The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-29
Highland Music.
WHAT sCoTCHMAN HEARS IN THE BAGPlPEs
DRoNE.

WHAT sCoTCHMAN HEARS IN THE BAGPlPE's
DRONE
At a recent sociable gathering of the Congre-
gationallsts in GLASGOW, Rev. DIR. Macleod mace
humorous little speech on the pecuiaritles Of
Highland music. He said:-
II remember hearing a story of a scotchman
who was in India, and who asserted that the
Scotch had national music that no other coun-
try in the world had. Some Englisnman who
was present SAID, Nonsense, we have far better
music than yours 'I'll wager YOU, SAID the
Scotchman, that III sing sangs thatll maxi the
company greet, laugh and dance, a within a
quarter o. an hour And he did it. He first
played The land o. the leal and he was inter.
rupted by some one saying, 20! mon, what for
are ye maxim us greet that way? Then he
played another tune-Im not sure but it was,
we are nae tou, we're nae that fou, but jist a
drappe IN our ee' (renewed laughter), and then
he struck INTO TulloChgorum' (applause), and
every man in the room 10 his legs danced.
loud applause) In regard TO myself, l don't
know what it Is that's about this Highland
music but have for a number of years been
hearing music of the best kind, and played by
The Wolld's best per OrmerS, and | can listen
and enjoy It with all MY heart; but the moment
hear that aud bagpipe it tak's me by the
throat. If ever you hnd Highlander that does
not care about the bagpipe, take care TO get
receipt nom him when you pay him an account.
(Roars of laugnter.) Ii he has no musical ear,
don't blame the poor fellow, but pity him; but
if he has a musical ear, and don't like the pipes,
take you care OF that chap.
'Ihele is a great deai of talk Just now about
organs, but think there is a great advantage
in an instrument which is not filed with wind by
the handle OF bellows, but b. the strong hearty
breath OF an oUt-and-out Highlandman. (Great
laughtcr.) Did you ever hear OF an organ being
played III advance OF a regiment going up in the
charge against the French? What would your
ORGANS have done in Egypt and at Waterloo?
Why, q single shot would have DESTROYED them,
What could they do in the Galway boat with a
heavy breeze blowing, in a grand Highland glen,
or on the top OF our mountains? There Is no
music in the world to be compared with the
bagpipe | say it seriously. You cannot i'm
prove the baepipe; it is the best of its kind Con-
slider its associations. People who don't know
our associations. don't understand them, and the
more's the pity. When you and hear the bag
pipe it's not merely hearing the sounds that come
from its drone; it is more than that, for we
dream OF the old glen and the old freside. Wher-
ever you hear it throughout the world-and
Highlander dreaming. He begins 10 dream of
the old house IL the old glen, and he sees in il
his tather, his mother, and his kinsmen; he
dreams of tie old kirk, and he sees the people
in it; of the chuTChyard, and he thinks of those
who are lying in it-al comes up to his magina-
tion at the call of the bagpipe. loud appause)
ut is very difficult to define what this music
is. There is music in nature that you cannot
set down for the piano iorte. 1t is in the roar
ing of the winds, in the moaning OF the waves,
and i'll the cry OF the wild bird-and ali this you
hear in the bagpipe 1t is the music that High
landeIs understand best; and though a High
and may hear all the music that was ever COM
posed, yet there is something in the bagppe
that will cheer him when nothing else can.
"In the Southern States OF America,
amidst all the war and all the difficulties OF
late years, there are sixteen congregations of
Highlanders who have existed for one hundred
years without aid from emigration. l remember
once, when abroad, Of asking servant at
hotel to give gratuity to my driver. He did
moi understand my English norlny French-but
when accidentaly-and it was good idea
tIied hm with Am bheii Gaelic Gthad? he at
once replied Ibd."