Just opening a thread here for a discussion of the instrument, it’s peculiarities, technique and repertoire.
My unique 4 -drone instrument can be seen somewhere in the ‘photos of your pipes’ thread above.
And here is another friend of the Musette Bechonnet.
I play an Instrument wich R. Zielonka made for me.
(with standart 3 Drone Setting)
I have never seen a Bechonnet with 4 Drones. Who made
this Beauty? Is the 4th Bordun a d-Bordun?
Gruss
Thomas
Charlie, just count yourself lucky that you got that beauty before I heard about it!
ddddrrrrrooooooooooollllllll… 
Never say never, Bill
Thomas, the drones are G, g, d’, g’.
It was made by an Englishman whose name I forget in 1978.
I’m thinking of doing a you-tube clip with it soon.
Hi guys,
I’ve been curious about these things for some time. Do they play a bunch of cross-fingered accidentals? Were these things played for dancing? How loud are they? Border pipe volume? Uilleann pipe volume? Smallpipe volume?
Beautiful pipes.
Nate
Hi Nate,
I play a lot of accidentials, and the Bechonnet hase an extra hole
for the lower tumb, so you can play in g minor if you like.
Normaly the are plaed for Dancing, on Bal Folk or other Dancing
events. We ( http://www.deliberatio.de.vu ) play also a lot in Pubs
and so on. A Bechonnet is as loud as a Border Pipe, yes. Maybe a little
softer. You can hear a typical Musette Bechonette Sound here:
http://www.uilleann-pipes.de/dateien/schaeferpfeife_g-c.mp3
(Christoph Pelgen plays “Valse pour Noel” Instrument is from Rogge)
Beautiful pipes.
Yes. Have you seen this site: http://www.pipeshow.net/musee-virtuel-instruments-anciens.htm
(i hope my english is not to bad to understand enything…)
Thomas
HI Nate
mine are actually on the loud side: approx 95db on my radioshack DbSPL meter, c-weighted, @ 1 metre.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN_5w1jmpJA
They’re really versatile. 9 fingers (left pinkie stays out on jupiter, as usual)
If talking about a 16 pouce instrument (in G / C)
‘half closed’ French fingering
bore note can be F or F#
g 6 fingers, tonic
no lo g# (that Ive found)
a,
Bb with a thumb hole for the right thumb
b, c,
C# kinda tricky, gotta mess with the bag pressure
d (same as “e” on the ghb, right hand 3 fingers down)
d#, x fingered(RH down, LH long finger up)
e,
f, like recorder ‘c’, (or piob. hi G)
f#
g, (L thumb open)
no hi g#
then it overblows:
a, Bb, b, c, sometimes d
yes, the repertoire (thankfully much more is written down than for zampogna!)
is dancable: Bourees, Branles, Schottishes, Valse, Mazurka, plus plenty of beautiful slow romantic French Aires.
But there’s a lot of experimentation to stretch the envelope.
Listen to ‘the greats’: Blanchard, Montbel, DuBois etc,
Thomas, do you find much the same fingering on your instrument?[/url]
Yes, it’s allmost the same. Only the d# is with right Hand up.
And the c in the second Octave is with the right thumb open.
Thomas
I’m interested in learning more about this lovely instrument. Are there some more websites dedicated it?
By the way, I bought the chanter that came up for sale on this list. Looking forward to getting it.
Nate
geez Nate, just drive 2 1/2 hrs south on I-95 & I’ll play it for ya in person…
(plus, you’ll get to fill up in NJ -$2.85!)
bring the Rogge + we’ll see if a Bernard Blanc or a MacHarg reed works in it!
I’ll even let ya have a go.. 
I learned a lot of ‘back info’ from CD liners on the Auvidis + Ocora labels.
Ocora: 559083 Les Brayauds
559044 Jean Blanchard
Auvidis:
8202 Eric Montbel + Jean Blanchard
6830 Vielles et Cornemuses
& here’s some sites:
http://jeanblanchardb.free.fr/Cornemuses/Accueil.html
http://www.doedelzak.com/default.aspx
Joseph Bechonnet (1820-1900)was a shoemaker by trade (AFAIK), in Effiat, Puy-de-Dome. Probably perfecting his Musette-Bechonnet (after 16 pouce mouthblown pipes already in use) circa 1860. Practice of the instrument was documented as continued by 10 players in 1931. After that, you’ll have to ask Jean Blanchard. That’s all I can contribute.
Well, I actually contacted Rogge and he’s sending me a chanter reed right now. But if there’s a player of these lovely instruments so near by. . .
Wow that hattink guy is quite the bagpipe maker. Great site. All these French pipes come in every key imaginable. How do you decide?
Nate
You buy 'em all! (that’s been my approach anyhow…)
BTW, Nate, nice piece on you in the Daily News.
You know, what really got me interested in these pipes originally was when I saw my former co-worker Mike MacNintch playing these (Well, actually I guess is was a musette du Centre?, mouthblown?) He was playing them with a fellow named Matt. They were playing at NEFFA. I vowed then to get a set, but that was a few years ago now.
Is there much of these pipes played at Killington Bill? No teachers I guess, but maybe they come out late a night?
And thanks, the article was fun (misquoted at every turn, but fun)
Nate
oooo 
THIS one even has sound samples:
http://membres.lycos.fr/unpeudetout/index.htm?CORNEMUSE
even more pictures here:
http://www.pipeshow.net/musee-virtuel-brayauds_bechonnet.htm
AND BILL:
This page is just for you:
Thomas;
Do you, personally, find it tasteful to use a lot of cabrette-like rappels in your Bechonnet playing?
For me, a sparing use adds just enough Auvergnat flavor, but one too many, it sounds more of a Flemish tune…
what do you say?
They do emerge late at night Nate… I think I’m one of the few French pipes players who shows up anymore - unless Nintch or Brian MacCandless drops by (or Charlie is there). We had Jean-Pierre Rasle as an instructor the last year we were at North Hero. If there’s enough interest, I’d be happy to talk about getting him back…
Yeah I might be interested in a french instructor in the future. Right now all I have is a chanter and a reed and the desire to learn. (and the know how to make some drones)
I’ve been trying to get Mike to go back to the Piper’s Gathering for years. Maybe this year?
Nate
hmmm, don’t know.
It depends on the tune or song i play. For Example, when I play “Le loup le renard la belette“ i use a lot of Rappel, especial in the second part. It sounds a bit like a creeping Fox or Weasel (we don’t have lots of Wolves around here) For “la pont du Chateau neuf” I don’t use Rappels at all. Sometimes I play with Scottish embellishment on my Bechonnet, sometimes the same tune with rappel, Detache and co.
I don’t think a lot about that. 
And, when I play with my Duo Partner (Harp), it’s a complete other Story.
Gruß
Thomas
Okay, I’ve got my Chanter, a used plumwood and boxwood chanter made by Rogge. And Andreas sent me a lovely cane reed. I will be making drones to accompany the set, but for now I have it in my smallpipe drones (tuned to G).
So, any tips on playing this thing? Especially, the second octave. Do you simply squeeze harder, or is there venting involved? I’m not sure how open the reed should be. What should the pressure be? (smallpipe pressure?) I love it already.
Nate
Gut!
So, now all you need is this: http://www.spielleute.de/query.php?cp_sid=109830d89fc1&cp_tpl=5504&cp_pid=1483&cp_cat=91
and some Time. The Book is really a great help. I think its a “Must”
Thomas