers when they wish to express heightened emotion or tension, while consonances suggest peace, restfulness, or well-being.

In a major scale all the notes are consonant with the key-note except the 2nd and 7th degrees. If when playing in G major a drone on the 5th (D) is added, it forms dissonances with the 4th (C) and the 6th (E) and this lends richness to the melody, but both notes (G and D) still have the same relationship as before with the key-note.

In Example 1 consonants are marked O and dissonances X.

Example 1 Example 2

(×) (×)

Harmonic series

G drone A drone

Chanter 13

Example 2 shows that when a drone on A is played the pattern of consonance and dissonance is reversed. Consequently the whole meaning of the melody is contradicted because points of rest become discordant and points of tension lose their strength. It is also obvious that the major third (B), instead of being a warm sound is now dissonant and since G and A when played together clash, it becomes impossible to resolve to the key-note at the end of a piece. The musical world is turned upside-down.

The note emitted by the drone of the bagpipe is rich in harmonics. In addition to the fundamental note (G), the 2nd harmonic, a 12th higher is heard very strongly. Thus when the fundamental is G one hears D also. This is why the second drone is very often on the fifth degree of the scale which is the same note as the 12th. But a second D drone in its turn produces a strong 12th harmonic, (A) which clashes slightly with the fundamental. This A is acceptable because it is more than two octaves above the fundamental G, and is weaker.

There are few sounds more satisfying than that of a perfectly tuned 4th (D/g) or 5th (G/d) purring away, and a sustained drone makes a fitting prelude to the piece to come. The presence of the 2nd degree of the scale dispels this inherent feeling of warmth at once. In some piping traditions the drone is on the 4th only, allowing the instrument to be played in G or in C and this is quite acceptable since C is not dissonant with G; or one may use the 5th only and play in G or D.

It is of interest to observe that the notes of the common chord, on which so much music is based, are derived from the naturally occurring harmonic series.

It is quite common for pieces in G to modulate for a few bars to the dominant (D), and this is acceptable, but a whole piece in D lies uncomfortably with G drones. Furthermore, a piece in D will (in its turn) modulate to the dominant (A), which does not fit with G drones at all.

The solution is to use D drones only. If one wishes to follow the movement of the harmony further than this, then it would be best either to shut off the drones altogether or play a different type of instrument.

Since the sixteenth century composers have been emphasising the underlying chordal structures of a tune and have therefore had to sacrifice the melodic variety and interest of the many different modes in favour of only two, major and minor. Our instrument, the bagpipe, dates from the time when musicians had six or even seven different modes to choose from (hence our word ‘moods’).

Let us not be brow-beaten by the chord-mongers into making unsuitable compromises which prevent us from fully exploiting the wonderful characteristics of our ancient and honourable instrument.

Michael Muskett

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workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop workshop

WORKSHOP

In this, the third article in a series in which makers describe the instruments they make and discuss their philosophies of bagpipe design and construction, Dave Shaw writes about his approach to making instruments from the Northumbrian tradition.

About ten years ago, when my real interest in bagpipes began, I knew everything. I still do — but not quite so often as before.
I was living in Bangor, North Wales, playing melodeon in Irish sessions in the city — lots of good music and singing. Really I was interested in the Irish pipes and had tried my hand at reed-making, using 1" diameter bamboo out of a carpet roll. You’ve got to start somewhere. It was a total failure.
Anyway, I’d heard Small-pipes on the Billy Pigg record, and a friend had a set, which looked impossibly complicated to an unfamiliar eye, and which no one could play.
These gradually drifted away, but my chance came when another friend, venturing from South Georgia in the Antarctic, turned up with a derelict set of Small-pipes he had found in Port Stanley in the Falklands. No reeds, all the leather-work rotten. I swapped them for a concertina and so the rot set in for me.
Having obtained a copy of Cocks & Bryans Northumbrian Pipes book, I re-reeded the set using my big bamboo and some flower canes from Woolworths. The bag presented problems as I had no leather about. I was able to get some rubber latex, so doped up a piece of calico (very cheap) and glued it up into a bag. It worked beautifully, and was the origin of the bags I normally use on my bellows pipes now.
I must have begged some leather from somewhere, but having mended the bellows I was off. A working set of pipes — almost.
I decided to make a set to see if they were any better — using C & B. I made and almost finished a set of Small-pipes, but the idea of an even better set of F pipes palled. After all, the sessions were in D or G.
I wrote to Joe Crane, the then technical adviser to the Northumbrian Pipers’ Society, for advice, and eventually received a faint pencil sketch of a chanter and a recommendation not to make my first one out of ivory. No dimensions of any sort; a start though.
I made my first chanter from boxwood, seven brass keys Catalin mounted. Quite a nice piece of work. It ran a bit sharp of F#. I made my second chanter from rosewood. Seven brass keys, Catalin mounted. A nice piece of work. Overall a bit smaller. It ran a bit sharp of F# Neither could be coaxed any higher. Go smaller I said. I made my third……… F##.
They do say that the seventh wave goes furthest up the beach. In my case I needed spring tides as chanter No. 7, rosewood — 7 brass keys, still worked just short of G. What kept me at it, you ask? I had made seven chanter sticks, 49 brass keys and got nowhere. Perhaps I have never had a sense of failure.

16
Chanter

Up to now I had always used my 1" bamboo as a reed making material, as I’ve always tried to solve my problems with what was to hand rather than wait for the real thing, which you can’t usually find anyway.

Then!! I was given a bit of reed cane. After the splitting and baleful characteristics of bamboo it was a delight to handle. I made a reed, and tried it in my boxwood chanter (No. 1 if you recall). And it worked! In G! Really well! I fitted it with bag drones and bellows and in April 1979 it was finished — somewhat cut up and glued down but it worked.

I won the Beginners and Intermediate sections of the Newcastle Small-pipes competititons in October that year on that set. I was playing for up to seven hours a day. Sweet bliss of unemployment.

Being me, I had to find out why they worked. After careful measurement of my G and such F ish sets as I could get, I drew a series of long wobbly curves on graph paper. Not very informative, so I adapted the axes. The x axis became notes spread out like frets on a guitar and the y axis length in cms. The lines became straight, going through the origin and so I could derive formulae.

It all added together to show that the little finger G length is around 20.2/20.4 cm. All hole positions can be gauged by the fret formula (work it out for yourself — I did), to ideal positions and then rearranged practically by varying the hole sizes and positions to suit real fingers.

Early on I started drilling the C hole (bottom hand — top finger) at an angle to give 2 mm extra clearance from the hole below — no mean thing on so small a chanter. I do this on all the pitches of Northumbrian Small-pipes I make now. It’s just a habit but I like it.

My first G chanter, and this early work, settled the characteristics of my chanters, the slim bodies with steeply undercut holes and square-cut key-blocks. The G chanter is 11/64" bore and 3/8" diameter in the body. F is 3/16" bore and 13/32" diameter in the body. So the body is just over twice the bore diameter. It’s a bit harder to fit the double keys to this narrow body but I find the sound good on it.

Reeds can be quite a problem, mine being thinly scraped at the tip, on a flattish staple, but wide-mouthed at the end. They give a full reedy tone, useful in sessions or bands, and it is this environment that has shaped other aspects of my pipes.

I used to use a fore and aft bag, like many others, but in a crowded pub it gets in the way, and you can’t sit back into a chair. In a band, to use a microphone you have to set it a long way down. Having seen a French tear-drop type of bag I thought “that’s it” and made one for my pipes. It was just what I needed, raising the chanter to a prominent position to be heard in a session, or miked in a band, and leaving no long projection behind the elbow.

The same with the loud drones, minus the “traditional” piston valve, which to my mind spoils the sound of a drone.

So you see, all I had done so far was to build an instrument which suited the peculiarities of the conditions in which I played. I suspect that Darwin would have been proud of me. The Galapagos Pipes.

Chanter 17

The drones themselves have seen much scrutiny — graph drawing and the like, and have suffered from the smoke screens that practical and scientific work put up. I found one of these when I measured the wave length of sound, in still air, in small bore tubes — from 3/16" downwards. This was done using a sliding piston in the tube, to vary the length, with a pitch fork at the end of the tube to excite the air column. All this had to be conducted at the dead of night, to ensure the necessary sensitivity of the ears to the resonance of the air in the tube. Basically, you adjust the piston until you have maximum volume and resonance in the air column. Measure the length and there you are. Do it enough times and calculate the average. In practical terms, the results were disappointing, in that working dimensions of instruments are generally 35/36 ths shorter than the measured lengths would suggest. I don’t know why, so I’ve ignored it and stuck to the practical measurements. Is it all a waste of time? How does it affect design — say on drones?

The drone I generally use is put together as follows: if the pitch of the note required is calculated for length in free air, then you divide that by 4 to get the working length, and drop it down in keeping with the bore of the tube you are using — L cm.

The open end of the drone comes to L cm, ignoring end correction. I now use what I call a tuned bottom end, where the top of the stand is tuned to the fifth of the drone, i.e. 2L/3. The bottom of the reed socket I place at the second octave of the drone L/4, and place the free end of the reed at L/8.

The way I work out the top of the slide normally seems to be L/√2. A strange figure you may say, but √2 does seem to crop up several times, especially in bagpipe design.

There is an anomaly, in that the wide section of the slide doesn’t work in the same way as the rest of the drone and you have to calculate for that, but the essentials for setting up the small parts are:

Figure 1

(illustration of drone with measurements): L/8 L/4 2L/3 L/√2 L

18 Chanter

L/4 is the least critical of these, the others contribute to making a harmonious sound with strong harmonics. Setting it this way means that say a D drone has its sound strengthened by its fifths, A, and if tuned to E on a bead, the E is strengthened by its fourth — A.

That’s one way of doing it. The Missionary drone? Don’t do it if you don’t know what the ‘L’ I’m talking about.

The thing is that my rules work for me. I’ve avoided the normal texts on musical acoustics, because unless you take your own way in these matters, you can be led by the nose into ideas which seem valid, but because they are couched in someone else’s terms they won’t work for you. I’ve gone my own way with these things.

Shuttle pipes arrived when I wanted a tough instrument to take tree felling with me. A normal set would have quickly been broken in the van, so shuttles offered an ideal solution for a lunchtime practice instrument. The first one was in F, based on Cocks & Bryan, eventually given away and subsequently stolen. To re-align it down to D with an open chanter was not much work, and I ran my first one up to take to Newcastleton festival a few years back. It’s a nice instrument for Scottish pipers as it has a thick BASS sound.

Now I can do it with a range of keys for semi-tones and to extend the scale upwards. A kind of English Musette. I’m not a purist. If I can make an instrument to someone’s specification then I will whether it exists in a museum or picture or not. I make pipes and I make them for people. They all have different needs.

Half-longs and Bagpipes have had less detailed attention until now, but I have made some good instruments in this style, and now have reasonably formalised ways of designing them.

The problem is that I can’t sit still on an idea, and really it has cost a good deal of time, material and, by default, money to work on all this stuff.

Like Jon Swayne, I need to be in the workshop, making pipes and earning a living, but if at the end of it, I have a deeper understanding of the principles behind making pipes, in practical terms I can be a better maker and my customers can benefit. After all my instruments have their own bright and very distinctive sound. Delving into the physics behind it hasn’t taken any of it away.

Dave Shaw

Chanter 19

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FOcuS OW

FOCUS ON Kathryn Tickell

Kathryn Tickell talks to Alistair Anderson

First Steps
Alistair Anderson: When did you first hear the Northumbrian pipes?
Kathryn Tickell: I can’t remember the very first time — I’ve heard them all my life as people in my family play.
A.A. Can you remember first deciding to play them yourself?
K.T. I never actually decided to play the Northumbrian pipes: I always wanted to play the fiddle. I started learning the fiddle and the pipes at the same time, just by accident really. There were pipes available that I could play — well, that it was possible to get out the box and have a try. A lot of kids used to have a go on the pipes just for a laugh really, we used to make really screechy noises. I never used to do very well with them and everybody used to say ‘stick to the piano, you’ll never be able to play them’. So I decided that I was going to carry on and learn to play them. It was funny because I wanted to play the fiddle so much and I was never particularly bothered about the pipes. I would have thought that if I was going to be good at any particular instrument it would have been the fiddle, but as it turned out I found the fiddle very difficult, and I have never had all that much trouble with the pipes.
A.A. I remember you at our place that New Year when you were eleven, playing the fiddle while we were all dancing. You were playing strongly, making a real workmanlike job of it. I can’t remember if I’d heard you play the pipes at that stage — I suppose so, but you were playing the fiddle out before you were playing the pipes.
K.T. Actually, I’m saying that I had no real problem playing the pipes, but I recently heard a recording of myself playing at a school concert when I was eleven — and I couldn’t believe it! I can remember playing at the concert, finishing the tunes and thinking ‘I played those quite well’. But I heard this tape and it was awful.
A.A. Did you have any formal tuition when you were first playing?
K.T. No, I used to go along to an Arts centre in Wallsend on a Saturday morning. They had a folk workshop there which was run by Anthony Robb. These weren’t formal lessons — it was a lot of kids running around playing banjos, guitars, and whistles. I’d sit in the corner and play the pipes and if I was doing anything wrong Anthony would come over and tell me. Another thing about these sessions was that there was another piper going along there, and at that time there weren’t many pipers around. Chris Ormston was there; he was about three to four years older than me and he’d been playing for a little while and was very good. So, he was there playing a lot better than I could and it really made me practice. I always wanted to catch up with him.

Chanter 21

A.A. I think there was a time when there was a great mystique about this tremendously difficult instrument that hardly anyone could play, but once you started seeing a few people like Chris around just getting on and playing it, it began to break down the mystique.
K.T. It really did push me along having him to work towards.

Competitions
A.A. Were you going into any competitions at that time?
K.T. Yes, I’d been playing for about two years when I started going in for competitors, and again Chris was always in the same competitions as me, or maybe the one ahead of me — he always used to win them. But I can remember I’d been in one competition, I think it was Rothbury, and the way competitions in Northumberland are run is that you try the Novice, when you’ve won the Novice you enter the Intermediate, and after you’ve won the Intermediate you go on to the Open. In this particular competition there weren’t very many pipers and somebody suggested that I enter for the Novice and the Intermediate just to bulk the numbers out. I didn’t win the Novice, but I won the Intermediate because I was the only one in it! That meant that, if I was going by the rules, the next competition I entered would have to be the Open! Nobody sticks by the rules, everybody goes in for the Novice maybe ten times, wins it ten times and then goes on to the Open. So I went to the next competition which I think was Bellingham and happily went into the Intermediate, but there was an awkward judge who told me that, as I had won the Intermediate I must enter for the Open. The pipers who were going into the Open at that time were of a very high standard and I was nowhere near them. But I think that’s what pushed me on — having to get up to that standard fairly quickly.
A.A. So do you feel that competitions are constructive?
K.T. Yes, definitely. They used to give me somewhere to play and somewhere to hear other pipers playing good tunes that they had practised. It gave me something to practise for, and motivation to practise. I can see the bad side of it, where you get bitchiness, or where one judge thinks one thing and another judge at a different competition thinks entirely the opposite. But if people don’t want to go in for a competition they don’t have to.
A.A. Do you think there’s a problem with competitions tending to standardise playing techniques too much, in other words developing a competition style?
K.T. Yes, sometimes there is. What I found was that you tended to get certain tunes cropping up all the time and … eventually you would get to know that such-and-such is judging at Rothbury so you would play a certain type of tune in a certain style because you knew that was the way he likes people to play. You might fall into the trap of playing to the judges rather than playing what you want to play.
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Chanter

A.A. With the number of young pipers coming through and the acceleration in the improvement of standards, I think one has to say that competitions have done a lot to help.
K.T. If you get a group of pipers together in a session they’re going to play to the standards of the least able among them and the tunes that he or she can play. However, in competitions they play tunes that are pushing them to the limit and you hear what they’re really capable of.

Instruments
A.A. How many instruments do you take with you on the road?
K.T. I take a set of pipes in F, and recently I’ve started taking a spare G chanter with me in case anything happens to the F chanter (like I sit on it or something!), and if there’s a piper there who only plays in G then I can use the G chanter.
A.A. Do you enjoy playing the pipes with other instruments?
K.T. Not in a session — I would prefer to play the fiddle.
A.A. … but in other situations, in bands…
K.T. Yes, on my records I have used guitars, piano, mando-cello, all sorts of things.
A.A. … usually with the F chanter, or the G chanter?
K.T. It’s always been the F.
A.A. … to get that particular sound that the F chanter has?
K.T. I much prefer to play in F, I prefer the sound of the chanter.
A.A. There’s a difference in timbre, it’s more than just a difference in pitch. The F chanter you play is the standard working model? How many keys and what range does it have?
K.T. The set that I play at the moment I’ve been playing for a year and a half and it doesn’t actually belong to me! My own set which I played for seven to eight years was a nine-keyed chanter made by Archie Dagg from Rothbury and when I put it in for is ten thousand mile service about a year and a half ago I got this set from Mike Nelson in Cambridge. It’s a thirteen-keyed chanter and once I started playing the extra notes I found I was writing tunes with the extra notes — with the F naturals in… So what’s happened is that, although I’ve got my own set back, I’m just carrying on playing the Mike Nelson set.
A.A. … very evenly balanced right across, Mike makes some tremendous chanters. The G chanter I play is Mike Nelson’s.
K.T. It seems a little strange that you, Joe Hutton, and myself are all getting Northumbrian pipes from a maker in Cambridge! My G chanter (which doesn’t belong to me either) was made by Dave Shaw who makes some really nice G chanters.
A.A. Have you got any other chanters?
K.T. I’ve got a C set, I think it was the first set ever to be sold. It was made by Colin Ross. Actually they are my Dad’s. He doesn’t play, but he bought them

Chanter 23

because he sings and he likes to be accompanied by the pipes. He’s got a deep voice so he bought the C set in the hope that I’d be able to accompany his songs. The only trouble is that whenever we try to rehearse we have arguments — they don’t get played often.

Oh, and I’ve got the Lord Mayor’s set as well. As the Lord Mayor of Newcastle’s official piper, I have a set that were presented to the Lord Mayor. I keep them to play on official occasions. That set was made by Dave Burleigh. It’s a real show-piece of a set made in ivory and silver with seventeen keys and five drones. In fact it’s a lovely set with a beautiful tone.

A.A. The ivory sets have a particular tone, it’s not always to everybody’s taste but it’s especially recognisable.

K.T. I didn’t think I’d like playing them, but on my last album, Borderlands, I played them on ‘Flowers of the Forest’. I used the Lord Mayor’s pipes on this piece because it had the extra notes.

A.A. Do you have much difficulty if you play one set of pipes one day and another the next? Even on two F sets the holes are never quite the same distance apart . . .

K.T. I tend to stick to the same set, although sometimes I use the G chanter and it takes the first few minutes of playing to get used to.

A.A. I know from my own experience that it can be hard to make a sudden change between pipes of different sizes, the key settings are just that bit different . . . Do you have much trouble with travelling abroad, when there’s a great temperature change?

K.T. Not really. The Archie Dagg and Mike Nelson sets have both been very stable and I haven’t had much problem. If anything ever does start going wrong I’d never attempt to do anything to the reeds myself — I send them back to the maker. I play the pipes, but I’m no expert on reeds — I send them to the experts.

Repertoire

A.A. You have a wide range of tunes, where do you get your repertoire?

K.T. Some of it is the basic piper’s repertoire that I learnt in the first two or three years of playing, from playing with other pipers, going to Northumbrian Pipers’ Society meetings, and from the Society’s tune-book. I pick tunes up all over the place . . . I’m playing some fiddle tunes from my friend Dick Mosscrop who used to play fiddle with Joe Hutton’s dad! He’s taught me some tunes that no one else plays. In the last couple of years I have started writing my own tunes . . .

A.A. Do you write them on the pipes?

K.T. Yes, usually. I write some on the piano, but mostly I find that when I am in the mood to write a tune I get the pipes out and start messing around. Eventually I hit on a few notes that sound good together and I build the rest of the tune around that.

24 Chanter

A.A. Yes, Will Taylor was saying the same thing this weekend — you just get a little theme or corner and build around that.
K.T. You don’t start at the beginning of a tune and go through to the end. You might start at the second half and work backwards, for example.
A.A. Do you have any trouble when you’re using a lot of chromatics against the drones?
K.T. No.
A.A. I have never noticed any problem listening to you play, because the tune never drifts too far from the key although you use a lot of accidentals. There are other tunes that seem to get away from the key, perhaps because they’ve been written for other instruments.
K.T. Sometimes I play with the drones off to practise fingering and check that it’s clean, but when I’m writing tunes I have the drones on all the time.
A.A. Do you tend to choose, say, fiddle tunes by hearing someone play and thinking that that tune would sound good on the pipes?
K.T. I very seldom get a fiddle tune and put it on the pipes, it’s either one thing or the other. Some accordion tunes, especially Scottish accordion tunes, with a lot of arpeggios, sound nice on the pipes. Someone once handed me a sheet of music, ‘Jean’s Reel’, and said I bet you can’t play that on the fiddle — and I couldn’t. So I played it on the pipes instead! That one is an accordion tune.
A.A. There are a lot of tunes out there and only some will work well on the pipes but there’s no quick way to tell.
K.T. I’m never worried about changing tunes — they’re going to change anyway after you’ve played them for a while. So I change and even re-write bits sometime.

Variations
A.A. There used to be, and still is, a tradition of pipers writing variations on tunes do you do much of that?
K.T. Not so much now, but in the competitions one of the rules used to be to play three contrasting tunes, or more often you’d have to play a slow air and any two of jig, reel and hornpipe, one of which must be an air with variations. This is something that you never come across in any other competitions. It is unique to the Northumbrian Piping competitions because of the tradition of playing variations. I always used to have problems finding airs with variations that nobody everybody plays, there are quite a number of them but they all tend to be pretty well worn. So I used to write variations a lot more in order to play them in the competitions. Now I tend to just write a straight tune because the variations tend to get a bit over-long and ‘notey’.
A.A. Yes, they can get rather formula.
K.T. What I like to do sometimes is to get a well-known tune, like the ‘Mason’ Apron’ or ‘De’il among the Taylors’ and add a few variations to it, not too many, and just for fun — I like doing that.

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A.A. Many of the airs with variations that are traditionally played are for the keyless chanter, or the one just immediately after that, with a very limited range. It would be interesting to see some people making variations that use the full range of the chanter.

K.T. The only tune that I have come across like that was the ‘Londonderry Hornpipe’ for which Richard Butler wrote some variations. They were absolutely amazing.

A.A. Yes, Mike has a tape of you playing that. Can you still play it?

K.T. No. It was funny because Richard wrote these variations and I think he gave up on them, he didn’t have time to get them up for performance, they take an awful lot of work. I learnt them for a competition and I got about ninety per cent of the way with them, then I let them go and I’ve never actually played them again.

A.A. Have you still got the music?

K.T. No, but Mike’s got the tape.

A.A. We could spend some time jotting them all down! Seriously though, I would like to see the music because it was certainly very impressive.

K.T. Yes, it really used the full range of the chanter, every key was used in it.

A.A. So there are interesting avenues yet to be explored.

Future Plans

A.A. Talking of interesting avenues to be explored, what sort of plans do you have for the future?

K.T. It’s hard to say—there are many things that it’s possible to do. I’ve just got to wait and see which one comes along first. My motto is wait and see and everything will work out eventually. I’d like to get a band together, but I haven’t found the right people yet. It’s not just musically, it’s personality as well. It takes an awful lot to put a good band together. In the meantime I’m ninety-five per cent solo, although when I do get a chance to play with other musicians I really do enjoy it. In fact, I’ve been playing with a—I don’t quite know how to describe them—a Cajun R and B band (?) from Newcastle called Dust on the Needle. They’re great fun and have a big line-up: full drum-kit, congas, bass guitar, lead guitar, accordion, and occasionally sax and trumpet as well. I’ve been having a great time working with them.

A.A. There are always things you can do with a band that you can’t do solo. Do you find there are things you can do solo that you can’t do with a band?

K.T. Yes, there are quite a few tunes that, due to their very simplicity, work best with a single person playing alone on stage. This is an effect that you can’t get with a band. There are many bands going around at the moment, but there are very few solo instrumentalists.

A.A. Watching you on stage—when everything’s going well—there’s a very tight focus, it’s very intense and very different from the sound and effect created by a band.

K. T. It’s not just the playing, it’s the whole performance. I do an awful lot of talking to the audience — probably too much! I find it a lot easier talking to the audience when I’m standing on the stage alone. If there’s another person on stage with you, unless you’ve worked with that person for a long time, you’re always conscious of them sitting there, looking at their watch, or cleaning their nails.

A. A. So you think that if you do get a band together you’ll still want to play solo as well?
K. T. I’ll always do solo work, yes.

Records

A. A. Can you talk a little about the records that you’ve made?
K. T. I’ve made three records so far: From Sewingshields to Glendale (Mawson and Wareham 1033), On Kielder Side (Saydisc Records: SDL 343), and the new one, Borderlands (Black Crow Records: CRO C210). Borderlands has got a variety of instruments and instrumentalists on it, including yourself on concertina, Rod Clements (the bass player from Lindisfarne) on fretless bass, and Martyn Bennett from Edinburgh playing Scottish Small Pipes in duet with my Northumbrian pipes . . . From Sewingshields to Glendale features Joe Hutton (Northumbrian Pipes), Willy Taylor (fiddle), Will Atkinson (mouth-organ), as well as yourself on Northumbrian pipes . . .
A. A. These records cover two extremes of you current musical spectrum. Sewingshields is straightforward traditional music, well-played and some very nice stuff, but even so it has some modern arrangements and evolution or development of the tradition. With Borderlands some of the tracks are very straightforward and others, with different instruments have some very exciting new ideas being developed.
K. T. I was very pleased to play on the Sewingshields to Glendale record, to play with Willy, Will and Joe, because that’s the sort of music I’ve heard all my life, the sort of music my grand-parents and family enjoy. They like traditional music, they don’t really like folk music very much. When I brought this album home they liked it very much — the Border dance bands, real traditional stuff. That’s definitely my base — that’s what I’ve been brought up with.
A. A. That’s where you’re drawing the energies from to play in many different fields . . .

(The interview was transcribed by Biddy Wells and edited by Peter Stacey.)

Chanter 27

Welsh Bagpipes
(1) The Double Chanter in the Welsh Folk Museum

This article first appeared in Taplas April/May 1987

The existence of ’the Welsh Bagpipes’ has posed a point of discussion to musicologists and historians for quite some time now. Although it is now generally accepted that Wales, at one time, possessed the pipes, as such, as a native instrument, many questions remain unanswered.

The first question that arises is the one on the origin of the ‘Welsh double chanter’ in the collection of the Welsh Folk Museum, St. Fagans.

I first read about this instrument some twelve years ago, at which point I immediately reacted the same way as most people remotely interested in the subject did. My conclusion was that the instrument had to be North African, probably from a Berber source. My ideas were reinforced by the few lines on the subject in Anthony Baines’ book Bagpipes (still the principal reference book on bagpipes around the world). Baines writes: “A strange instrument of broadly similar construction (he is referring to another instrument from Beirut) is in the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff. Said to have come from a village in North Wales (Peate, 1947) it is inscribed with the date 1701.”

Years went by when I didn’t even think of Wales (I lived in the Netherlands at the time) until, by sheer coincidence, I enrolled for a course in musical instrument making near Caerphilly. Although the course was directed at violin making, I couldn’t help but follow my great love, the pipes, and decided to have a look at the instrument I had read about.

At first glance I was not convinced at all, rather sticking to my original thoughts; but on subsequent visits to St. Fagans I began to have doubts. Time passed and the uillean pipes seemed more important than two bits of cane with horns on the end.

In 1985, after a death in the family, I had to leave Wales and return to Holland, it seemed for good. Little did I realise that my soul had also become nationalised, just as a Dutchman abroad wears clogs, whereas before it never crossed his mind to do so. I became intrigued by the Welsh pipes. I simply went crazy about the idea and started experimenting with pibgyrn (the Welsh horn pipe — see Jonathan Shorland’s article, Taplas 17).

Last December I visited Roy Saer, an authority on Welsh culture and music, at St. Fagans and had some brief discussions with him on the subject. I also discovered that Jonathan Shorland, a maker of fine pibgyrn, had briefly referred to the Welsh double chanter in Taplas. He supported the generally accepted view, that this instrument was North African. I greatly respect Jonathan for his work and research on the much more clearly defined pibgorn, but I still have to place an enormous question mark behind his thoughts with regard to the pipes.

Over the years, I have observed a number of Bedouin and Berber pipes and, so far, have not come across an instrument that strongly resembles that in St. Fagans. One of the differences is the bevel on the yoke. I confess that the majority of yokes that I have seen were indeed of the disc type, as in the North African zukra.

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Chanter

I am not convinced that the instrument in St. Fagans is a remnant of a bagpipe, and not a pibgorn, as some suggest. I challenge those who support theories to the contrary to give me a tune on an instrument with a bevelled yoke, bearing in mind that two single reeds of considerable length would be vibrating violently in close proximity to the lips.

A point that many overlook is the clearly engraved date on the instrument. The inscription might have been made in some desert far away from Europe. It is commonly known that our modern numerals have their roots in Arabic script. There are several points of interest concerning this matter:

The actual writing styles do seem to differ, as indeed do the shapes of the numerals.

I always assumed that, since the normal Arabic sentence runs from right to left, the numerals would do so too. However, this does not appear to be so. The date does indeed read 1701 and not 1071.

This is important. It was recently brought to my attention that all Arab nations started their timescale at 0 some six hundred years after the Europeans did. Hence, the Arab nations have not yet reached the year 1701.

We might, therefore, conclude that the inscription is a later, European, addition . . . or we might even claim the instrument to be manufactured in Europe, yes even in Wales.

The inscription does, however, appear to be at least two centuries out of date, as the heyday of double-bell chanter bagpipes in Europe was during the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

Again, this can be explained by assuming that we are talking about an extremely isolated area. (Even now, we find long-lost knowledge in isolated regions of Wales).

I would like to point out that there is significant evidence in drawings and sculpture to assume that western European musical evolution can be viewed as a whole. There are sixteenth-century Welsh drawings of double chanter bagpipes, and on the roof of St. Mary’s Church, Shrewsbury (just over the border) sits an angel, carved in the fifteenth century, playing the double-bell chanter pipes.

All this could lead to the conclusion that Welsh double-chantered pipes have indeed been played, and that the instrument in St. Fagans could well be a Welsh instrument, from an area that had remained isolated for at least two centuries, or kept up its tradition for this length of time.

Our tendency to exaggerate could turn the tradition of perhaps one man (most likely to be a male shepherd) into the culture of an area or, sometimes, as the chauvinists prefer it, into the culture of a country.

Some food for thought is offered by a recently published report by Genetic and Population Studies in Wales. The results of a survey of 24,000 blood donors in Wales suggest that the generally accepted view, that the Welsh have their roots deeply engrained in the Celtic cultures, is, to say the least, shaky in its foundations. It is claimed that the Welsh, or rather the North Welsh, are related to the Berbers of North Africa.

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To summarise, there is only one way to establish the facts. This is to take some microscopic samples and check for the origins of the materials used to make the instrument. Modern carbon dating methods could be applied. Not enough has been done about this instrument, perhaps for fear of it not being Welsh. I do not know. Funding and time are, of course, always a problem, but it must be realised how important this sole relic is for musicology worldwide.

Theo Schuurmans

Welsh Bagpipes
(2) The bagpipes in Wales in recent centuries

This article first appeared in Taplas April/May 1987
Unlike Theo I am not a piper but I hope that my observations will complement what he has said by providing a brief historical account of the bagpipe in Wales during the post-Tudor centuries. Some of the questions raised by Theo must remain unanswered at this stage, I am afraid, but what follows should throw additional light in a few directions and, perhaps, lead us nearer to eventual solutions.

Let’s start with the illustrations themselves. The double-chanter (Fig. 1) — currently on public display at the Welsh Folk Museum — was acquired by the National Museum of Wales in 1937, from an elderly lady in Goodwick, near Fishguard. She was then the widow of Rev. John Morris, sometime vicar of Llanybydder, near Lampeter, and it was he who had, in 1913 or a little earlier, discovered the instrument “in a cottage in North Wales” and bought it for two shillings. Sadly, nothing at all is chronicled of the specimen’s history prior to this.

The chanter, which measures 42 cm in length, comprises:

a) a circular wooden stock, bevelled or slope-cut at one end and externally grooved around the other end, extending to form a semi-circular yoke with a flat upper face,

b) Two pipes of cane, with 6:6 finger-holes and accommodating two short and narrower cane pipes that link into the stock, all four pipes being wax-bedded, and tied with thread on to the yoke, and

c) two bells of cowhorn (each treble-pierced near the outer rim) fitted and secured with thread on to the main pipes.

30
Chanter

Both playing reeds, it should be confirmed, are missing.

Two features, when considered together, raise an intriguing issue. First of all, on the rounded under-side of the yoke is crudely incised the date 1701, which presumably indicates the instrument’s production or, perhaps, acquisition. Secondly, the groove around the stock has been taken by several researchers to indicate that this chanter once had a bag tied on at this point; in other words, what we have here is part of a bagpipe. But — were bagpipes actually being produced, or even used, in Wales as late as 1701? And were double-chantered bagpipes ever here anyway?

The answer to the second question might be affirmative. In the Central Library, Cardiff is housed a manuscript (formerly Havod MS 24 but today Cardiff MS 2.634) written during the period 1605–10 by Welshman John Jones of Gellilyfdy in the old Flintshire (now part of Clwyd). Along with crude drawings of harp and crwth, appear sketches of two bagpipe specimens (see Fig. 2). Both display a blowpipe, single drone and smallish bag; the most obvious difference between them is that the second example has a double, rather than single, chanter (with a surrealistic 9 left and 8 right fingerholes!).

Chanter 31

FIGURE 2. Bagpipes sketched by John Jones, Cardiff MS 2.634
(Reproduced by courtesy of County of South Glamorgan Libraries)

To my knowledge, these sketches — which were, two centuries later, copied by another Welshman, Hugh Maurice, into what eventually became British Museum Additional Manuscript 15036 — constitute the only iconographical evidence that might indicate the earlier existence of the double-chanter bagpipe in Wales. Having warily acknowledged this, though, we yet cannot take it for granted that John Jones of Gellilyfdy was here depicting native Welsh forms of the instrument — for one thing, although his speciality was copying Welsh-language manuscripts, most of this labour of love was actually carried out while he was in prison in distant London.

The period of the bagpipe sketches is also nearly a full century earlier than the date cut on our double-chanter, so that we must still ask whether bagpipes had, indeed, any role, active or passive, within Welsh culture as late as 1701. Well, a conclusive answer to that question occurs in a lengthy Welsh-language poem, on the thirteen counties of Wales, which was produced around 1720 by Dafydd Thomas and includes a verse which can be translated as follows:

Fair are the buildings in Carmarthen town,
From Lammas Street to King Street;
And it’s the “Back-Pipes” that most often play [there]
For the largest weddings in Wales.

Admittedly, when some three generations later, the harpist Edward Jones published his Musical and Poetical Relicks of the Welsh Bards (1784, 1794) he gave the impression that indigenous bagpipes belonged to much earlier centuries and were a phenomenon that he himself had never literally observed. But in the very same period, in the 1795 issue of The Cambrian Register, an unnamed commentator, who was better informed than the London-based Jones, wrote of “The Bagpipe” that:

This has been out of use in North Wales for upwards of two centuries past; but it is to be met with in many parts of the South.

This final, brow-raising claim is, in fact, borne out by several other sources. In those we find that the bagpipe invariably performed one and the same ceremonial function — in parts of southern Wales it featured centrally in so-called “horseback weddings”. And this tradition was to last into the opening decades of the nineteenth century. In 1815, the Rev. Peter Roberts, in his volume The Cambrian Popular Antiquities, outlined the crucial role of the piper on such an occasion:

On the day of the ceremony…the signal to the friends of the bridegroom was given by the piper, who was always present on these occasions, and mounted on a horse trained for the purpose; and the cavalcade, being all mounted, set off full speed, with the piper playing in the midst of them, for the house of the bride.

Roberts’s volume also provides an illustration (see Fig. 3) of a related wedding-custom which actually shows a horse-rider bearing a mouth-blown and three-droned bagpipe. However, as possible organological evidence for Wales, this copper-plate engraving by I. Havell should most likely be treated with extreme caution.

Perhaps we can set greater store by the fascinating comment offered in The Cambrian Register (vol. 3, 1818) by the unnamed author of An Historical Essay on the Manners and Customs of the Ancient Celtic Tribes, particularly their Marriage Customs:

The bagpipes used in Wales, in general, are the large Highland bagpipes, but in Pembrokeshire and some of the adjoining counties, the Irish pipes are most in repute, as they are in other places, for a private room, or for a dance.

Some additional accounts of the horseback wedding give the related bagpiping ritual a more specific regional location. This applies, for example, to William Young’s Guide to the Beauties of Glyn Neath (1835), in which the author maintained that:

Until very recently weddings were accompanied by from fifty to a hundred persons on horseback, to the parish church, the piper playing the bagpipes.

Young’s comment was much later quoted in The History of the Vale of Neath (1925) by D. Rhys Phillips, who revealingly added:

Chanter 33

Fig. 3. The “quintain” wedding custom, The Cambrian Popular Antiquities (1815)

This narration is exceedingly interesting because it is authoritative. It gives a definite record of the use and vogue of the Bagpipes till circa 1815–20, and partly confirms a statement made to the writer c. 1885, by Benjamin Hay of Lleina, near Aberpergwm — a most intelligent old Welshman of Scottish descent: ‘Y tro diwetha y clywas i’r pipa cwd yng Nghwm Nedd o’dd ym mriodas ych mamgu. Evan Gethin o Flaen Cwm Tawa o’dd yn i wara nhw.’ (‘I last heard the bagpipes in the Vale of Neath at your grandmother’s wedding. The player was Evan Gethin of Blaen Cwm Tawe.’)

Though lost to Glamorgan about the period indicated above, the bagpipes still enjoy wide popularity in other Celtic lands, such as Brittany, Ireland and especially Scotland. The pipe of Nedd probably resembled closely the small pipe of Brittany.

Phillips went on to deduce that “Presumably this wedding took place at Aberpergwm Church, c. 1818–20”.

Less than fifteen miles to the north, within the next county, the ritual of the bagpipe in matrimonial context had also survived into roughly the same period. For the Defynnog area, Theophilus Jones in The History of Brecknockshire (vol. IV, 1930) gave a vivid portrayal of the tradition’s spectacular final flourish:

What is known as the horse wedding took place in 1852. There was the usual racing and chasing, the attempts to steal away the bride, and all the mirth and jollity of bygone days. But one feature was wanting — that appealed to the ear as well as the eye — where was old Edward of Gwern-y-Pebydd, who, mounted upon his white horse, and pouring forth the wild music of the bag-pipe, had headed many a wedding party in their half frantic gallop over hill and vale? Alas! the old man had been gathered to his fathers, and even the instrument upon which he played has disappeared.

All but one of the foregoing references apply, of course, to the southern half of the country — where, it would seem, the bagpipe might well have enjoyed uninterrupted usage from mediaeval times through into the nineteenth century. This situation can hardly have been paralleled in the north, but pipes were probably still heard there occasionally, as for instance in late June 1698 at Chirk Castle, where a two-shilling payment was made to a pair of visiting pipers. (Quite possibly one of these was the ethnically labelled Pat O’Connor, whose portrait, dated around 1679, hangs today in the castle’s servant-hall.)

From the north also — and the Vale of Conway, specifically — comes one of the latest relevant references from the nineteenth century. Robert Griffith, in his volume Llyfr Cerdd Dannau (The Book of String-craft, 1913), testified that when very young (which would have been around 1855) he had at least twice seen, at Llanrwst fair, a feeble old man — a Welshman, he thought — playing “math o bibgod” (“a kind of bagpipe”), one which featured a huge wind-bag held under the player’s left arm. This Llanrwst reference is, however, baffling: by my present records it is, as a North Walian item, an isolated one-off. (For the south, one might almost say the same, though, for the contemporaneous 1851 census entries for Patrick (56) and John (17) Leydon of Pedwran Fach, Merthyr Tudful, both of whom were vocationally listed as “Musician Bagpipes”.)

These verbal references, between them, provide next to no physical or organological data for the instruments, much to our frustration. But, allowing for the fact that most of them refer to southern Wales, while the double-chanter now at St. Fagans was found in the north, they do warn us against too unthinkingly rejecting a possible Welsh provenance for the chanter. As Theo Schuurmans has judiciously noted, however, and as we must also bear in mind, there are alternative possibilities that demand to be considered.

D. Roy Saer

Chanter 35

Welsh Bagpipes
(3) A Reconstruction

At the 1986 Edinburgh Folk Festival, Peter Stacey of the Welsh group Aberjaber asked me to make him a Welsh bagpipe based on the double chanter in the Welsh Folk Museum, St. Fagans. It was something we had discussed several times since we had first met at the Pitt Rivers Museum bagpipe and hurdy-gurdy weekend in Oxford in September 1984.

Peter wanted the pipes to play in D, to be in modern pitch, to be reliable, and to retain their primitive appearance. The current revival of interest in bagpipes has encouraged the making of instruments of high quality and superior finish. This is good, but often it is forgotten that many of the pipes of the past would have been crudely made — like the unique example in St. Fagans. Its construction, however, lends itself very easily to having the chanters made to the required high standard, but leaving the yoke, the waxing and binding fairly basic in appearance.

I was sent a drawing of the chanter by Roy Saer of the museum. Two cane chanters, each with six finger holes and each terminating in a cow’s horn, are waxed and bound onto a wooden yoke which shows obvious signs of having once been tied into a bag.

To produce an instrument that meets modern requirements I have made some modifications. I have made a removable yoke which fits into a stock. This allows access to the reeds, which are double. The chanters are of yew with thumb holes for the top octave note. There are two holes for the top leading note, giving one the option of a flattened or sharpened note. The horns and reeds are on moveable slides for ease of tuning. The bores are slightly tapered, but they behave like parallel bores, sounding a low note. It is a Small-pipe, but is surprisingly loud as the horns amplify the sound.

With a double chanter one can achieve an extraordinary sound by tuning each pair of holes minutely differently to produce a slight beat. It is a surprising “whingeing” sound. One’s thumb and fingers have to get used to covering two holes each and of course there are possibilities of fingering each chanter separately . . .

One of the features Peter and I had discussed was whether a drone should be fitted. His solution has been to convert one of the chanters into a drone in D. At his request the right hand chanter has been made with no finger holes. There is a vent hole to allow one to drone in E, which would otherwise be stopped. (On a double chanter one can of course block off the holes in one chanter to use it as a drone on whatever note in the scale one desires.)

Using closed fingering and with no bottom leading note fitted, one can achieve a distinctive articulation by returning briefly to the amplified bottom D between each note of a tune.

I am aware that there is some doubt as to whether the chanter in St Fagans is of Welsh or North African origin. I have no firm opinions on this. I can however state categoircally that the Welsh Bagpipe is currently being made in Scotland.

Chanter
36

It has taken me much longer to develop this pipe than I originally anticipated, but it has been worth the wait; worth the alarming amount of reeds, yokes and chanters that have been discarded along the way. I am now very pleased with its design, appearance, and sound. It is a very useful and exciting bagpipe.

Julian Goodacre

Drawing by Pete Stewart

Chanter 37

RECORD REVIEWS

Borderlands, Kathryn Tickell; Black Crow Records CRO 210

Borderlands is the third album to be released featuring Kathryn Tickell on Northumbrian Small-pipes. This is surprising in itself as Kathryn is only twenty years old, but this new recording clearly shows that she has acquired a technical facility and musical maturity beyond her years. I suspect that Kathryn may be tiring of the ‘remarkably young’ epithet already and the music on this album demands a critical attention of a less sensational kind.

As well as Northumbrian Small-pipes Kathryn also plays violin on this album, although eight of the ten tracks feature Small-pipes. There is a variety of material here demonstrating three categories of musical source used by Northumbrian pipers: (1) the traditional piping repertoire (2) traditional melodies adapted from the repertoires of other instruments (3) contemporary original material written for the Northumbrian Small-pipes, or adapted for them. In the first category we find melodies drawn from the playing Billy Pigg and Tom Clough, the second includes material from the repertoire of the North Tyne fiddler ‘Kielder Jock’ and ‘The Border Fiddler Tom Hughes’, and the third category includes some excellent pieces written by Kathryn herself. There is variety in the treatment of the material also, from the traditional formula of solo presentation to imaginative accompaniments provided by Alistair Anderson (concertina), Rod Clements (fretless bass), Martin Matthews (cittern), Mick Wright and Gerry Kaley (guitars), and Anth Kaley (piano). One of the notable features of this album is the way in which attractive arrangements soften the sometimes austere image of the Northumbrian pipes, opening avenues to a broader audience for the instrument.

Also included is a pipe duet with Martyn Bennet (Scottish Small-pipes). This encapsulates the Borderland theme of the album which closes with a rendition of ‘The Flowers of the Forest’; the informative sleeve notes tell us that this is ‘a lament written after the Battle of Flodden’ and near the site of the battle stands a cross inscribed ‘To the Brave of Both Nations’.

Kathryn’s playing is crisp, clean and rhythmic throughout, but it is her own compositions that impress me the most. I particularly enjoy ‘Grey Bull Hornpipe’ and its rhythmic variant ‘Grey Bull Waltz’. In this review attention should focus primarily on the pipe melodies, but I cannot resist mentioning the violin melody ‘Roly Gentle’ written in memory of a friend from Cambridge. This is an angular and distinctive melody; I look forward to hearing more of Kathryn’s playing and composition . . .

Peter Stacey

38 Chanter

Kathryn Tickell’s records are available by mail order from:
Mawson and Wareham (Music) Ltd
Midgy Ha
Sharperton
MORPETH
Northumberland NE65 7AS

Coup de Quatre, Vielleux du Bourbonnais; Audivis AV 4516
This outstanding record comes from four leading exponents of the bagpipe and hurdy-gurdy tradition of Central France: Jean-Claude Blanc, Fréderic Paris, Patrick Bouffard, and Bernard Blanc.
Perhaps the main success of the record is that Bernard Blanc has made all the pipes used on this recording (Cornemuse du Centre, 14, 20, 26 pouces) and they all blend together perfectly. The music represented includes equal amounts of traditional and self-composed music — and it is hard to see the join between the styles.
Besides the usual bourrées there are also several more lyrical non-dance-orientated tunes which have become my favourite tracks. In particular ‘Conscription’ (F. Paris) and ‘L’Orientale’ (Mick Baudimont) deserve repeated hearing. The pipes speak beautifully in the upper register and there are some fine combinations of different styles of pipe in harmony. This is a most enjoyable recording — a must for all French traditional music enthusiasts.

(Available from Discovery Records, Broad Street, Beechingstoke, Wilts).

Brian Radford

Pass the Hat, Noise of Minstrels; Unicorn-Kanchana DKP 9060
Something of the atmosphere of medieval street bands can be imagined from the first offering on disc of Noise of Minstrels.
The group specialise in the performance of early and traditional music, both as a street band appearing at fairs and festivals and as concert/recital performers. The album features eight musicians playing an impressive range of instruments including bagpipes (English, French and Union), hurdy-gurdy, shawms, clarinet, bassoon, citole and gittern. The pipes are very much to the fore, being put through their paces to fine effect. This is a long record, with music drawn from a wide range of sources and has an overall feel reminiscent of the best of the Munrow output. Particular favourites are the opening set of French tunes, ‘Le Rossignol’, ‘Valse à Cadet’ and ‘J’ai vu le loup’, with a beautiful cascading bagpipe part and some nicely judged tempi; the French chanson ‘En Vraye Amoure’ that features some broad, powerful shawm playing, and another set of French tunes, ‘Morvandelle’, ‘Amusons nous fillettes’, ‘Mat Jeanet’ and ‘Branle du Rat’, which display some fiery hurdy-gurdy playing.

Chanter 39

Also enjoyable is a set of Playford tunes which feature a delicate recorder part and some confident pipe work.

It is interesting to hear the Union or Irish pipes used on two English tunes, one, ‘Pass the Hat Round’, composed by Robert White for the record. Robert puts in some beautiful gracing in a masterly performance. Also a favourite is a set of rhythmically exciting French polkas played with great exuberance on hurdy-gurdies. The French pipes are deftly put through their paces in an Anglo-Irish suite which includes a jig composed by hurdy-gurdy player Dave Chatterly for his former tutor Francis Baines. While some lovely harmonic textures are achieved, I felt that some of the vocal offerings did not match the instrumental standards.

The record closes with a Flemish suite which includes the gentle sound of the nineteenth-century French bassoon, and the bagpipes, which produce a sound on ‘Katten Polka’ (the Cat’s polka) reminding one of Galician super-group Milladoiro, with some dense harmonic structure.

All in all this is an impressive recording debut by a group whose blend of early and traditional melodies and songs works powerfully. I understand the group are hoping for more work on the concert/recital circuit, and certainly, if this record is anything to go by, they are a potent combination well worthy of attention.

Peter Davies

Al Manere Minstrelsy: Popular Music from 1250—1550, The Medieval Players; Plant Life Records PLR 052

In my (albeit somewhat limited) experience of Early Music recordings, most seem to consist of orchestral renditions supplemented by awfully nice tenor and soprano singers, a far cry from how the original music must have sounded.

Al Manere Minstrelsy goes a long way towards redressing this imbalance. It is produced by members of The Medieval Players, a touring theatre group, and does sound ‘medieval’, without being either amateurish or stuffy.

There are nineteen tracks altogether, of which all but four use bagpipes, one with two pipes in unison, the others in harmony. The types used are a Ginsberg English (mouth-blown, single drone) in ‘G’ and Flemish pipes by Swayne.

The instruments are ably played by Andrew Watts and Jeremy West, in various combinations with ‘C’ shawm, nakers, tabors and lute, but don’t expect too much sophistication or complexity from such very old music.

I personally found the simplicity of the tunes and their presentation refreshing, and one or two of the other tracks may well lend themselves to the bagpipes.

Some of The Medieval Players are also in the Carnival Band, and have recently made a record with Maddy Prior. There are two bagpipe tunes, of which more news around Christmas.

Jason Goss

Available from: The Medieval Players, 1 Lever Street, London EC1.

Richard Butler’s Handbook for the Northumbrian Small Pipes, Butler Publishing, Rothbury, Northumberland, 1987, 40 pp, £4.00.

Until now there has not been a sensible, comprehensive maintenance book available for the Northumbrian Small-pipes. Richard Butler, with the help and advice of various makers, players and others in the piping scene, has produced a very comprehensive book. It is well laid out with clear instructions covering the majority of problems encountered.

There are a few points which I find debatable; for example,

1. He suggests putting shellac glue on the stocks before tying in. I find this unnecessary; it only makes the job messier.

2. He suggests the use of epoxy resin for several repairs. This has disadvantages. It does not adhere satisfactorily to brass; it can make subsequent repairs more difficult; recorking the tuning-bead seats is much quicker and easier if a contact adhesive such as Evostik is used;

3. He suggests that a chanter reed should sound the note C when sucked. This note depends very much on how you suck the reed and can range from B to C# for different people. Once you have found the note appropriate to yourself, it is a very useful guide when selecting or making reeds. Completely removing the cork from a reed will make it flat and lifeless; I am very much against this practice. Why has the bridle suddenly changed to a girdle?

4. One set of drone reeds will work in all pitches of pipes according to Richard. I have found this not to be the case if you want reliable, steady drones. Also, I find short, heavy drones reeds to be louder rather than quieter than longer, lighter reeds.

The section on tuning is a very good summary, but there is a lot more to it than is implied here. If a piper does not have 100% control of bag pressure and a well-reeded and stable set of drones, tuning a chanter is virtually impossible; this point is not made. However, he does say that a top-quality chanter reed is needed.

A piper should (and a good one will) adjust to the natural working pressure of a reed rather than try to adjust a reed to what he or she thinks it should work at. A forced reed is unstable, gives poor tone and intonation, and has a shorter life.

If this is all I can find to niggle about, then there is obviously not much wrong with the book and, as Richard himself says in his introduction, there are differences between makers and more than one way to solve a problem. A useful additional feature of the book is an appendix which gives the French and German equivalents of the technical terms used. I have no reservations about recommending Richard Butler’s Handbook for the Northumbrian Small Pipes.

R. A. Greensitt

Chanter 40 Chanter 41

Disparity Music
Traditional Music Publications
Cheques/P.O’s to:
Matt Seattle, 44 Durban Street, Blyth, Northumberland NE24 1JP
Please add 10% to book value for U.K. p&p, up to a maximum of £1.50.

ENCYCLOPAEDIA BLONZABELLICA (EB) £6.50
Long awaited, the ‘official’ BB Tune & Dance Book – music, dance instructions, photos, cartoons, articles on Pipes & Hurdy-Gurdy by Jon Swayne & Nigel Eaton.

THE GREAT NORTHERN TUNE BOOK - PARTS 1 & 2 (GNT, GN2) £4.50 each, Part 3 due soon
William Vickers’ celebrated 1770 MS of ‘Country Dances’, edited in three parts, with notes, by Matt Seattle. Around 600 tunes in all, especially rich in more adventurous English tunes.

THE MASHER CENTRAL TUNE BOOK No.1 (MCT) £3.60
Compiled by Mel Stevens of ROGUES fame - 125 tunes from the exciting living tradition of Central France, music especially associated with Pipes & Hurdy-Gurdy.

BEWICK’S PIPE TUNES - 51 GMS (BT) £2.25 -
Airs, Dance tunes, Variations, from R.E. Bewick’s 19th Century MS of Northumbrian Pipe Tunes - a great addition to the standard repertoire.

THE PIPE WINGS (PW) £2.50
A collection of fiddle tunes by Matt Seattle, including ‘The Tartar Frigate’ recorded by Kathryn Tickell.

From Other Publishers -
PIPESMOK (PS) £5.40. Special report, 130 Dutch, French, Belgian, German, Mediaeval & Contemporary tunes, compiled by Mart Heijmans.
JOHN OF THE GREENY CHESHIRE WAY (JG) £4.80 John Offord’s collection of “Double” (3/2 & 9/4) Hornpipes - more esoteric than Jigs & Reels, but well worth the effort.
ALNWICK PIPERS TUNE BOOK (AP) £2.50 Mainly modern tunes, in Northumbrian idiom, including compositions of Will Atkinson, Willy Taylor & Alistair Anderson.

SINFONYE PUBLICATIONS

Bagpipes and Hurdy-gurdies by Peter Stacey and Stevie Wishart
“a delightful little book that could serve equally as a basic introduction to the two instruments or as a valuable source book for the already initiated person.” Keith Hudson in Topics
“informative, well-produced, ideal for people between the ages of ten and one hundred years old.” Paul James in Folk Roots
24 pp., 11 photos, 23 drawings £3.75 inc p+p

Fingering the Gaita Galega by Peter Stacey
A brief survey of methods of fingering the gaita galega, the bagpipe from Galicia, North-West Spain including fingering charts from master piperios Ricardo Portela, Juan Silvar and Pepe Ferreiros.
7 pp. anime, 6 charts £1.30 inc p+p

The Other Pipe Book
English melodies for bagpipes and hurdy-gurdies - currently being prepared for publication.

Also available from SINFONYE PUBLICATIONS…
Chanter: The Journal of the Bagpipe Society
Vol 1, Part 1: Interviews with four fames of Blonzabellica: Julian Goodacre on the Leicestershire Small-pipes………………………. £2.75 inc p+p
Vol. 1, Part 2: Interview with Jean-Pierre Ruski of ‘The Cuck and Bull Band’, Jonathan Swayne on Flemish Bagpipes after Breugel and ‘English’ Renaissance Reeds………………….

1 FLECETSPERSHIRE SMALL PIPE mouthblown or bellows blown
2 ENGLISH GREAT PIPE key of D or C
3 ITALIAN MOSA key of D or C
4 NEW BAGPIPES key of D,C, or C or F last

BAGPIPES made by JULIAN GOODACRE

5 SCOTTISH LOWLAND SMALL PIPES key of B or F
6 ENGLISH DOUBLE PIPES key of G or F
7 BORDER HORN loud cupped seed key of C or C

SCOTTISH HIGHLAND BAGPIPE ACCESSORIES
Drone and chanter reeds/practice chanter reeds/tempting in thread: pipe brushes: seasoning.

SAFE FOR LEAFLET
JULIAN GOODACRE
29 Bellevue Rd. Edinburgh EH7 4DL Scotland

Makers of Northumberian Small Pipes and Scottish Lowland Pipes

28 FAIRFIELD GREEN, WEST MONKSEATON, WHITLEY BAY, NE25 95D.

Telephone (091) 251 3845

heriot and Allan

JIMMY ANDERSON Maker of Scottish Small Pipes & Lowland Pipes

90 STIRLING RD. LARBERT FK5 4NF STIRLINGSHIRE SCOTLAND TEL. 0324 557091

This edition is from our archives, so it is presented as scanned pages rather than text.

Kathryn Tickell’s records are available by mail order from:
Mawson and Wareham (Music) Ltd
Midgy Ha
Sharperton
MORPETH
Northumberland NE65 7AS

Coup de Quatre, Vieilleux du Bourbonnais; Audivis AV 4516
This outstanding record comes from four leading exponents of the bagpipe and hurdy-gurdy tradition of Central France: Jean-Claude Blanc, Fréderic Paris, Patrick Bouffard, and Bernard Blanc.
Perhaps the main success of the record is that Bernard Blanc has made all the pipes used on this recording (Cornemuse du Centre, 14, 20, 26 pouces) and they all blend together perfectly. The music represented includes equal amounts of traditional and self-composed music — and it is hard to see the join between the styles.
Besides the usual bourrées there are also several more lyrical non-dance-orientated tunes which have become my favourite tracks. In particular ‘Conscription’ (F. Paris) and ‘L’Orientale’ (Mick Baudimont) deserve repeated hearing. The pipes speak beautifully in the upper register and there are some fine combinations of different styles of pipe in harmony. This is a most enjoyable recording — a must for all French traditional music enthusiasts.

(Available from Discovery Records, Broad Street, Beechingstoke, Wilts).

Brian Radford

Pass the Hat, Noise of Minstrels; Unicorn-Kanchana DKP 9060
Something of the atmosphere of medieval street bands can be imagined from the first offering on disc of Noise of Minstrels.
The group specialise in the performance of early and traditional music, both as a street band appearing at fairs and festivals and as concert/recital performers. The album features eight musicians playing an impressive range of instruments including bagpipes (English, French and Union), hurdy-gurdy, shawms, clarinet, bassoon, citole and gittern. The pipes are very much to the fore, being put through their paces to fine effect. This is a long record, with music drawn from a wide range of sources and has an overall feel reminiscent of the best of the Munrow output. Particular favourites are the opening set of French tunes, ‘Le Rossignol’, ‘Valse à Cadet’ and ‘J’ai vu le loup’, with a beautiful cascading bagpipe part and some nicely judged tempi; the French chanson ‘En Vraye Amoure’ that features some broad, powerful shawm playing, and another set of French tunes, ‘Morvandelle’, ‘Amusons nous fillettes’, ‘Mat Jeanet’ and ‘Branle du Rat’, which display some fiery hurdy-gurdy playing.

Chanter 39

Also enjoyable is a set of Playford tunes which feature a delicate recorder part and some confident pipe work.

It is interesting to hear the Union or Irish pipes used on two English tunes, one, ‘Pass the Hat Round’, composed by Robert White for the record. Robert puts in some beautiful gracing in a masterly performance. Also a favourite is a set of rhythmically exciting French pikols played with great exuberance on hurdy-gurdies. The French pipes are deftly put through their paces in an Anglo-Irish suite which includes a jig composed by hurdy-gurdy player Dave Chatterly for his former tutor Francis Baines. While some lovely harmonic textures are achieved, I felt that some of the vocal offerings did not match the instrumental standards.

The record closes with a Flemish suite which includes the gentle sound of the nineteenth-century French bassoon, and the bagpipes, which produce a sound on ‘Katten Polka’ (the Cat’s polka) reminding one of Galician super-group Milladoiro, with some dense harmonic structure.

All in all this is an impressive recording debut by a group whose blend of early and traditional melodies and songs works powerfully. I understand the group are hoping for more work on the concert/recital circuit, and certainly, if this record is anything to go by, they are a potent combination well worthy of attention.

                                                                                                                      Peter Davies

Al Manere Minstrelsy: Popular Music from 1250—1550, The Medieval Players; Plant Life Records PLR 052

In my (albeit somewhat limited) experience of Early Music recordings, most seem to consist of orchestral renditions supplemented by awfully nice tenor and soprano singers, a far cry from how the original music must have sounded.

Al Manere Minstrelsy goes a long way towards redressing this imbalance. It is produced by members of The Medieval Players, a touring theatre group, and does sound ‘medieval’, without being either amateurish or stuffy.

There are nineteen tracks altogether, of which all but four use bagpipes, one with two pipes in unison, the others in harmony. The types used are a Ginsberg English (mouth-blown, single drone) in ‘G’ and Flemish pipes by Swayne.

The instruments are ably played by Andrew Watts and Jeremy West, in various combinations with ‘C’ shawm, nakers, tabors and lute, but don’t expect too much sophistication or complexity from such very old music.

I personally found the simplicity of the tunes and their presentation refreshing, and one or two of the other tracks may well lend themselves to the bagpipes.

Some of The Medieval Players are also in the Carnival Band, and have recently made a record with Maddy Prior. There are two bagpipe tunes, of which more news around Christmas.

                                                                                                                       Jason Goss

Available from: The Medieval Players, 1 Lever Street, London EC1.

Richard Butler’s Handbook for the Northumbrian Small Pipes, Butler Publishing, Rothbury, Northumberland, 1987, 40 pp, £4.00.

Until now there has not been a sensible, comprehensive maintenance book available for the Northumbrian Small-pipes. Richard Butler, with the help and advice of various makers, players and others in the piping scene, has produced a very comprehensive book. It is well laid out with clear instructions covering the majority of problems encountered.

There are a few points which I find debatable; for example,

1. He suggests putting shellac glue on the stocks before tying in. I find this unnecessary; it only makes the job messier.

2. He suggests the use of epoxy resin for several repairs. This has disadvantages. It does not adhere satisfactorily to brass; it can make subsequent repairs more difficult; recorking the tuning-head seats is much quicker and easier if a contact adhesive such as Evostik is used.

3. He suggests that a chanter reed should sound the note C when sucked. This note depends very much on how you suck the reed and can range from B to C# for different people. Once you have found the note appropriate to yourself, it is a very useful guide when selecting or making reeds. Completely removing the caik from a reed will make it flat and lifeless; I am very much against this practice. Why has the bridle suddenly changed to a girdle?

4. One set of drone reeds will work in all pitches of pipes according to Richard. I have found this not to be the case if you want reliable, steady drones. Also, I find short, heavy drones reeds to be louder rather than quieter than longer, lighter reeds.

The section on tuning is a very good summary, but there is a lot more to it than is implied here. If a piper does not have 100% control of bag pressure and a well-reeded and stable set of drones, tuning a chanter is virtually impossible; this point is not made. However, he does say that a top-quality chanter reed is needed.

A piper should (and a good one will) adjust to the natural working pressure of a reed rather than try to adjust a reed to what he or she thinks it should work at. A forced reed is unstable, gives poor tone and intonation, and has a shorter life.

If this is all I can find to niggle about, then there is obviously not much wrong with the book and, as Richard himself says in his introduction, there are differences between makers and more than one way to solve a problem. A useful additional feature of the book is an appendix which gives the French and German equivalents of the technical terms used. I have no reservations about recommending Richard Butler’s Handbook for the Northumbrian Small Pipes.

                                                                                                                       R. A. Greensitt