Bagpipe history


Home About the Band Free Lesson Hire the Band Rent a Piper Color Guard Photo Gallery Gallery 2006 Gallery 2008 History of Pipes Tartan Contact Us Link Download Brochure Now Members Only Pages	The History of the Great Highland Bagpipes A wee bit of history........Contrary to popular belief, bag and pipe musical instruments probably originated in the Middle East - not in Scotland! It's believed that Celtic tribes introduced the bagpipe to Scotland(then known as Caledonia) sometime around 1 A.D. Stirring bagpipe music soon became a vital part of Scottish social and military life. Even in World War II, pipers still accompanied troops into battle. Today, bagpipe music is synonymous with Scottish culture. The bagpipe is a musical instrument having reed pipes that are actuated by air pressure from a windbag to which the pipes are attached. The melody is played on one pipe (the chanter) or two (the double chanter) having fingerholes. Most chanters have a melodic range limited to one octave, or, at most, a ninth, although in some highly developed instruments keys are used to extend the range. The other pipes--up to six--are called drones; usually rested on the shoulder, they play one sustained tone each and furnish the accompaniment. In modern instruments pipes are inserted in stocks that are permanently sewn into the bag. In some bagpipes--the Scottish, for example--air is supplied by the player blowing into a tube connected to the bag. In others, such as the French musette, the air is supplied by bellows, usually placed under the arm of the player, who regulates the pressure. In the earlier, Eastern instruments, both the chanter and the drone pipes have single reeds; in some modern types, all the pipes have double reeds, as with those used in Italy and parts of France, or the drones have single reeds and the chanter has a double reed, as in those of Ireland, Scotland, and Brittany. Bags have been made from the whole skin of a sheep, goat, or other small animal. Modern bags are sometimes cut from leather or made of rubber or some other synthetic material. Originally of bone or ivory, the pipes today are normally made of some kind of hardwood. Bagpipe music falls into two basic cultures- Ceol Mor,(Kyoll-more) the classical "great music," and Ceol Beag,(Kyoll-bek) the popular "little-music." The repertoire of the St. Andrew's Pipe Band included both. Whether it's Ceol Mor or Ceol Beag, this ancient art is as delightful today as it surely was long ago.

Home
About the Band
Free Lesson
Hire the Band
Rent a Piper
Color Guard
Photo Gallery
Gallery 2006
Gallery 2008
History of Pipes
Tartan
Contact Us
Link

Download Brochure Now

Members Only Pages

The History of the Great Highland Bagpipes

A wee bit of history........Contrary to popular belief, bag and pipe musical instruments probably originated in the Middle East - not in Scotland! It's believed that Celtic tribes introduced the bagpipe to Scotland(then known as Caledonia) sometime around 1 A.D. Stirring bagpipe music soon became a vital part of Scottish social and military life. Even in World War II, pipers still accompanied troops into battle. Today, bagpipe music is synonymous with Scottish culture.

The bagpipe is a musical instrument having reed pipes that are actuated by air pressure from a windbag to which the pipes are attached. The melody is played on one pipe (the chanter) or two (the double chanter) having fingerholes. Most chanters have a melodic range limited to one octave, or, at most, a ninth, although in some highly developed instruments keys are used to extend the range. The other pipes--up to six--are called drones; usually rested on the shoulder, they play one sustained tone each and furnish the accompaniment. In modern instruments pipes are inserted in stocks that are permanently sewn into the bag. In some bagpipes--the Scottish, for example--air is supplied by the player blowing into a tube connected to the bag. In others, such as the French musette, the air is supplied by bellows, usually placed under the arm of the player, who regulates the pressure.

In the earlier, Eastern instruments, both the chanter and the drone pipes have single reeds; in some modern types, all the pipes have double reeds, as with those used in Italy and parts of France, or the drones have single reeds and the chanter has a double reed, as in those of Ireland, Scotland, and Brittany. Bags have been made from the whole skin of a sheep, goat, or other small animal. Modern bags are sometimes cut from leather or made of rubber or some other synthetic material. Originally of bone or ivory, the pipes today are normally made of some kind of hardwood.

Bagpipe music falls into two basic cultures- Ceol Mor,(Kyoll-more) the classical "great music," and Ceol Beag,(Kyoll-bek) the popular "little-music." The repertoire of the St. Andrew's Pipe Band included both. Whether it's Ceol Mor or Ceol Beag, this ancient art is as delightful today as it surely was long ago.