Scotch-Irish-L Archives

From: John Giacoletti <>
Subject: Dreadful ... Instrument
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1998 11:31:51 -0400

Charlie Clark wrote ...Even that dreadful-sounding musical instrument
they're
so fond of (if one can call it musical, that is), the bagpipe, was given
to the Scots by the Irish (and the Scots haven't seen the joke yet!)

Just for the hell of the trivia of it all ... The bagpipe is not an
"instrument." Only 7 (or is it 9?) notes can be played on the pipes and
the British courts have determined that an "instrument" must have a greater
tonal range than what the bagpipe is capable of.

The great Highland pipes were not used in the soundtrack of "Braveheart"
because the Highland pipes are atonal in relationship to an orchestra. In
"Braveheart" the Irish Ullian pipes were used because those pipes can be
tuned to accompany a symphonic orchestra.

Pipers have told me that the solution ---- and it's a typically Scottish
solution ---- is that while it's true that the pipes cannot be tuned to an
orchestra, it is possible for the orchestra to detune and adjust to the
pipes.

John


Cowan, County Down
McClay, County Tyrone
MacLea, Argyll
Starr, County Cavan

This thread:

• Dreadful ... Instrument by John Giacoletti <>