The Journal of the Lowland and Border Pipers' Society
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Volume 10 No 1 June 1995 THE JOURNAL OF THE LOWLAND AND BORDER PIPERS SOCIETY IN THIS ISSUE - Bellows Technique - - Papers from the 1994 Collogue - Scottish Step-dancing - - Piping Competition + Music - Harmonious Piper - Price 2.75 Richmond, "pleasing to the ear". The From Jon Swayne effect has been to slow the tempo and Somerset produce an uneven and jerky rhythm - certainly impossible to dance to. The very interesting article The Journal of the Lowland and Border Pipers Society "Stock Imagery in Piping" by Hugh Quavers - even or dotted? No Cheape in the December issue of traditional musician plays quavers COMMON STOCK calls to mind the Editorial LETTERS either even or dotted, but with subtle book La Cornemuse (pub a The Annual Collogue goes from strength to timings which cannot be shown in Renaissance du Livre, 1983) by Hubert written music notation. This is what strength. This year it will be held in Edinburgh From Hamish Moore Boone, who amongst other things is an (details on b gives traditional musk its ack cover), and it will be spread Perthshire assistant at the Musee Instrumental, over a weekend. One of the reasons for this, characteristic "lift" and "swing". Brussels. This is a survey of bagpipes and a good one at that. is to encourage those In his letter (CS Vol 9 No 2 Dec 94) "for a in Flemish Art, with which many who, having .some distance to travel, balk at Seamus Richmond makes several in- Mr. Richmond considers that tune to be pleasing to the ear, it must members will no doubt be familiar. It making the effort for just a one day event. teresting points regarding be played properly with the correct contains reproductions, in some cases ornamentation and the timing of pipe Gradually the format of COMMON STOCK is tunes. I agree that for the piper with no gracing, with dots and cuts, as is detail, of some 35 works of art, many of taking shape and settling down. Regular fea- background in Highland piping, it shown in the Highland piping collec- which give the impression of being tures are solicited; and in this issue we have the tions", But what is correct? What was most accurately observed, rather than makes life easier if the ornaments are " " correct by " start of a series on Scottish dancing and its shown in the music. I do however think considered W. Gunn in mere "artists impressions . Included Is 1847 or W. Ross in 1925 was most associated music. Having said that, I should that it is more important to have the a version (from the Musee "incorrect" according to the same W. point out that the article by Maggie Moore has tunes published, with or without Instrumental, Brussels) of the Ross in 1954. nothing whatever to do with the picture on the ornaments (which after all are only one Bloemaert piper which is however front cover. persons personal ideas), than not probably rather less organologically published at all. I would suggest that all ornamentation Planning ahead, it is intended to concentrate be used with great sensitivity as a way sound than the version in the article. The Bloemaert drone the next issue on the subject of Lowland pipes - The hornpipes, jigs, strathspeys and of enhancing the internal rhythm of those with the conical bored chanter. If anyone reels which make up the bulk of the the tunes, and not as a technical ex- arrangement has always intrigued me, has any thoughts on the subject; playing, repertoire, were originally dance tunes. ercise in manual dexterity. and l wonder whether what we see is making, maintaining them etc, I would be If we are to be so bold as to pass the complete instrument. Perhaps the pleased to hear about it. I do know that some judgement on whether a tune is played piper had lost the top section of his pipers have become discouraged at an early "correctly", then surely we must pay (arr W. Gunn (1847) small drone in a drunken brawl, and to stage by their sheer cussedness: others have close attention to the original dance stop it losing air or making unwanted revelled in the challenge of coaxing them into style. noises, he simply placed a stopper in tuneful action. it would be useful, I think, to air the end of the tenon. If it is the whole both problems and solutions and maybe see The ornamentation of pipe tunes has instrument we see, and it is accurately something of what the future holds for this become more and more complex over observed, why the striking dis- most versatile bagpipe. the years and the even quavers in reel similarity between the drones. If the playing have been changed to dotted two drones are intended to be played I have a confession. Some time ago a couple of quavers and semi-quavers. These four line drawings were sent - from North America I examples [opposite page] are all of together, there does not seem to be i think - and in the upheaval of tak ng over The Rejected Suitor. enough difference in length to account Editorship of COMMON STOCK they became for the pitch relationship you would lost. One was called "The Wandering Piper Ornaments. These have become expect between two drones, i.e. octave, c.1840; and one was. I think, lifted from an more numerous and more complex in fifth or fourth, unless the widely flar- old catalogue. If anyone recognises what Im order to make the tune more techni- ing bell of the longer drone is only an on about, please execute an encore! I promise cally demanding, thus making the external flare. A widely flaring bell not to lose them next time round! judges task easier and the decision lowers the pitch of a drone by only a Jock Agnew. more clear-cut. The effect on the music small amount in proportion to its has not always been, to quote Mr. 11 Ulting Lane, Langford, Essex CM9 6QB length. If the small drone does play at 2 3 a fifth, then its differing shape may be From Matt Seattle Border pipes, meticulously written of response from the membership and down in the heyday of their tradition, accounted for by the fact that to be in Newbiggin-by-the-Sea that the use of the term Lowland and at the height of creativity of one of balance, a fifth drone needs to be Small pipes is a kind of brain washing I am writing this in defence of the their practitioners. Take it. Or leave it. significantly quieter than its com- before the event. Of course anyone is Lowland and Border Pipers Society. But dont dare deny that it existed and panion. A bell or cavity tends to alter free to use the term if they wish but it There is a perceived need for a flourished on this Earth. In these the harmonics in such a way as to sticks in my throat as a recently coined L owland and Border Pipers Society. I Borders. make the drone subjectively louder, description which has no historical believe that it is a real need, a whereas a plain exit would assist in validity at all. Even if it turns out to be necessary focus for a necessary music. making the drone less obtrusive. a regional colloquial term from maybe I was not in at the beginning, but I am From Douglas Deakin Alternatively, perhaps, the drones are Aberdeenshire it certainly was not now firm friends with many that were, Sussex alternatives. There are two bottom used in the Borders and was never and I hope that since joining I have sections, but only one top. The top previously mentioned by Collinson or made some contribution, however I have just bought what I presume Ray Sloan [see Dec 94 section on one plays a drone on the any of the other historians of the feeble, and tried to honourably dis- charge my self-appointed duty as a COMMON STOCK] would describe first degree of the scale, and on the Border and lowland bagpipes. If the other on the fourth or some other General Irritant. But there is a crisis as an "Expensive Ornament or bundle term was to be used for a completely of confidence within the Society at the of Firewood". I consider my new set of degree of the scale. The unused bottom new instrument then so be it. But to moment, because the Society is being small pipes made by a "Highland Pipe section is plugged with a stopper, as use it for pipes which have a perfectly pulled in different directions. Maker of Distinction" to be a pure indeed appears to he the case. On the satisfactory historical nomenclature Some (a very few) ways to delight. Excellent tone, and very well other hand, Hubert Boone comments then it smacks of some modishness recreate the edifice of Lowland and made. But then perhaps it takes 15 " Our example is probable furnished and unwarranted abuse of the proper Border piping as it once was, or as they years experience before a mere with a small drone the end of which is names for the bellows blown pipes i.e. once were, for the two terms are not customer should be allowed to express closed by a stopper (which can be Lowland, Border, Pastoral and Small quite synonymous. an opinion. mored for tuning purposes?) and pipes. I know there is a desire to find a Some are self-confessed musical I have no experience of Ray pierced by a lateral hole.