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[[File:Scotishadvanceepsom.jpg|thumb|Led by their piper, men of the 7th Seaforth Highlanders, [[15th (Scottish) Infantry Division]] advance during [[Operation Epsom]], 26 June 1944.]]
The '''
The bagpipe of any kind is first attested in Scotland around 1400
Though widely famous for its role in military and civilian pipe bands, the
== History ==
[[File:Bagpiper carving, c.1600.JPG|thumb|120px|Bagpiper carved around 1600]]
Francis M. Collinson. Routledge, 1975 {{ISBN|0-7100-7913-3}}, {{ISBN|978-0-7100-7913-8}}. Pg 132</ref> There are many ancient legends and stories about bagpipes which were passed down through minstrels and oral tradition, whose origins are now lost. However, textual evidence for Scottish bagpipes is more definite in 1396, when records of the [[Battle of the North Inch]] of Perth reference "warpipes" being carried into battle.<ref>Collinson, 135</ref> These references may be considered evidence as to the existence of particularly Scottish bagpipes, but evidence of a form peculiar to the Highlands appears in a poem written in 1598 and later published in ''[[The Complaynt of Scotland]]'' which refers to several types of pipe, including the Highland: "On hieland pipes, Scotte and Hybernicke / Let heir be shraichs of deadlie clarions."<ref>Collinson, 141.</ref>▼
▲Though popular belief sets varying dates for the introduction of bagpipes to Scotland, concrete evidence is limited until approximately the 15th century. One clan still owns a remnant of a set of bagpipes said to have been carried at the [[Battle of Bannockburn]] in 1314, though the veracity of this claim is debated.<ref>''The Bagpipe: The History of a Musical Instrument''. Francis M. Collinson. Routledge, 1975 {{ISBN|0-7100-7913-3}}, {{ISBN|978-0-7100-7913-8}}.
In 1746, after the forces loyal to the [[House of Hanover|Hanoverian government]] had defeated the [[Jacobitism|Jacobites]] in the [[Battle of Culloden]], [[George II of Great Britain|King George II]] attempted to assimilate the [[Scottish Highlands|Highlands]] into Great Britain by weakening [[Gaels#Gaelic culture|Gaelic culture]] and the [[Scottish clan]] system,<ref name=ci>{{cite web|url=http://www.celtic-instruments.com/pipes/great-highland-bagpipes/history.html|title=History of the Great Highland Bagpipes|publisher=Celtic-Instruments.com|year=2005|access-date=12 September 2010}}</ref> though the oft-repeated claim that the [[Act of Proscription 1746]] banned the Highland bagpipes is not substantiated by the text itself, nor by any record of any prosecutions under this act for playing or owning bagpipes. However, the loss of the clan chief's power and patronage and widespread emigration did contribute to its decline. It was soon realised that Highlanders made excellent troops and a number of regiments were raised from the Highlands over the second half of the eighteenth century. Although the early history of pipers within these regiments is not well documented, there is evidence that these regiments had pipers at an early stage and there are numerous accounts of pipers playing into battle during the 19th century, a practice which continued into [[World War I]] when it was abandoned after the early battles, due to the high casualty rate.{{Citation needed|date=August 2015}}
The custom was revived by the [[51st Highland Division]] for their assault on the enemy lines at the start of the [[Second Battle of El Alamein]] on 23 October 1943. Each attacking company was led by a piper, playing tunes that would allow other units to recognise which Highland regiment they belonged to. Although the attack was successful, losses among the pipers were high, and they were not used in combat again during the war.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.reocities.com/Paris/LeftBank/6039/elal.html |title=Colonel David Murray, The 51st Highland Division at El Alamein |access-date=27 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140329081137/http://www.reocities.com/Paris/LeftBank/6039/elal.html |archive-date=29 March 2014 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> [[Bill Millin]], the personal piper of [[Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat]], was at the landing of [[1st Special Service Brigade]] at Sword Beach on 6 June 1944 in Normandy. At Lovat's request he marched up and down the beach playing his pipes under fire.
== Design ==
[[File:GHBreeds.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A selection of bagpipe reeds of various design, chanter reeds on the left, drone reeds on the right]]
The
A modern set has a bag, a chanter, a blowpipe, two tenor drones, and one bass drone.
The [[scale (music)|scale]] of the chanter is in [[Mixolydian mode]], which has a flattened seventh scale degree. It has a range from one [[whole tone]] lower than the [[Tonic (music)|tonic]] to one octave above it. The drones are tuned to this tonic note, called A (specifically [[scientific pitch notation|A<sub>4</sub>]]). The nine notes of the chanter scale are "low G, low A, B, C (sounds as a C{{music|#}}), D, E, F (sounds as a F{{music|#}}), high G, and high A". However, the A pitch of most pipers and pipe bands currently is somewhere around 470–480 Hz
Highland bagpipe music is written in the key of [[D major]], where the C and F are sharp (despite the key-signature usually being omitted from scores), however only some tunes are in D major. Due to the lack of [[chromatic notes]], to change key is also to change modes; tunes are in A [[Mixolydian Mode|Mixolydian]] (most commonly), D [[Major mode|major]], B [[Minor mode|minor]], or occasionally E [[Dorian Mode|Dorian]]. In [[concert pitch]] (notes on the piano) it will be B{{music|b}} [[Mixolydian Mode|Mixolydian]], E{{music|b}} major, C [[Aeolian mode|Aeolian]], or occasionally F Dorian.
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Modern developments have included reliable synthetic drone reeds as well as synthetic bags that deal with moisture arguably better than hide bags.
The chanter reed is typically made out of cane. It is possible to get synthetic reeds for chanters but it is not very common. The cane reeds change pitch as the moisture levels change, meaning that as they are played they go out of tune. Until recently{{When|date=December 2022|reason=Of course a time scope, not an exact time, but this is still not a blog article with a date on it.}} drone reeds were also cane but now many pipers have replaced
== Materials ==
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== Music ==
[[File:Angel playing bagpipes, St. Giles, Edinburgh.JPG|thumb|Angel playing bagpipes in the [[St Giles' Cathedral#Thistle Chapel|Thistle Chapel]], Edinburgh]]
Compared to many other musical instruments, the
Music for the great Highland bagpipe is divided into [[piobaireachd]] and light music.
''Ceòl mòr'' consists of a slow "ground" movement ({{lang-gd|ùrlar}}) which is a simple theme, then a series of increasingly complex [[theme and variations|variations]] on this theme, and ends with a return to the ground. ''Ceòl beag'' includes marches ({{music|time|2|4}}, {{music|time|4|4}}, {{music|time|6|8}}, {{music|time|3|4}}, etc.), dance tunes (particularly [[strathspey (dance)|strathspey]]s, [[reel (dance)|reel]]s, [[hornpipe]]s, and [[jig]]s), slow [[air (music)|air]]s, and more. The ''ceòl mòr'' style was developed by the well-patronized dynasties of bagpipers{{Snd}} MacArthurs, [[Clan Gregor|MacGregors]], Rankins, and especially the [[MacCrimmon (piping family)|MacCrimmons]]{{Snd}} and seems to have emerged as a distinct form during the 17th century.▼
▲The [[Scottish Gaelic]] word {{lang|gd|pìobaireachd}} literally means "piping", but it has been adapted into English as ''piobaireachd'' or ''pibroch''. In Gaelic, this, the "great music" of the great Highland bagpipe is referred to as ''ceòl mòr''. ''Ceòl mòr'' consists of a slow "ground" movement ({{
▲Compared to many other musical instruments, the Great Highland bagpipe is limited by its range (nine notes), lack of dynamics, and the enforced [[legato]] style, due to the continuous airflow from the bag. The Great Highland bagpipe is a closed reed instrument, which means that the four reeds are completely encased within the instrument and the player cannot change the sound of the instrument via mouth position or tonguing. As a result, notes cannot be separated by simply stopping blowing or tonguing, so [[grace notes]] and combinations of grace notes, called "embellishments", are used for this purpose. These are more complicated [[ornament (music)|ornaments]] using two or more grace notes include doublings, taorluaths, throws, grips, and birls. There are also a set of ornaments usually used for ''pìobaireachd'', for example the ''dare'', ''vedare'', ''chedare'', ''darado'', ''taorluath'' and ''crunluath''. Some of these embellishments have found their way into light music over the course of the 20th century. These embellishments are also used for note emphasis, for example to emphasize the beat note or other [[Musical phrasing|phrasing]] patterns. These three single grace notes (G, D, and E) are the most commonly used and are often played in succession. All grace notes are performed rapidly, by quick finger movements, giving an effect similar to [[tonguing]] or articulation on modern wind instruments. Due to the lack of rests and dynamics, all expression in Great Highland bagpipe music comes from the use of embellishments and to a larger degree by varying the duration of notes. Despite the fact that most Great Highland bagpipe music is highly rhythmically regimented and structured, proper phrasing of all types of Great Highland bagpipe music relies heavily on the ability of the player to stretch specific notes within a phrase or measure. In particular, the main beats and off-beats of each phrase are structured. However, sub-divisions within each beat are flexible.
"Light music" is also referred to as ''ceòl beag.'' ''Ceòl beag'' includes marches ({{music|time|2|4}}, {{music|time|4|4}}, {{music|time|6|8}}, {{music|time|3|4}}, etc.), dance tunes (particularly [[strathspey (dance)|strathspey]]s, [[reel (dance)|reel]]s, [[hornpipe]]s, and [[jig]]s), slow [[air (music)|air]]s, and more. A common combination, particularly for competition purposes, is the [[March, Strathspey and Reel|march, strathspey, and reel]] (MSR).
Bagpipes are rarely played with other instruments due to their tuning. Most other instruments are tuned at standard concert pitch (440 Hz), whilst a bagpipe is tuned around 470–480 Hz.<ref name=":0" /> It is possible to change the pitch by using different chanters and reeds. "Few attempts have been made hitherto to combine the bagpipes with classical orchestral instruments, due mainly to conflicts of balance and tuning," said composer [[Graham Waterhouse]] about his work ''Chieftain's Salute'' Op. 34a for Great Highland Bagpipe and String Orchestra (2001). "A satisfactory balance was achieved in this piece by placing the piper at a distance from the orchestra."<ref name="Chieftain's Salute">{{cite web |url=http://arbc.de/Waterhouse/werke.htm#Chief |access-date=20 August 2009 |title=Graham Waterhouse on ''Chieftain's Salute'' }}</ref> Peter Maxwell Davies' ''Orkney Wedding, With Sunrise'' (1985) also features a great Highland Bagpipe solo towards the end.
== Cultural role ==
The
== Popular music ==
The
*"[[Mull of Kintyre (song)|Mull of Kintyre]]" by [[Wings (band)|Wings]] featuring the [[Campbeltown Pipe Band]]
*"Are you ready to rock?" by [[Wizzard]], played by [[Roy Wood]]
*"[[It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)]]" by [[AC/DC]] played by [[Bon Scott]]
*"[[Shoots and Ladders]]" by [[Korn]], played by [[Jonathan Davis]] (plus numerous other songs throughout their discography)
== Worldwide diffusion ==
The
=== Former British Empire ===
The
The
=== Thailand ===
The
Although the bagpipes arrived from the British Isles with a user's manual, no one was able to figure out how to play them, so bassoon player Khun Saman Siang-prajak went to the British Embassy and learned how to play the instrument with the British soldiers, and then became instructor to the rest of the Corps. The band, which plays Thai as well as Scottish tunes, still practices at [[Vachiravuth High School]] in Bangkok, which is named for Rama VI.<ref>Roongruang, Panya (1999). "Thai Classical Music and its Movement from Oral to Written Transmission, 1930–1942: Historical Context, Method, and Legacy of the Thai Music Manuscript Project." PhD dissertation. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University, p. 146.</ref>
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=== Brittany ===
[[File:Bagad.JPG|thumb|200px|The [[Breton people|Breton]] ''[[bagad]]'' of Lann-Bihoué of the [[French Navy]].]]
During the First World War, some [[Breton people|Breton]] pipers serving in the [[French Army]] came in contact with the pipers of Scottish regiments,<ref name="bretagne">as shown, for instance, by PM W.Lawrie's tune "The 8th Argyll's farewell to the 116th Régiment de Ligne", published in Vol.2 of the Scots Guards Standard Settings, the 116th being a line infantry regiment based in [[:fr:Vannes|Vannes]] during the Great War. For more details read in Major H.W. Brewsher's [https://archive.org/details/historyof51sthig00bews "History of the 51st (Highland) Division"], Blackwood, Edinburgh, 1921, p.31 details of the relief of the 116th Régiment d'Infanterie by the 8th Argyll Regiment on 30 July 1915, and subsequent composing of the tune by P.M. Lawrie</ref> and brought back home a few
Well known ''bagadoù'' include [[Bagad Kemper]], [[Kevrenn Alre]], [[Bagad Brieg]] and [[Bagad Cap Caval]]. In Brittany, the
One notable development of the Highland bagpipe in Brittany is the creation of slightly shorter drones in C (Scottish "B"; see notes on tuning above), so that the many tunes played in that key will have drone accompaniment in the tonic. Many ''bagad'' pipers will keep two sets of pipes, one in standard B{{music|flat}} (Scottish "A") and one in C, and a whole suite may be performed in C.{{cn|date=January 2021}}
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== Notable bands ==
[[File:FIL 2016 - The City Of Auckland Pipe Band - 4780.webm|thumb|Musicians from ''The City of Auckland Pipe Band'' playing "[[Amazing Grace]]" during the ''[[festival interceltique de Lorient]]'' in 2016.]]
Some of the most famous pipe bands in the world are the [[Strathclyde Police Pipe Band]], [[Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band]], [[Simon Fraser University Pipe Band]]
== Related instruments ==
{{Main|List of bagpipes}}
* [[Practice chanter]], a bagless and droneless double-reeded pipe with the same fingerings as the Great Highland bagpipe. These are meant to serve as practice instruments which are more portable and less expensive than a set of pipes.▼
* [[Border pipes]] are similar to the
* [[Brian Boru bagpipes]], invented by Henry Starck, perhaps inspired by the Great Irish Warpipes, and based on
* [[Electronic bagpipes]] are electronic instruments with a touch-sensitive "chanter" which senses finger position and modifies its tone accordingly. Some models also produce a drone sound, and the majority are made to simulate
* [[Great Irish Warpipes]] an instrument, believed to have existed in Ireland until around the 1700s, and to have been similar or practically identical to the extant Great Highland Bagpipe.▼
* [[Northumbrian smallpipes]] are bellows-blown bagpipes consisting of one chanter, generally with keys and usually four drones.
▲* [[Practice chanter]], a bagless and droneless double-reeded pipe with the same fingerings as the
* [[Practice goose]], a small, single-chanter, droneless bag used to transition between the practice chanter and full pipes
* [[Reel pipes]] (or "kitchen" or "parlour" pipes), smaller versions of the
▲* [[Border pipes]] are similar to the Great Highland bagpipe, but quieter and thus suited to playing for dances and sessions. Rather than being inflated by mouth, their air is provided by bellows under the arm.
* [[Scottish smallpipes]] are a modern interpretation of extinct smaller Scottish pipes used for recreational music. They were revived in the late 20th century by pipemakers such as [[Colin Ross (pipemaker)|Colin Ross]].
▲* [[Electronic bagpipes]] are electronic instruments with a touch-sensitive "chanter" which senses finger position and modifies its tone accordingly. Some models also produce a drone sound, and the majority are made to simulate Great Highland bagpipe tone and fingering.
▲* [[Great Irish Warpipes]] an instrument, believed to have existed in Ireland until around the 1700s, and to have been similar or practically identical to the extant Great Highland Bagpipe.
▲* [[Brian Boru bagpipes]], invented by Henry Starck, perhaps inspired by the Great Irish Warpipes, and based on Great Highland bagpipe but with a keyed chanter to extend the range and add chromatic notes.
== See also ==
{{Commons category|Great Highland
* [[
* ''[[
== Bibliography ==
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== External links ==
* [http://www.bobdunsire.com/bagpipeweb Bob Dunsire Bagpipe Web Directory] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126183612/http://www.bobdunsire.com/bagpipeweb/ |date=26 January 2021 }}
* [http://www.bagpipejourney.com/ Andrew Lenz's Bagpipe Journey]
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