Are there any books about pipes or pipers,autobio’s,history that sort of thing.
Cheers,Gerry.
Are you looking at historic writings, or stuff on modern pipers? There are quite a few books on pipes in general, mostly GHBs - look for books by Anthony Banes. Other books are more generally about ITM, but include some bio’s of pipers. I’m thinking of the reprint of O’Neill’s Irish Minstrels & Musicians for historic stuff. For modern ITM in general there is Notes From the Heart by PJ Curtis, Companion to Irish Traditional Music and also Blooming Meadows editted by Fintan Vallely, Music in Ireland by Hast and Scott, etc. Check Amazon for more.
djm
There’s ‘Leo Rowsome, the man I knew’ by his son Liam published by CCE, they also have a book by Willie Reynolds as far as I remember.
Breandan Breathnach said about O’Neill’s books they were ‘a bit syrupy for home consumption’, that would certainly (and more so) apply here.
I dunno, I find the O’Neill stuff highly entertaining. Maybe that’s a danger sign of some sort.
O’Neill’s “Irish Minstrels and Musicians” has wonderful short bios of pipers, pipemakers, “Gentleman Pipers”, etc.etc including info on the old harpers, going back from 1913 (when it was written) a couple or three centuries. It’s a bit difficult to locate, but persistence will win you one. (Ossian USA has them in from time to time, and they occasionally turn up on eBay albeit for a bit more $£).
Bill
I like O’Neill’s too, I applied BB’s comments to the CCE Rowsome booklet in an ‘if you think O’ Neill’s is syruppy try this’ sort of way..
I got a little booklet called The Early History of Piping in Ireland by Sean Donnelly, published jointly by Na Piobairi Uilleann Teoranto and the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association in 2001. I probably got it at the NPU website. I haven’t read it yet though.
Good one, Cynth. There’s also the Seán Reid Society Journal on two CDs from NPU. Lots of reading there.
djm
The Breathnach compilation of writings “The Man and His Music” has profiles of pipers Andy Conroy and Liam O’Flynn, and articles on piping in Kerry, Wicklow, and Louth. The archives of NPU and IPC (American piper’s club) - the back issues of their journals, that is - have the proverbial wealth of information.
May be of interest - anyone see the program ?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/11_16/music/traditions/pdf/series2/notes04.pdf
On the same subject, I’m going to Dublin for a few days next week,can anyone recommend second hand book/record stores.It’s very hard to get any in Belfast,second hand piping books or records that is!!
Cheers.
Gerry
Taupe, the person who was looking for CD recommendations for xmas would do well with the list at the end of that pdf doc.
djm