Bagipes Banned from Edinburgh Wedding !

**creagdhubh** · 25th July 11, 06:16 AM

Originally Posted by davidlpope

466 is actually a relatively "flat" tuning of a chanter. Bagpipes don't work on a conventional A=440hz scale. Our pipe band tuned A=476hz. The tenor drones are always tuned an octave below Low A on the chanter, the bass drone is two octaves down.

As far as not being able to have pipes in a particular church, if you don't agree with the rules, find another place to play ball...

David

David,

Sidenote - didn't know you were a piper, wonderful mate!

Kind regards,

**saxandpipes** · 25th July 11, 06:41 AM

Originally Posted by creagdhubh

I agree as well, very interesting to learn of this, and to my hears, it makes sense. I also agree with the sentiments of other members in regards to this partilcular topic, if it upsets you that the pipes will not be played inside a church, perhaps at a wedding as in this example, then perhaps you should look elsewhere. I understand that many pipe bands and solo pipers do in fact play, or compete in an indoor setting, and that is perfectly acceptable, but to play inside of a church, sometimes, and in this specific case, is not acceptable.

Traditionally, the Great Highland Bagpipe is indeed an outdoor instrument (arguably deemed an instrument of war), many of us are already aware of this, and in my opinion, they should be primarily be used as such - they just sound better outside - especially when the wind carries the skirl of that wonderful, pleasing, particular sound of the chanter!

Slainte,

I imagine that what would upset the clergy about the pipes being played in the church is that at least in the case of a wedding, they would be playing something lively. (Remember that in pipe music itself there is also quite a strong divide between "light" music and the "serious" music of piobaireachd! But I won't get into that can of worms here...)

As for playing a lament at a funeral, I would imagine that this should be entirely appropriate... however... again, it would simply sound better outdoors at the grave site, or even better, a slight distance away. (Especially if it was way up in the mist-covered mountains...!)

Perhaps an instrument of that volume is simply meant to be heard from afar.

Cheers!

Michael

**Galician** · 25th July 11, 06:51 AM

Originally Posted by piperdbh

So, according the the decree Sandy posted above, all the great Masses by Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and the other giant composers are off-limits, because they're written to be accompanied by "secular" instruments; those "noisy, frivolous" things.
Please don't let this turn into an argument about religion or anything else, but I wonder how much resistance his late Holiness received from this declaration, especially from churches which were not wealthy enough to possess an organ or were located in countries with their own non-European instruments. Hmmm...

The answer would probably be "yes"! In fact, that whole style of elaborate music was focus of this papal decree. By the end of the 19th century, there was a growing sense that the complexity of that music was overwhelming the purpose of the service, viz., prayer. Pius IX led a major reform in Church music, geared toward putting the focus back on the words of the service themselves.

I don't know, however, if this particular decree is still in effect. The Second Vatican Council did a lot to loosening up the rules. Some would say that is what the current Pope is busy reversing at present. So maybe we'll be back to that, but for now, trumpets, pianos and guitars are still welcome at most churches. Also bagpipes, as a previous pastor was piped in for his installation ceremony!

**Father Bill** · 26th July 11, 11:39 AM

Bagpipes at a funeral

As a piper, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man. He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the Kentucky back country.

As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost and, being a typical man, I didn't stop for directions.

I finally arrived an hour late and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating lunch.

I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late. I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was already in place. I didn't know what else to do, so I started to play.

The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. played like I've never played before for this homeless man.

And as I played 'Amazing Grace,' the workers began to weep. They wept, I wept, we all wept together. When I finished I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. Though my head hung low, my heart was full.

As I opened the door to my car, I heard one of the workers say, "I never seen nothin' like that before and I've been putting in septic tanks for twenty years."

Apparently I'm still lost.... it's a man thing.

**EagleJCS** · 26th July 11, 01:06 PM

I heard it was deep in the backwoods of West Virginny!

**English Bloke** · 26th July 11, 02:10 PM

Nice one Father Bill.

**miolchu** · 27th July 11, 04:04 AM

Originally Posted by EagleJCS

From what I understand, the pipes started out slightly sharper than concert A=440 anyway, but that's another discussion. Unfortunately, that means the higher notes are sounding more and more shrill.

The volume (and brassiness) comes from using a stiffer reed.

Anyhow, this is all off topic....

I am an amateur player and in no way claim to be an expert. But there are a number of things a piper can do to play an indoor venue without offending. The first is to use a lower pitched solo chanter. I use a McLellan concert A chanter that pitches lower than concert b flat at 466 Hz, closer to concert A at 440 Hz. I purchased chris Apps reeds easy as the chanter plays with less air and is quieter. I have some extra long Mark Wygent concert reeds that allow me to tune the drones to the McLellan chanter without the drone tops falling off the slide. All in all, they produce a sweet sound, not much louder than a set of border pipes I have.