The Bagpipe Society

Grace Notes

Just a few brief notes to kick off this Spring 2020 edition – there’s no room for any more from me as it’s another packed, eclectic edition of articles and features. I never cease to be amazed at how wide a diversity of material is included in Chanter and this, I suppose, simply reflects the wide diversity of pipes, players, cultures, histories and music that this single (!) instrument shares. However, all bagpipes and bagpipers should come together to celebrate the instrument this coming 10th March as it is, of course, International Bagpipe Day! Go out, play your pipes loud and proud and make some noise! And if you can record your efforts, then please share via social media, post on the Bagpipe Society Facebook page and tag #bagpipes, #internationalbagpipeday, #makesomenoise, or whatever will help promote the day and the instrument.

Finally, the word is spreading! I am really pleased that the Society has hit its 300th membership mark. Each year we gain some new members and we lose a few members, that’s the way of societies in general – but over the last few years there has been a gradual year on year increase in membership. It was about 170 when I took over the editorship in 2014 and the landmark 300 is a great one to achieve. The Facebook page stands at over 2,130 likes, so it means that we still have a few more fans to convert!

Dear Jane

The “Cat playing the bagpipes” is taken from a book given to me as a present, called “Medieval Cats”. (BL Harley 6564, FF 40R). I hope you can print it in the magazine.

Kind regards, Roger Fleming

Editor’s note: I am very familiar with the image of the fiddle playing cat which is from the same manuscript, in fact on the next folio, but the bagpiping cat is not as well known.

Hi Jane,

In “The Every Day Book” by William Hone (1780-1842), London: William Tegg, (1825, 1827), in a section on waits I found the attached engraving after Bloemart and the following poem. The painting by Bloemart is well known, the engraving less so.

Regards and a piping new year Alan Radford

He blows his bagpipe soft or strong, Or high or low, to hymn or song, Or shrill lament, or solemn groan, Or dance, or reel, or sad o-hone! Or ballad gay, or well-a-day— To all he gives due melody.

https://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/History/Rise_of_Secular_Music.htm

Hello Jane,

I warmly remember your encouragements when I attended the PIVA course at Halsway with my pipes and melodica. •We (Dromadaire Pipes trio) would be delighted to have our arrangement(s) included in Chanter,•whether by including the printed score, or including• links to the Noteflight scores,• which play audio.

The printed scores can be downloaded as a pdf (without audio) by choosing:• Menu, Score, Export.• (“Menu” is indicated by the three short horizontal lines, top left of the page).

As well as the two new ones recently posted on Facebook, there are acouple of older tunes which we have played a lot and are a bit more dramatic. We like playing Prospect Place, especially as it’s a co-operative effort by Steve (tune) and me (arrgt).

Burette (Mazurka) http://bit.ly/Chanter79
(The walk from) Prospect Place (Mazurka) http://bit.ly/Chanter80
Horsley Mill Mazurka http://bit.ly/Chanter81
Moulins (Waltz) http://bit.ly/Chanter82

Editor’s Note: Sadly there isn’t space to include the full scores in Chanter but please do visit the above links to download and play the music.