Bagpipes –
They are used at weddings and funerals, in war to frighten the enemy and to welcome home returning soldiers to celebrate a victory. They are most associated with Scotland and Ireland.
But the truth is, bagpipes have been documented for at least 1,000 years and it is likely they are even older than that.
The evidence suggests that they originated in either what is now Turkey or Egypt. However, some interpretations document mentions of the pipes in the first century by Aristophanes, a Greek playwright who talked of the pipers that came from Thebes. From there, bagpipes are known to be from India to Spain, and throughout the British Isles.
Scotland
In Scotland it’s said in the 14th century, every town would hire its own bagpiper, with wealthy families taxed to provide the honor for the pipers who would play in the churches. Chaucer wrote about “A bagpipe well couth he blowe and sown.”
Today, while the Scots are best known for the pipes, and Scotland the Brave is one of the most popular tunes played, there are more pipes in New Zealand, also renowned for its pipe bands, than there are in Scotland or Ireland.
The Pipes
There are only nine notes on the bagpipe, and the pipes themselves were originally animal skins, first pig skins, later generally sheep or goat skins. The dead animal carcass would be cleaned and turned inside out.
Later, some pipes were made with hollow stalks or bamboo and today, for convenience and ease, many are now plastic, metal or synthetic leather.
Military Use
Used in war, it is believed pipes could be heard as far distant as ten miles, frightful to the enemy; Many military officers believe the shrill sounds of the pipes scares the enemy and gives them an added advantage. That practice is believed to have started at the Battle of Culloden in Scotland and lead eventually to lines of pipers coming in with the troops. It is said that the Highland Regiment would not go into battle with accompanying music being properly piped as they marched. Pipers did accompany Celtic troops in both World War I and WWII.
England
In England, the late Queen Elizabeth was said to love bagpipes, and rumor has it that she preferred to be awakened by a bagpipe band playing beneath her window for a quarter of an hour rather than a simple alarm clock . And at her request, the Francesco Sultana played for the Queen at the Commonweatlh Heads of State Summit using a goat skin bag.
Scotland the Brave
Scotland, the land most known for pipes and its Scotland the Brave tune, also officially named bagpipes at one time as an instrument of war. That was in 1746 under the Act of Proscription after the Jacobite Uprising of 1745 at the Battle of Culloden.
That has been described as Scotland’s last battle for independence when the Highland Clans were fighting the forces of British imperialists led by Bonnie Prince Charlie attempting to take over their country.
Others believe it was a battle to restore the Starts to the British Throne and bring Catholicism back to England.
When the Jacobites were soundly beaten and were taken prisoner, one of them, in attempting to free himself from imprisonment, argued he was not a soldier, but a bagpiper. Hence, the instrument was then identified as an instrument of war. The ’bagpiper,” James Reid, was hung, drawn and quartered.
United States
Currently there are two official pipe bands attached to the armed forces in the United States: the U.S. Air Force Reserve Pipe Band and the U.S. Coast Guard Pipe Band. The Great Highland Bagpipe has become a fixture of military tradition here in this country as well
Derek Midgley
Bagpiper Derek Midgley agrees. The Great Highland Bagpipe is the most readily recognizable of all the different forms of pipes, he said.
He also points out that bagpipes range in price from $%1,200 to $1,600, but he believes the difference in price is really based on aesthetics. “There is really no difference in quality in the wood used, relative to brands. it’s more if you want imitation ivory, vs nickel, vs silver, vs engraved silver as decoration.” As instruments go he said, “I think its relatively inexpensive. But that’s also just the wood (pipes). you need to purchase for a few more hundred and replace every so often, the bag, reeds, bag cover, other various items to make it function proper.”
