Klarinet Archive - Posting 000167.txt from 2001/09

From: Gary Truesdail <gir@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Aha! Setting the record straight about bagpipes
Date: Thu, 6 Sep 2001 03:54:29 -0400

Do the musical world a favor. Expose yourselves - to the pipers world,
that is - and gain an experience I guarantee you will never forget (I
assure you it will be positive). Go to one of the major Scottish Games
in your area and see the thousands of people who know what some of you
don't. The music played by the pipers can be tender, powerful,
melancholy, melodic, jazzy, make you want to dance, and down right
scary. And then at the end of the 3 day competitions hear all the
pipers (maybe 500 or so) play in unison, on the beat, in rhythm, in tune
and marching in step without having rehearsed together and you will see
and hear one of the wonders of the world. No massed band or orchestral
event can rival what the pipers can do during these gatherings. How
would you like to have every member of your band or orchestra submit to
individual solo competitions in addition to the full group concert and
get rated for how well they each meet a specific performance standard.
No one can witness this event and not be touched by it in a good way,
right Ian? It may be an acquired taste but I love it.

Gary T

William Wright wrote:
>
> <><> Bill, I've heard it said that a Scottish gentleman is a man
> who can play the pipes ---but won't!
>
> <chuckle> Humor aside, and I don't mean to beat this to death,
> but there is just enough 'bite' in this to demand a reply. No offense
> intended, but it's sort of like saying that all bassoonists are weird,
> or all trumpeters are incapable of playing delicate music, and so forth.
>
> The piper that I mentioned has a CD out. I don't know whether his
> CD is the same sort of music as what I heard in the competition, but if
> you're curious (as I am, I ordered a copy), here's the address and
> label:
>
> http://homepage.eircom.net/~kerrymusic
> King of the Pipers, Danny Houlihan
> $13 + $3 s&h
>
> The web page states that much of the music is the piper's own
> compositions, and therefore it seems unlikely that this CD is the usual
> "traditional bagpipe music", of which I admit I'm not a fan --- although
> I must tell you that even with the traditional music, one's heart does
> thump a bit faster when you're walking down the street and an entire
> national-champion drum & bagpipe band comes striding around the corner
> in perfect step and (almost, if they could tune those things) playing in
> unison.
>
> Cheers,
> Bill
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------

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