I have been asked to play my pipes for a memorial service indoors in April. Does anybody have any recomendations for tunes to play. I am relatively new at piping so I do not need anything which will be too hard.
I have a 1/2 set and think that will do fine. Thank you in advance.
Robert
sort of depends on who what and why is being memorialized.
I’ve never played these on the pipes, and making a lot of assumptions…that this is for a funeral and is in a Chistian faith…I would stick with the old favorite hymns (My mom was southern Baptist):
Amazing Grace
Shall we Gather at the River
Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling
etc.
The pastor should be able to make some suggestions as well.
-gary
I usually do
Amazing Grace
Psalm 42 (aka When Love Is Found, aka As The Deer Longs)
Nearer My God To Thee
secular songs (if permitted)
Danny Boy
The Minstrel Boy
The Last Rose of Summer
The Parting Glass (not the dance version, the sung version - you can find it on Waking Ned Devine)
Robert wot about
“I buried my wife and danced on top of her” or
“Old hag you have killed me” or
“Go to the Devil and shake yourself”
commonly called “When its sick is it tea ye want” 
Slan go foill
Liam
PS lifes a laugh 
in a gadda da vida?
Seriously,
I go with Glands… what is being memorialized?
Tony…
On ‘The Simpsons’ that was called “In The Garden of Eden”, by I. Ron Butterfly.
And I agree with those that ask “what kind of memorial is it/who is it for?”
As a general rule, the music should be tasteful and reverential.
it is my understanding that “In The Garden Of Eden” was the original title of the song, only the singer was drunk when it was recorded.
Why???
I remember playing at a funeral service and was asked specifically by the family to play a jig.The priest wasnae all that chuffed but then he wansnae the one being buried was he!! :roll:
Slan go foill
Liam
I played Limericks Lamentation/Lament for Limerick at my Mums funeral, and subsequently,occasionally, at other funerals. But it doesn’t seem to matter about the tune content, the sound of the pipes just really affect people.
And on a lighter note, I was given a chair at one service at the graveside and I plonked it on a newly dug/filled grave (that I didn’t really notice) and proceeded to sink whilst playing. 
Alan
Alan…don’t start going downhill yet, you’re much too young, and there are still those of us who need those reeds that only you can make, though mine may last a lifetime.
Like a story I heard about an old piper, I think that when I’m on my death bed I’ll call for my AB reed, place the wrong end in my mouth, and sink my teeth into it so no other piper may know what pleasure I experienced during my best piping years. 
oh that’s a nasty thought, I should be more giving like the creator
Liam,
“Why?” indeed.
Which is precisely why I’d said it was a GENERAL rule.
Specifically, the family of the deceased ought to be calling out what they want to hear. Of course, in some churches, there will be some resistance to this.
Stay tuned,
BrianC
My Uncle Josie Adamson died at home in Moate Co Westmeath 2 years back.Moate has produced some able musicians over the years and Josie was seven times All Ireland Champion on his chosen weapon the accordion.His funeral attracted musicians from all over and most ,as is the tradition brought their instruments for the wake and my family decided it would be fitting for them to play at the service.Josie wouild have enjoyed it.
Well the priest was having none of it(bit like those eejits who don’t allow confetti at weddings)
Fury in Moate.
My niece a feisty and lovely redhead stormed in to see said powerfreak and told him who the feck did he think he was.The music was being played whether he liked it or not and if he didnae like it he could feck off to another parish or better still another religion!!!(literally)
The service went ahead the church being filled with music from the assemblege of "mourners"and grand it was.
The moral is of course
Just who the feck did he think he was anyway!!Like a lot of folk out there
a bit of power and the pontificating beginneth.. eh!! :roll:
Slan go foill
Liam
I wonder where your neice gets it from, Liam? 
Hi!
I was asked to play at my grandmothers funeral a while back and looked around for some simple tunes that I would dare to play in church. I ended up playing a slow version of the first part of “Give me your hand” with some variations and weaved it together with an old church hymn. It worked out quite nice. I chickened out on UP though, played it on my flute instead. I also played a simple Irish Air that I found in a whistle tutor, it had a nice but sad feel to it. Cant recall its name but send me a PM if you want it and I’ll dig it up or record a sample for you.
I kind of copied the version of GMYH from the celtic group Amergin (Argentina) , there is a sample online on their website.
http://amergin.8k.com/media.htm
I have also used this tune at a wedding playing it a little faster in a more happy way, kind of work out both ways I guess.
Cheers!
/MarcusR
Funeral/Memorial tunes I would suggest:
the Coolin
The Dear Irish Boy
Easter Snow
Gentle Philip Fahy
Bruach Na Carraige Baine
The Lament for Limerick
The Lament for the Wild Geese
Port na bPucai
Valencia Harbor/The Song of the Books
The Dark Island
All mighty tunes and very powerful when played with feeling.
Don’t be afraid to compose impromptu either. I did a funeral in January where I had to play about 45 minutes before the sevice began. I had gone through almost every tune I could think of (hymns, Danny Boy, reworked Scottish aires, even Gabriel’s Oboe from the movie The Mission). I still had 5 or 6 minutes to play and couldn’t think of a damned thing to play. I started making something up and just played what came to me. It must have had a good effect because those who were chattering before stopped and others were weeping and smiling. I remember thinking “Hey this is a nice tune” to myself. They even applauded at the end. Here’s the bugger. I can’t remeber even the slightest phrase of it. Not one damned bit, but it was the most evocotive thing I played there and perhaps to date. The fairies must have been upon me but stolen my memory when they left.
Marc
I partly learned ‘She Moved Through the Fair’ but the melody is good to create a fill for a few minutes.
“Taimse im Chodladh” would be a good tune, I think it translates out as “don’t wake me I’m sleeping” or something like that. Seems appropriate.
Jeff
I happened to catch “Waking Ned Devine” on television last night (PAX-TV).
There was the scene where they were carrying poor Ned’s body up to the Church for the service, and they had a lone whistle player, who was playing a very nice tune…
Anyone know the name of it?
Stay tuned,
BrianC