Na Piobairi Uilleann - Uilleann Pipes
bellows blown bagpipes of Ireland
It seems like this topic has already been covered but a quick perusal of the blog says otherwise?
So, where do we start?
The Scottish Great Highland Pipes (The Great Pipes) are probably the most famous and familiar of bagpipes but are not the only flavor of this family of instruments. In fact, there are a great many varieties of bagpipes related to many different cultures across the globe.
Check out Sean Folsom's great page on the different bagpipes of the world: http://www.hotpipes.com/main.html or the Wikipedia installment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Types_of_bagpipes
The Uilleann pipes (a.k.a.: Irish Organ, Union pipes, Irish pipes, elbow pipes) are one of a few varities of bagpipes claiming Irish heritage. Like all bagpipes, this instrument's tone is produced by air (from a large resevoir - a bag) being pushed across a reed. In this particular instrument, the air is pumped into the bag by way of a bellows located between the musicianer's elbow and hip.
Like many other bagpipes (not all), the uilleann pipes features a set of drones. Unlike many other bagpipes, the uilleann pipes features a second set of drones that are closed off and keyed. These are called the regulators and are used as chordal accompaniment on top of the drones. The drones and the regulators are bundled together in a drone-stock. Normally, one must be seated to play this instrument; the drone-stock rests on the lap of the musicianer.
Tonally, the uilleann pipes is typically less harsh than that of the Highland pipes; the volume is also typically less. The instrument also has a greater range of two and a half octaves.
bla, bla, bla, bla, bla ...
This is all much too technical. My apologies.
It's a great instrument and very different from the Great Highland (Scottish) bagpipes!
I have mentioned my adventures with the uilleann pipes in previous scribbles (http://ryan-gould.blogspot.com/2008/12/dec-15-2008-roy-rogers.html).
It's a bit difficult to say when or how I really got bitten by the bug. I think it was just a combination of excitement for a new, though, somehow, very familiar music and an ever-present urge to challenge myself with nearly impossible goals. The uilleann pipes made such a mysterious and charming sound! The players I had been enjoying seemed to offer such sweet tones and musical ideas ... I just couldn't help myself!
As you may know, I found an instrument eventually and started my study.
What a great treasure! This instrument not only provided me with hours, weeks, months, and years of study, musical growth, and entertainment, it shared with me a great friend and mentor (my teacher, Roy Rogers).
I don't play my pipes near as much as in my past but, from time to time, the scary instrument comes out of the closet and I grimace and groan as I pump the bellows and squeeze the bag until something close to music happens.
I still love it!
Hooray uilleann pipes! Thanks for all the frustration and joy!
Some links:
http://www.pipers.ie/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uilleann_pipes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Types_of_bagpipes#Ireland
"We don't receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us."
~Marcel Proust
No comments:
Post a Comment