Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1906-01-08
1RICIy OF THE BAGPIPE.

f1rdol -. 20 The encyClQpHQlai tne naB-
AccoTalus instrument. the liked char
pipe is WIN fir'bich has always been two or
sctensilc o. w.: s. attached to and sounded
more ree9 p'i os. or bag. which bag has in
81 by VIVA '.,,ln.nlied either by the lungs OF
turn been sup ~ bv a bellows. The origi-
the psroIl.ssr.. WAS presumably the simple
ra n, ~ shepherd pipe WHICH a' We 5.o WI
REQ. ~ n me Trojans, hgyPtians' SIeehs
known y But the strain oil blowing
ind ho l.'snt pipes was so great that some
these ...n''eiyed the idea Of having re-
genius eon niy If wind in a bag attached to
serve SUPP and hence the bagpipe; The
the p'pss :.strument is believed to have
first Teal u, n goat or kid with two pipes
beena sA ". II which the bag was inflated
thToisl oD uniting the sound. In early
the ol.- t,vnine was common in Great
tines u abroad At one time there
Britain ~. ~ Inherent kinds known on the
vs'e u.s some inflated by the mouth
lo Ia.bers by bellows; while IN the British
,ll O .brse kinds were known-the great
Ne s, .r,i barpipe. the Lowland bagpipe
slla .i@,d (which closely resembled the
3 siao,..,aaberiand) and the Irish bagpipe.
Aoi NY great Highland bagpipe, which
N'ne had but one drOne, Waived
oisHias3s from the mouth TO an alright
lloe nI;sb has four other oriices, three
nasl .rorgh 10 contain the base of three
is5 innr tubes termed drones, and an
me- '.rn,sller TO which is fitted the chanter
GU .t-ss are thrown on the shoulder.
IN. M latter is held in the hands. All
W., - ones are fitted with reeds, but of
Ia ES., st kinds. The drones are tuned by
~. If sliders. or movable joints, and
". nning or preparation for playing,
Va generally occupies a few minutes
Y NV M miner time before he begins the
..os nroper Is heard with impotence by
+ ~ noi accustomed TO the instrument.
t-isod Il gave rise TO the saying, applied
4 Scofland 10 those who waste time over
: .-,sil matters You are longer in tuning
,or pipes than in playing your tune.
M Scottish Lowland bagpipe, like the
yorbumbran pipe. was in two forms, one |
..rs.ing of a smaller and milder toned |
,iaon of the Highland instrument and the |
slsr miniature of this and having the |
rms ralatbn toit as the fife has 10 a Ger |
mn hand. It's great drawback. from the !
r1i,i Of view Of the devotees Of the High !
b-8 bagpine IS that it is unsuited to per- |
bm what they consider the perfection of I
M music the pibroch. These small I
rDswere. however. gentler than the High /
hii having the same tone, but less sonor- |
: u L was 20 the strains of such a bag !
r'e that Chaucer tells us the company Of |
rims lett London, and It is the same /
Instrument that is alluded to ia Shakes |
p.an Is the Lincolnshire bagpipe The |
4 irh baepipe is the instrument In its most /
sabomte form and is supplied with wind |
a Ms bellows The drones are all fixed on /
or stock and have keys which are PLAYED |
tyiie wrist of the right hand. The reeds /
On 0it and the tones very sweet and /
rs0ii0us and there is a harmonious bass
Vkghhvey effective in the hand of good /
Tlysr The Irish instrument is fast diving
cr Bot there Is believed to be at least one /
player In Glasgow. an old man, bent with /
ylH but devoted TO bis pipes. who takes /
hs stand near the top of the classic High |
glE and 10 a small but appreciative /
audience renders Scottish and Irish airs on |
the hgppe of Erin.
The bappe- though at one time fairly |
common never obtained a firm hold In I
England IL lost favor and gradually de- l
tir0Hiei until it is now practically ex- I
tnH The average Englishman neither /
appreciates nor understands it. A fa- /
nous poet irreverently once compared its !
nie to the shrill screech Of a lame
poa caught in corn, while another !
Mgiic writer ikens its sound to a Choir 1
H,en0sy, mad lrishman, or to the cries i
O de "eternally tomented. - To the i
nh people it appeals more strongly: /
lnsy sull possess in a degree the feeling Of /
li2ehment 20 the bagpipe which is SO gen
tial among ocotsmen. There is evidence 4
Of ths IN the revival of pipe bands In |
letam Irish regiments. But it Is i'm 4
aolbtedly more closely associated with |
scotland both in the Highlands and Low
2nas than with any other country.
N particular instrument in use being 4
ne great Highland bagpipe, which. /
already explained, consists of three |
llohss including the big drone. /
.heh was added about the begin
Lls o. last century; il is this type which I
- gradually superseded the Lowland 4
wy There Is no doubt that the baqpipe /
wy 10 use IN Scotland from a very early /
eioli and it is in Scotland that II has
.tsl brought TO the highest degree of per |
n. si'5 Is music distinctly connects It
s'.l scotland as is clear in the pibroch,
~. VI .,lalhspey, the reel, the march and |
nv. NJ. popular melodies. There are proofs |
~. 'le instrument was cultivated In that
..I certainly in the Twelfth Century. |
a. r ~ US universal popularity as early as /
49,, -.sin'eenth Century; while in the Seven
a.-i 'l century nearly every town in the
~, s.i4nus and Lowlands Boosted of its
y y ;,. not sufficiently realized that the /
4 .'5 highland bagpipe is fitted for High |
ila music only. IL Is most offensive ~
i,... , WV understand and appreciate the
S..lIen to hear English and other un- |
s ,,,,.ule airs attempted on it. It is the
el,. H'4. OF highland music, and Of that /
rs,',. " also belongs to the open air as
,r5 - ~. as heather belongs to the hills !
No. aali.on to the sea lochs. Il is quite "a
rs ,I.,l innovation, though pleasing one. |
Sal9 70 Scotsmen, for the pipers OF |
hbio ~. regiments TO play around the mess
4 ,s,.;' -.5et dinner There has been quite /
a , s..a. IN the popularity OF the bagpipe |
Isl. iscent years and it IS now heard In |
hr5i F PIGMENTS and in the Northumber- |
ds'jI u.sliers, the sides having been intro
,rsis. mo the Indian and Egyptian |
safiiIsd These regiments are in every way |
N s,to.l " nave pipers, so long as there Is
,bero TO dress or otherwise disguise
M, ~ W me Scottish national uniform
rai rs an, an Is said and done, the fact re-
iopi, '. nay the bagpipe, as at present pat
Sootisr5 is the national instrument OF
rs r.'a1a, To the Scotsman there Is
q T;r charm about it that never fails |
tbon 1,t. lhe blood It intensifes bis |
vbic5 ! ana ans. inspires him in a manner
NotbiDaE qlliheult to describe in words |
tie r;,ss WV rouse a Scottish audience az
come q y ~ VIII, and no sound is more wei |
Notes Of t NJ, open gathering than the wild |
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