Bagpipes

Bagpipes are a musical instrument characterized by a sack usually made of animal skin with several protruding pipes. Although they are the national instrument of Scotland and are often associated with that country, the bagpipes are an ancient instrument that most likely originated in the Middle East. Historians believe the bagpipes may be one of the earliest instruments to have been made. They are mentioned in the Bible and in many other ancient forms of literature, and they have been associated with historical figures including Roman emperors and British monarchs. In addition, there are many variations of bagpipes found throughout the world.

Background

Historians say that people were playing simple wind instruments made from straws, hollow reeds, bamboo, and other similar natural materials before any form of written history existed. Over time, improvements were made to these simple pipe instruments, such as intentionally flattening or cutting the area where the player blows into the instrument and adding holes down the length of the pipe that could be covered with the player's fingers to alter the sound. Eventually, two pipes were connected side by side with matching holes on each to increase the volume when both pipes were blown simultaneously.

Another development in these early instruments was permanently covering or blocking the holes on one pipe in a parallel pipe set so that it sounded a continuous note while a melody was played on the second pipe. This one-note pipe was called a drone. Over time, these parallel pipes were made so the drone was longer and played a deeper note than the other pipe.

In some areas, a different form of pipe called a divergent pipe was invented. In this case, the two pipes were held to the mouth separately and each held in a separate hand. This allowed the piper to play a different tune on each pipe. Eventually some of the holes on these were altered or covered, and drone pipes were created.

At some point in history prior to the first century CE, someone decided to add a bag of animal skin to the pipe instruments. The skin of a small animal such as a goat, lamb, or dog was used. By inflating the skin with air and pressing it between the body and the arm to squeeze the air out a little at a time, the piper could maintain a continuous note without pauses for breathing.

Early references to pipe instruments are found in the Book of Genesis and the Book of Daniel in the Jewish Old Testament of the Bible. There are carved stone images of pipers that date back to 1000 BCE, and stone and pottery figurines depicting pipers with different forms of pipes throughout the millennia to follow. Although there are some allusions to pipes with bags in Greek writings and at least one known figurine from the first century BCE that appears to depict a piper that also has a bag with a drone attached, the earliest written record of someone playing bagpipes refers to the Roman emperor Nero.

The Romans carried bagpipes with them during their conquests; as a result, forms of the instrument can be found throughout Europe. These include the gaita in Portugal and Spain, the Italian zapogna, and the French cornemuse. These and other forms of bagpipes appeared in art and literature, including references in The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer and Henry IV by William Shakespeare. They became especially popular among the British monarchy; English Kings Henry VII and Henry VIII are known to have had pipers. Henry VIII had several bagpipes in his personal collection and may also have played them. James I of Scotland was also a piper.

Overview

In contemporary times, the instrument most commonly associated with bagpipes is the Scottish Great Highland bagpipe. Although other variations of the instrument may be made of different types of animal skin and have varying numbers of pipes, the typical Scottish bagpipe is made of a bag of sheepskin that is sewn and then treated to prevent it from leaking air. The mixture used to treat it is often specially made by the bagpipe crafter and considered a trade secret. This bag is often covered with a more decorative covering of fabric in plaid or a solid color.

The Scottish bagpipe bag has five protrusions: three drones, a chanter, and a pipe for filling it with air. Two of the drones are tuned to the same tenor note, while the third is an octave lower. The drones are tuned by means of a reed that can be moved; the reed vibrates and gives the drone its sound. The chanter is similar to the instrument known as a recorder, with finger holes that are covered to make the various notes. There is also an additional pipe that the piper blows into to keep the bag filled with air.

To play the bagpipe, the piper fills the bag with air, then places the bag under the arm so it can be compressed. The compression forces the air through the chanter and the drones, resulting in music. As a rule, Scottish bagpipes play music written in the key of D major.

Beginning pipers will use a practice chanter—an instrument without the drones or bag—to learn the nine notes of a typical Scottish bagpipe. They also learn fingering techniques to break up the sound, such as grace notes (lifting and replacing the finger on the hole) and strikes (covering an additional hole and then uncovering it). Once the basic skills are mastered in the chanter, the player moves on to learning how to control the air flow through the bag.

From the time they first arrived in Scotland about two thousand years ago, bagpipes have been an important part of Scottish life. In the Middle Ages, many towns hired a piper and drummer to walk through town playing to awaken people. They also were part of town festivals and official events. Since then, Scottish bagpipes have become a traditional part of many ceremonial events, even in countries other than Scotland. They are a frequent part of state processions in many countries and are often part of funeral services.

The way bagpipes are made creates two potential problems for a piper. Moisture from the piper's breath held in the natural skin tends to make the bag deteriorate faster than many other instruments. The moisture also provides breeding grounds for microorganisms such as fungi and bacteria; this has led to some pipers developing a form of pneumonia that can cause irreversible lung damage and even death.

Bibliography

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Cannon, Roderick D. The Highland Bagpipe and Its Music. J. Donald, 2002.

Cheape, Hugh. Bagpipes: A National Collection of a National Instrument. National Museums of Scotland, 2008.

Chen, Aria Hanguy. "'Bagpipe Lung' Fungi Kill Piper, Doctors Say." CNN, 23 Aug. 2016, www.cnn.com/2016/08/22/health/bagpipe-lung-fungi-death-case-study/. Accessed 11 Feb. 2017.

"History of the Bagpipes." Bagpipes.co.uk, www.bagpipes.co.uk/bagpipes-in-history.html. Accessed 11 Feb. 2017.

"Phil Cunningham's Pipe Dream: How Bagpipes Work." BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/15mzZBRs8rRYrxw0rrrPl2g/how-bagpipes-work. Accessed 11 Feb. 2017.

Rech, Adelheid. "Music in the Daily Life of Vermeer: The Bagpipe." The Vermeer Newsletter, www.essentialvermeer.com/folk‗music/bagpipe.html#.WJ-iNjuMCCS. Accessed 11 Feb. 2017.