Does anyone play any classical music on the pipes and does anyone know of any music books for such music for the Uilleann pipes? Bach sounds great on them and I would like to diversify a bit.
Neil
I’ve mucked with Chopin’s Prelude in A major, playing it in G of course. First Google hit you get is tablature for ukulele! The Dance of the Nursemaids from Stravinsky’s Petrouschka is nice - a Russian folk tune, actually. O’Farrell’s collections have some quasi-classical pieces in them. You could just as well pick out pieces you like, that can be managed on the pipes. Liam O’Flynn has recorded some things with Seamus Ennis’s daughter Catherine, who is an organist. Baroque music with Irish connections. The Ceol Eireann books from NPU and the Sean Reid Society journals have profiles of pipers who played some of the quasi art music of the 19th century.
The book with Seamus Ennis’ music and transcriptions will be out at some time in the future…
…now that’ll be real classical music for the pipes 
Most anything by O’Carolan would meet your specifications, and its even Irish, too.
Yes, we’re all waiting for Pat Mitchell’s collection of Ennis transcriptions. It was supposed to be out last fall, then last winter. Anyone in Dublin have the scoop on what is happening with this collection?
Thx,
djm
Have a go at Handel’s Arrival of the Queen of Sheba. Its good crack!! I think it’s origanlly in B flat but do it in G.
gdBdgdBd|gdBdgdBd|AgfedCBA|BGABCdef| etc.
On try Leo Rowsomes version of the Castle’s of Dromore. THATS classical piping!!
Tommy
I sometimes play a Baroque sounding piece named Rigaudon which I got from a Mary Bergin recording. I played it for JOBM last year and when I was finished, he asked, “Bach”? I think that might have been Irish for “What the heck was that?”.
Hey DJM,
I spoke with Pat Mitchell at the recent NPU Tionól. He had to defer working on the Ennis collection temporarily, but he hopes to be back to it soon. Though it will take longer than originally projected, Pat is definately committed to finishing the project.
-Larry
jerry o’ sullivan recorded gavotte, bouree and gigue from bach’s 3rd orchestral suite as you know. ravel’s bolero is possible. from time to time i have played a bach minuet to annoy the classical crowd. the minuet from the anna magdalena book. you know the one, the melody from the 1960’s girl band. how gentle is the blah blah blah or some such tripe.
's
There are lots of “classical” pieces that will do just fine on pipes.One of the Mozart french horn concertos was supposedly taken from a melody written by an Irish piper friend of old Wolfgang. It is in 6/8 and transfers fairly well. The Chieftains did it with the Boston Pops years ago and it sounded pretty good. Bach’s Ave Maria was done on an Eric Rigler album. Schubert’s Ave will work if you have keys on your chanter or can really nail a half hole fingering. Bach’s Jesu Joy of Mans’ Desiring can work for the most part. Trumpet Voluntary worksa bit. “Taco Bell’s” 
Canon in D actually works when accompanied. Ode to Joy doesn’t sound to bad. I’ve been asked to play some of these for weddings. Believe it or not I managed to be in churches where the organ and I were in tune. It was a strange but moving addition to the average wedding muzak that worked out better than the organist or I would have imagined. Have a go at Clare de Lun. The 1812 is a no-no unless you have a convenient bout of spastic colitis. Now on to Stravinsky’s The Fire Bird! .
No E/Larry, thanks for that. All this salivating is costing me a fortune in Chapstick.
djm
I can’t refer you to a particular book of classical music that could go on the pipes, but there is one tune that I think sounds wonderful on them…
Beethoven’s “Ode To Joy”.
I first heard it played on the UP by Pat Broaders, while he was gigging with Jimmy Moore at “Kitty O’Shea’s” in the Chicago Hilton on the South Loop.
It was during the week of the 1996 Democrat National Convention, and all these political sourpusses came in and just wrecked the atmosphere in the place, and I mean in a hurry.
Poor Pat and Jimmy, there they were, having a great gig going, and maybe 70 or 80 of these muckrackers came in making all sorts of noise.
Near the end of one set of nice piping tunes (thanks be to God that I was sitting nearby to the stage enough to hear them) Pat rolls right into “Ode To Joy” - a real break from the nice set of jigs they’d just finished. By the time he was done, you could finally hear an I-beam drop to the floor.
I quickly learned to play that tune and worked with it in similar circumstances at loud bars and weddings and such.
Thanks, Pat Broaders, for the inspiration.
Stay tuned,
Brian Cassidy
Thanks for the feedback. I actually play a few pieces like Ron Doe and Ode to joy, by ear mostly. I have heard several recordings such as thoughs by Jerry O. But I was hoping to find some sheet music/music books that may be of use with the pipes that would include some of the more recognizable pieces and particularly pieces by Bach since the tempo is somewhat akin to some reels and hornpipes. I suppose I could look around at some of the other woodwind orchestra instrument books that might do.
PS who else is planning on the Piping day in New York City (besides me)?
Neil