From
ancient Greece to Scotland and Ireland, from Spain to Portugal,
and from India to Africa, the Bagpipes have been played for
many, many centuries. The instrument is similar from country
to country. There is always a bag that holds the air, and a
chanter that is a wooden tube with finger holes in it that has
a reed. The chanter reed is made out of cane and is similar
to the oboe reed (see oboe.)
The
bagpipes used in Ensemble Galilei are Scottish Small Pipes. These
pipes are different from bagpipes you may have seen before because
they are Cauld Wind Pipes (cold wind.) Instead of blowing into
a blowpipe, the bellows are held under the arm and the air pumps
air into the bag. With the other arm, pressure is applied to the
bag that then supplies air to the chanter and the drones. The
melody is played on the chanter and the drones supply the constant
notes that play behind the melody.
The
Highland Pipes, the most commonly seen pipes, were once used
to lead troops into battle because of their fearsome sound.
The Scottish Small Pipes, in contrast, have a mellow and soulful
sound, and in Scotland where the tradition of playing music
and dancing in the home is legendary, they are the perfect
instrument.
