In researching the origins of what is today referred to as ‘the Lowland Scots Bagpipe’ I looked again at the entry in the 2nd edition of the Encyclopaedia Brittanica, 1778
“The Scots Lowland Pipe; this is likewise a very loud instrument, though less so than the former (the Highland bagpipe). It is blown with bellows and hath a bass like the Irish pipe. This species is different from all the rest, as it cannot play the natural notes, but hath F and C sharp. The lowest note of a good bagpipe is in unison with c sharp on the tenor of a violin tuned to concert pitch and as it hath but nine notes the highest is D in alt [i.e., ‘above the treble stave]. From this peculiar construction, the Highland and Lowland bagpipes play two species of music essentially different from one another, as each of them is also from every other species of music in the world”.”
The ‘tenor string’ of the violin was at that time the A string (James Gillespie’s manuscript of 1784 contains instructions for playing the violin that make this quite clear. The D string was the ‘counter string’) So this bagpipe was in what we might call ‘High D’ and had sharp ‘leading notes’, and would be very like the Galicean gaita that Luife described.
What are we to make of this?
This is quite remarkable. I’ve never heard of these types of pipes. Are we talking about a set of pipes an octave above a D set of uilleann pipes? Fascinating. Is there any other historical record of these pipes? No sets of them remaining I imagine.
Wow.
Nate
Upon reading that I think of the high pitched smallpipes like the Montgomery Smallpipe although the “blown with a bellows and hath a bass like the Irish pipe” might negate that.
Have you compared notes with Hugh Cheape?
If I’m not mistaken and these high pitched lowland pipes are an octave above uilleann pipes, then they would be almost an octave above the montgomery smallpipes as well. (which I belive are in E?)
Nate
There’s more; the Encyc Britt goes on
“From this peculiar construction the Highland and Lowland bagpipes play two species of music essentially different from one another, as each of them also is from every other species of music in the world”
yes, this definitely means it’s six finger note was nine notes above middlce C, a fourth above the nominal A of a GHB.
The old Scots small pipe would be around the same length of chanter but, being parallel bored, an octave lower.
I mentioned this quote in ‘The Day it Daws’ but I couldnt believe it because I didnt then know the names of the violin strings used (‘counter’ =D, ‘tenor’=A).
I discovered only last night that the man who compiled (and wrote most of) this edition of the EB was the extraordinary James Tytler. Not only was he the first man in Britain to fly in a balloon, he was also a bagpiper:
“he exhilarated his spirits, at intervals, with a tune on
the Irish Bagpipe, which he played with much sweetness, interposing ccasionally a song of his own composition, sung with great animation” (Robert Burns, in Cromek’s ‘Reliques’)
three of his songs are in the Scots Musical Museum including ‘I hae laid a Herrin’ in Saut’
So it seems we have to take this seriously
I know of a set of smallpipes in high d with a conical chanter with 3 drones that are set up like UP drones. This so-called Irish smallpipe was made by Geoff Wooff, but not based on any historial instrument.
…verging on BiniouKozh territory…
Hey! tell Geoff he now has a historical precedent
In what sense is this a 'small pipe? I expect a smallpipe to have a parallel bore.
well, perhaps more like one of the high Galician pipes; in fact, very like the old 16th century Lowland pipes, apart from the bellows. I’m not sure what ‘a bass like the Irish pipe’ means; a set of Irish drones or just one big Bass? I would read just the bass, in which case this is just like the old pipe
Hello Pipers !
AT LAST an authority has come on to this “Blog” who has researched
and written a book “The Day It Daws”, which I think is the best book
about any kind of Pipes, to come along… in YEARS !
So, WELCOME to C&F, Pete !
Your correspondent,
Sean “Oxter Pipes” Folsom
Smallpipe is probably a misnomer (mine). I wouldn’t call it a lowland pipe either, especially as it was temed “irish” by the maker. The bass drone has two 180 degree bends (like an uilleann pipe), and made by a UP maker (Wooff). Interesting set none the less.