This is an accepted version of this page
91-887: Scottish Champions : 1992, 1993, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2022, 2023 British Champions : 1992, 1993, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 & 2015 United Kingdom Champions : 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 & 2022 European Champions : 1993, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2024 Cowal Champions : 1990, 1992, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007 2008, 2009, 2011 & 2013 All Ireland Champions : 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 & 2022 Ulster Champions : 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 & 2016 The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band
182-569: A biniou braz (Breton bagpipes), a bombarde section, a drum corps , and any additional musical instruments the band wishes to add. Common additions are clarinets, brass instruments (often trumpets or saxophones), guitars, and other forms of binious . Bagpipes Bagpipes are a woodwind instrument using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. The Great Highland bagpipes are well known, but people have played bagpipes for centuries throughout large parts of Europe , Northern Africa , Western Asia , around
273-547: A feather bonnet . Competition is a primary focus for many pipe bands throughout the world. Every year, mainly in the period from spring to autumn, pipe bands around the world compete against each other at various venues, often at Highland festivals. For many, this usually culminates in the World Pipe Band Championships, held on the 2nd weekend of August. A typical season for many competing pipe bands might include ten or more of these competitions. Europe (especially
364-450: A pan flute played along with a friction drum . Several authors identify the ancient Greek askaulos (ἀσκός askos – wine-skin , αὐλός aulos – reed pipe) with the bagpipe. In the 2nd century AD, Suetonius described the Roman emperor Nero as a player of the tibia utricularis . Dio Chrysostom wrote in the 1st century of a contemporary sovereign (possibly Nero) who could play
455-643: A 13th-century manuscript of northern French origin. Although evidence of bagpipes in the British Isles prior to the 14th century is contested, they are explicitly mentioned in The Canterbury Tales (written around 1380): A baggepype wel coude he blowe and sowne, /And ther-with-al he broghte us out of towne. Bagpipes were also frequent subjects for carvers of wooden choir stalls in the late 15th and early 16th century throughout Europe, sometimes with animal musicians. Actual specimens of bagpipes from before
546-589: A Breton interpretation known as the bagad . The pipe-band idiom has also been adopted and applied to the Galician gaita as well. Bagpipes have often been used in various films depicting moments from Scottish and Irish history; the film Braveheart and the theatrical show Riverdance have served to make the uilleann pipes more commonly known. Bagpipes are sometimes played at formal events at Commonwealth universities, particularly in Canada. Because of Scottish influences on
637-471: A Medley event, which consists of a short selection of music chosen and arranged by the band. The rules for the medley contest are very open, requiring only a minimum and maximum time frame (between 5:30 and 7 minutes) and a minimum of different time signatures that must be played as well as two 3 pace rolls played at the beginning of the tune (also known as an attack). In addition to performing at 'The Worlds', most internationally competitive bands participate in
728-434: A bellows. Materials used for bags vary widely, but the most common are the skins of local animals such as goats, dogs, sheep, and cows. More recently, bags made of synthetic materials including Gore-Tex have become much more common. Some synthetic bags have zips that allow the player to fit a more effective moisture trap to the inside of the bag. However, synthetic bags still carry a risk of colonisation by fungal spores, and
819-430: A block colour. In competition, appearing smart in uniform is essential; some competitions have dress codes, for instance certain types of jackets only, ties must be knotted at the collar and so on. Pipe bands often vary the uniform worn, depending on the formality of the occasion. Very formal occasions require jackets to be worn, whereas less formal occasions do not, and only the waistcoat is worn. On semi-formal occasions,
910-608: A clean air flow to the pipes and assist the collection of condensation. The use of a bellows to supply air is an innovation dating from the 16th or 17th century. In these pipes, sometimes called " cauld wind pipes ", air is not heated or moistened by the player's breathing, so bellows-driven bagpipes can use more refined or delicate reeds. Such pipes include the Irish uilleann pipes ; the border or Lowland pipes , Scottish smallpipes , Northumbrian smallpipes and pastoral pipes in Britain;
1001-622: A conical shape. Popular woods include boxwood , cornel , plum or other fruit wood. The chanter is usually open-ended, so there is no easy way for the player to stop the pipe from sounding. Thus most bagpipes share a constant legato sound with no rests in the music. Primarily because of this inability to stop playing, technical movements are made to break up notes and to create the illusion of articulation and accents. Because of their importance, these embellishments (or "ornaments") are often highly technical systems specific to each bagpipe, and take many years of study to master. A few bagpipes (such as
SECTION 10
#17328687230351092-434: A constant volume, it is the drum corps which adds dynamic effect to the ensemble by varying the weight of playing and the number of players playing at any given time. While standard practice in pipe bands is for the pipe section to perform the traditional or standard arrangements of the melodies, including gracenotes , drum scores are very often composed by the lead drummer of the band. The bass section (also referred to as
1183-412: A different role in the music. Generally speaking, the pipers deliver the melodic and harmonic material, while the side drummers provide a rhythmically interactive accompaniment part. The tenor drummers provide rhythmic pulses and the bass drummer anchors the rhythms, providing a strong and steady beat. The bagpipers are responsible for providing all melodic material in the music. Generally speaking, all of
1274-626: A distinct class. In the early part of the second millennium, representation of bagpipes began to appear with frequency in Western European art and iconography. The Cantigas de Santa Maria , written in Galician-Portuguese and compiled in Castile in the mid-13th century, depicts several types of bagpipes. Several illustrations of bagpipes also appear in the Chronique dite de Baudoin d’Avesnes ,
1365-1071: A long, slow decline that continued, in most cases, into the 20th century. Extensive and documented collections of traditional bagpipes may be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the International Bagpipe Museum in Gijón , Spain, the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford , England and the Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum in Northumberland, and the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona . The International Bagpipe Festival [ cs ]
1456-462: A machine gun or mortar platoon , or are Assault Pioneers or as a rifle platoon. (This is similar to corps of drums in an English or Welsh infantry regiment although their tradition of fifes and drums is quite separate from that of the Highland bagpipes). As a result, in addition to being musicians, members of the pipes and drums must also be qualified fighting soldiers. Unlike musicians, who belong to
1547-477: A merge between harmony and melody known as ' counter-melody ' has been aired. A counter-melody is similar to a harmony part, but is distinguished because it has a melodic line of its own. Counter-melody can take a completely different thematic approach and can dramatically change the flow and atmosphere of the melodic unison. This technique is relatively new in the pipe band circuit, and in most cases require skill and timing to achieve in full unison. The drum corps of
1638-406: A midsection) consists of a section of tenor drummers and a bass drummer . Their role is to provide rhythmic support to the entire ensemble. In this respect, the bass section allows the drum corps to delegate their timekeeping responsibilities and allows more freedom in the drum scores. Generally, the bass drum provides a steady pulse, playing on the downbeat and on the strong beats of the bar, and
1729-535: A part of a bagpipe is a chanter found in 1985 at Rostock , Germany, that has been dated to the late 14th century or the first quarter of the 15th century. The first clear reference to the use of the Scottish Highland bagpipes is from a French history that mentions their use at the Battle of Pinkie in 1547. George Buchanan (1506–82) claimed that bagpipes had replaced the trumpet on the battlefield. This period saw
1820-492: A pipe ( tibia , Roman reedpipes similar to Greek and Etruscan instruments) with his mouth as well as by tucking a bladder beneath his armpit. Vereno suggests that such instruments, rather than being seen as an independent class, were understood as variants on mouth-blown instruments that used a bag as an alternative blowing aid and that it was not until drones were added in the European Medieval era that bagpipes were seen as
1911-433: A pipe band consists of a section of drummers playing highland snare drums and the bass section. In the early days of pipe bands, rope tension snare drums were common, but as bagpipe tuning pitches became higher, a brighter tone was demanded from the drum corps. Pipe band drummers now play on drums with very tight, knitted kevlar heads, designed for maximum tension to create a very crisp and strident sound. Since today's drum
SECTION 20
#17328687230352002-462: A pipe band setting can be extremely effective. Pipe band harmony is sometimes referred to as 'seconds', although this simply refers to a second part and not to the interval of a second. In fact, intervals of a second are rarely found in pipe band harmony parts, except in passing. Instead, it is the consonant intervals which are stressed, such as perfect fourths and fifths, and even more commonly, parallel thirds and sixths. In contemporary arrangements,
2093-516: A season of events that are generally held during Scotland's summer months. While events of this type are usually held at Highland Games , band competitions in Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland are often large enough to be held as events unto themselves. The grading and organization of these events is generally consistent with the World Championships and the events are typically administered by
2184-445: A soft harness, or sling, instead of the typical marching harness used by the snare drums, but shoulder harness tenors are now used by several pipe bands. Competing bands must adhere to minimum numbers requirements. Typically, a band must consist of a minimum of 6 pipers, 2 snare drummers, and 1 bass drummer with numbers varying slightly for different grades (see more on grades below). Pipe band uniforms vary from band to band. However,
2275-465: A stroke, and the band was led by Alastair Dunn until Richard recovered and led the band to win the last three majors of the season. Parkes was awarded an MBE in the 2004 Birthday Honours for services to pipe band music in Northern Ireland. The band has won the World Championships in 1992, 1993, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2022, becoming the first band to win all
2366-590: Is a competitive grade one pipe band from Lisburn , Northern Ireland named in honour of Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery of Alamein . The band has won the World Pipe Band Championships 13 times, making it the third most successful competing pipe band in history behind the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band and the Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band . The band was founded in 1945 in
2457-539: Is given as to which pitches to use and at which times. The pitches help provide melodic or harmonic accompaniment to the bagpipes; creating a more dynamic flow between the drum corps and the pipe corps. In some cases, five or six tenor drummers have been used, providing a palette of individual pitches for use in a variety of musical situations. The swinging also known as flourishing has developed somewhat into an art form, with drummers playing and swinging in unison or sequential flows. Tenor drums are also still commonly played on
2548-634: Is held every two years in Strakonice , Czech Republic . During the expansion of the British Empire , spearheaded by British military forces that included Highland regiments , the Scottish Great Highland bagpipe became well known worldwide. This surge in popularity was boosted by large numbers of pipers trained for military service in World War I and World War II . This coincided with a decline in
2639-653: Is known by the name " mezwed ". It is used in the Tunisian pop music genre, also called mezwed , that is named after the instrument. Since the 1960s, bagpipes have also made appearances in other forms of music, including rock, metal, jazz, hip-hop, punk, and classical music, for example with Paul McCartney 's " Mull of Kintyre ", AC/DC 's " It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll) ", and Peter Maxwell Davies 's composition An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise . Periodicals covering specific types of bagpipes are addressed in
2730-455: Is smaller than the rest and usually consists of a small tube that is made out of metal or a chicken or duck feather. Uncovering the flea-hole raises any note played by a half step, and it is used in creating the musical ornamentation that gives Balkan music its unique character. Some types of gaida can have a double bored chanter, such as the Serbian three-voiced gajde. It has eight fingerholes:
2821-400: Is so facile as a result of its design, players are often able to execute extremely complicated and technically demanding rudimentary patterns. The pipe band drum corps is responsible for both supporting the piping with a solid rhythmic foundation and sense of pulse, often creating an interesting contrapuntal line unto itself. The line played by the drum corps (referred to as the 'drum score')
Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band - Misplaced Pages Continue
2912-589: Is structurally between a kaba and dzhura gaida and described as a medium pitched gaida. In Southeastern Europe and Eastern Europe bagpipes known as gaida include: the Albanian : gajde, mishnica, bishnica , Aromanian : gaidã , Bulgarian : гайда ( gaida ), Greek : γκάιντα ( gáida ) τσαμπούνα ( tsaboúna ) or ασκομαντουρα ( askomandoura ), Macedonian : гајда ( gajda ), Serbo-Croatian : gajda/гајда , Turkish : gayda also tulum and Ukrainian : gayda / ґайда . In Tunisia, it
3003-536: Is suitable for use as dance music. Numerous types of bagpipes today are widely spread across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa as well as through much of the former British Empire . The name bagpipe has almost become synonymous with its best-known form, the Great Highland bagpipe , overshadowing the great number and variety of traditional forms of bagpipe. Despite the decline of these other types of pipes over
3094-774: Is typically done only in concert settings. Pipe bands started in Scottish Regiments of the British Army, in the nineteenth century. The tradition then spread to former British colonies such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, as well as constituents of the Commonwealth of Nations . In addition, a number of other countries have adopted the tradition, notably in areas with Celtic roots: Ireland (circa 1900), Brittany in Northwestern France (1940s), and
3185-416: Is usually based on rudimentary patterns and can often be quite involved, with solo, unison and contrapuntal passages throughout. A popular pattern in many scores is for the lead drummer to play a phrase, and the section to play in response. This technique is known as seconds (sometimes referred to as chips, or forte). The drum corps is also responsible for the dynamics of the band. Given that the bagpipes are at
3276-610: The Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming , in Edinburgh , Scotland. To be qualified as a pipe major or drum major in the pipes and drums of a regiment of the British Army, candidates must successfully pass a series of courses at the school. The music played by pipe bands generally consists of music from the Scottish tradition, the Irish tradition and the Breton tradition, either in
3367-810: The Breton biniou , the Balkan gaida , the Romanian cimpoi , the Black Sea tulum , the Scottish smallpipes and pastoral pipes , as well as other varieties. Bulgaria has the Kaba gaida , a large bagpipe of the Rhodope mountains with a hexagonal and rounded drone, often described as a deep-sounding gaida and the Dzhura gaida with a straight conical drone and of a higher pitch . The Macedonian gaida
3458-455: The Great Highland bagpipe , a section of snare drummers (often referred to as 'side drummers'), several tenor drummers and usually one, though occasionally two, bass drummers . The tenor drummers and bass drummer are referred to collectively as the 'bass section' (or in North America as the 'midsection'), and the entire drum section is collectively known as the drum corps. The band follows
3549-526: The International Space Station in November 2015. Traditionally, one of the purposes of the bagpipe was to provide music for dancing. This has declined with the growth of dance bands, recordings, and the decline of traditional dance. In turn, this has led to many types of pipes developing a performance-led tradition, and indeed much modern music based on the dance music tradition played on bagpipes
3640-687: The Normandy beaches, and the crossing of the Rhine. The Calgary Highlanders went into action for the first time at Hill 67 in Normandy with company pipers playing; it was the only time the Regiment did so. Military pipers have also served in both Gulf Wars. Pipe bands have long been part of military tradition, most notably in the United Kingdom and its former colonies. Many of the same standard tunes are found in both
3731-540: The Persian Gulf and northern parts of South Asia . The term bagpipe is equally correct in the singular or the plural, though pipers usually refer to the bagpipes as "the pipes", "a set of pipes" or "a stand of pipes". A set of bagpipes minimally consists of an air supply, a bag, a chanter , and usually at least one drone . Many bagpipes have more than one drone (and, sometimes, more than one chanter) in various combinations, held in place in stocks—sockets that fasten
Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band - Misplaced Pages Continue
3822-670: The RSPBA , and bands can be downgraded or upgraded at the annual regrading, which takes place at the end of the competition season. A band can apply for downgrading, but will have to compete in two further contests in their existing grade. Because of time constraints, the RSPBA uses "A" and "B" designations in Grade 3, 4, and Novice Juvenile for major competitions. In doing so, bands are grouped based on prior-years' performances, and can receive promotions within their respective grade. These vary slightly throughout
3913-579: The Royal Corps of Army Music , the pipers and drummers belong to the regiment in which they serve and are combat soldiers first and foremost. Pipers in particular uphold a centuries-old tradition of inspiring soldiers in the field and this can be traced back into Scotland's clan system to the 16th century at least. In other parts of the world, military pipe bands are generally part of reserve regiments, and also draw civilian members into their ranks. The British Army runs its own pipes and drums training facility,
4004-521: The United States have also adopted the tradition of fielding pipe bands. In recent years, often driven by revivals of native folk music and dance, many types of bagpipes have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity and, in many cases, instruments that had fallen into obscurity have become extremely popular. In Brittany , the Great Highland bagpipe and concept of the pipe band were appropriated to create
4095-559: The musette de cour , the musette bechonnet and the cabrette in France; and the Dudy [ pl ] , koziol bialy , and koziol czarny in Poland. The bag is an airtight reservoir that holds air and regulates its flow via arm pressure, allowing the player to maintain continuous, even sound. The player keeps the bag inflated by blowing air into it through a blowpipe or by pumping air into it with
4186-399: The tonic note of the chanter). Exceptions are generally those pipes that have a double-chanter instead. A drone is most commonly a cylindrically bored tube with a single reed, although drones with double reeds exist. The drone is generally designed in two or more parts with a sliding joint so that the pitch of the drone can be adjusted. Depending on the type of pipes, the drones may lie over
4277-512: The 1840s, when Queen Victoria's enthusiasm for all things Highland was instrumental in the War Office 's decision that each battalion of the Highland regiments be allowed five pipers and a pipe major, which continues to be all that the British Army provides funds for to this day. Any additional pipers in the battalion pipe band were and are equipped today by funds from the officers' mess fund of
4368-435: The 18th century are extremely rare; however, a substantial number of paintings, carvings, engravings, and manuscript illuminations survive. These artefacts are clear evidence that bagpipes varied widely throughout Europe, and even within individual regions. Many examples of early folk bagpipes in continental Europe can be found in the paintings of Brueghel, Teniers, Jordaens, and Durer. The earliest known artefact identified as
4459-651: The Anglo-Norman invasion; another mention attributes their use to Irish troops in Henry VIII's siege of Boulogne . Illustrations in the 1581 book The Image of Irelande by John Derricke clearly depict a bagpiper. Derricke's illustrations are considered to be reasonably faithful depictions of the attire and equipment of the English and Irish population of the 16th century. The "Battell" sequence from My Ladye Nevells Booke (1591) by William Byrd , which probably alludes to
4550-462: The Cowal Championship and thus Argyll Shield whilst it was still accredited RSPBA Major championship status. Pipe band#Competition ⁘ The World Pipe Band Championships A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of pipers and drummers. The term pipes and drums , used by military pipe bands is also common. The most common form of pipe band consists of a section of pipers playing
4641-563: The Irish wars of 1578, contains a piece entitled The bagpipe: & the drone . In 1760, the first serious study of the Scottish Highland bagpipe and its music was attempted in Joseph MacDonald's Compleat Theory . A manuscript from the 1730s by a William Dixon of Northumberland contains music that fits the border pipes , a nine-note bellows-blown bagpipe with a chanter similar to that of the modern Great Highland bagpipe . However,
SECTION 50
#17328687230354732-754: The Major competitions in a single year more than once adding Grand Slams in 2011 and again in 2013 to their maiden Grand Slam in 1993. 2013 was also the first year that the Drum Corps won the world title. After 43 years, in September 2024, Richard Parkes retired as Pipe Major of the band. Matt Wilson, the band's pipe sergeant, took over the position. As of 2024 the band has won a total of 72 major championships, namely 17 Scottish Championships, 13 World Championships, 12 Cowal Championships, 13 European Championships, 12 British Championships, and 5 United Kingdom Championships. Further,
4823-616: The UK and Ireland), North America, Australia, and New Zealand have active competitive pipe band communities, but there are competing bands from throughout the world. Since 1930, when the Scottish band association (today known as the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association or RSPBA) was formed, there has been a World Pipe Band Championship competition, known as 'The Worlds' held annually in Glasgow during August. For competitive bands,
4914-639: The United Kingdom and Commonwealth Nations such as Canada , New Zealand and Australia , the Great Highland bagpipe is commonly used in the military and is often played during formal ceremonies. Foreign militaries patterned after the British army have also adopted the Highland bagpipe, including those of Uganda , Sudan , India , Pakistan , Sri Lanka , Jordan , and Oman . Many police and fire services in Scotland , Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong , and
5005-654: The Worlds are awarded in the following nine categories: In the Novice Juvenile and Juvenile categories, band members must be under the age of eighteen, with the exception of one "adult" player, often an instructor, who may serve as the Pipe Major or Pipe Sergeant. The remaining categories have no age restriction, and are instead based on proficiency. Grading and eligibility are overseen by the National Council and Music Board of
5096-440: The associated danger of lung infection if they are not kept clean, even if they otherwise require less cleaning than do bags made from natural substances. Bags cut from larger materials are usually saddle-stitched with an extra strip folded over the seam and stitched (for skin bags) or glued (for synthetic bags) to reduce leaks. Holes are then cut to accommodate the stocks. In the case of bags made from largely intact animal skins,
5187-415: The band has won 25 Ulster Championships, 27 All-Ireland Championships, and gained 15 RSPBA Champion of Champions titles. Since its first Grade 1 prize at a major championship in 1990, the band has never been out of the top six at any major championship in which it has competed, finishing in the prize list in over 150 championship competitions. The Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band became the last band to win
5278-472: The battalion. By this time, pipers were already playing together with drummers, probably modelling themselves on the fife and drum bands which had existed in Switzerland since the 15th century. Drumming itself is as ancient as the concept of formed military units, and their original purpose on the battlefield was to signal tactical movements and keep cadence on the march. By the time World War I broke out,
5369-451: The chanter. The term chanter is derived from the Latin cantare , or "to sing", much like the modern French verb meaning "to sing", chanter . A distinctive feature of the gaida's chanter (which it shares with a number of other Eastern European bagpipes) is the "flea-hole" (also known as a mumbler or voicer , marmorka ) which is covered by the index finger of the left hand. The flea-hole
5460-415: The creation of the ceòl mór (great music) of the bagpipe, which reflected its martial origins, with battle tunes, marches, gatherings, salutes and laments. The Highlands of the early 17th century saw the development of piping families including the MacCrimmonds , MacArthurs, MacGregors , and the Mackays of Gairloch . The earliest Irish mention of the bagpipe is in 1206, approximately thirty years after
5551-408: The direction of the pipe major; when on parade the band may be led by a drum major, who directs the band with a mace. Standard instrumentation for a pipe band involves 6 to 25 pipers, 3 to 10 side drummers, 1 to 6 tenor drummers and 1 bass drummer. Occasionally this instrumentation is augmented to include additional instruments (such as additional percussion instruments or keyboard instruments), but this
SECTION 60
#17328687230355642-527: The employ of the British Army and Scottish emigrants brought with them traditional music and the culture surrounding the practice. It is known that pipers served in regiments from the earliest times; the Royal Scots have records referring to pipers dating back to the early seventeenth century. During this time, soldiers specially employed as pipers were employed by the officers of the regiments as private pipers, although countless others were certainly trained in piping while serving. This situation continued until
5733-417: The exploration of non-traditional repertoire, and serves as another means by which piping and drumming can present itself to the public in a modern fashion. A lesser-known type of pipe band that has already expanded the pipe band genre is the bagad , a Breton cultural phenomenon. Bagads began in the thirties to counter the widespread decay of the living Breton folk tradition. A modern-day bagad consists of
5824-465: The form of traditional folk tunes and dances or popular music that has been adapted for pipes. Examples of typical pipe bands forms include marches, slow airs , jigs and reels , and strathspeys . In recent years there has been a great deal of emphasis placed on new forms, especially the suite . A good example of a suite for pipe band is Don Thompson's composition Journey to Skye (1987). In conventional pipe band music, each section of instruments has
5915-445: The fur is on the inside of the bag, as this helps to reduce the effect of moisture buildup within the bag. The chanter is the melody pipe, played with two hands. All bagpipes have at least one chanter; some pipes have two chanters, particularly those in North Africa, in the Balkans, and in Southwest Asia. A chanter can be bored internally so that the inside walls are parallel (or "cylindrical") for its full length, or it can be bored in
6006-431: The governing Pipe Band Association . In addition to the World Pipe Band Championships, the RSPBA also typically hosts four other major championships throughout the year. These are the Scottish, British, UK, and European Pipe Band Championships. Despite their naming, these events are not limited to entrants from the region after which they are named and it is common for bands from outside these regions to enter. Prizes at
6097-399: The jacket is not worn, but a long-sleeved shirt is worn under the waistcoat. This increases the formality of the outfit, but decreases the comfort. On occasion, no waistcoat is worn, in which case the shirt sleeve must be of long length. Pipe Major uniforms are usually different, to distinguish them from the other members of the band. More traditional highland dress may be worn, sometimes with
6188-456: The last few centuries, in recent years many of these pipes have seen a resurgence or revival as musicians have sought them out; for example, the Irish piping tradition , which by the mid 20th century had declined to a handful of master players is today alive, well, and flourishing, a situation similar to that of the Asturian gaita , the Galician gaita , the Portuguese gaita transmontana , the Aragonese gaita de boto , Northumbrian smallpipes ,
6279-453: The lower grades, led by its first pipe major Billy Maxwell, who later became band president, and later by Sandy Cumming. Around 1970 Field Marshal merged with Raffrey Pipe Band to become Freymont, which played in Grade 3, but in 1976 it was decided to reform the band as Field Marshal Montgomery under the leadership of Ricky Newell owing to the balance of players in Freymont. The band achieved promotion to Grade 2 under Newell's leadership, but in
6370-464: The middle of 1981 Newell left after a disagreement and Richard Parkes became pipe major. Field Marshal was promoted to Grade 1 at the end of 1985, won its first Grade 1 Major Championship at Cowal in 1990, won its first World Championship in 1992, and then won every Major Championship in 1993. From 2000 to 2009, the band won 28 major championships, including four World Championships and five runners-up awards. In 2004, Pipe Major Richard Parkes suffered
6461-455: The military and civilian pipe band repertoires, and many similarities exist in terms of musical style, historical and musical influences, and dress and deportment. Military bandsmen as full time musicians in British Army bands are normally required to take on a secondary role in the battlefield as medics. However, in most cases, soldiers in the pipes and drums in a Scottish or Irish infantry regiment are fully trained infantrymen who constitute
6552-498: The musette de cour, the uilleann pipes , the Northumbrian smallpipes, the piva and the left chanter of the surdelina ) have closed ends or stop the end on the player's leg, so that when the player "closes" (covers all the holes), the chanter becomes silent. A practice chanter is a chanter without bag or drones and has a much quieter reed, allowing a player to practice the instrument quietly and with no variables other than playing
6643-635: The music in Dixon's manuscript varied greatly from modern Highland bagpipe tunes, consisting mostly of extended variation sets of common dance tunes. Some of the tunes in the Dixon manuscript correspond to those found in the early 19th century manuscript sources of Northumbrian smallpipe tunes, notably the rare book of 50 tunes, many with variations, by John Peacock . As Western classical music developed, both in terms of musical sophistication and instrumental technology, bagpipes in many regions fell out of favour because of their limited range and function. This triggered
6734-479: The octave below and then a drone consonant with the fifth of the chanter. The evidence for bagpipes prior to the 13th century AD is still uncertain, but several textual and visual clues have been suggested. The Oxford History of Music posits that a sculpture of bagpipes has been found on a Hittite slab at Euyuk in Anatolia, dated to 1000 BC. Another interpretation of this sculpture suggests that it instead depicts
6825-543: The pipe band represented a popular image of Scotland, both internally and externally. Military pipers were killed and injured in significant numbers in the Great War, before the practice of playing in the trenches was banned. The ban was often not observed; Canadian piper James Richardson was awarded the Victoria Cross for playing in action in 1916. Pipes have occasionally played into battle, notably at El Alamein , Dieppe ,
6916-471: The pipers play a unison melody on their chanters , with their drones providing the harmonic support and filling out the sound. When harmony is written within the pipe section, it is usually a two-part harmony, and is usually scored in a 2:1 ratio (with two-thirds of the players on the melody and one third of the players on the harmony part). Because of the limited range of the chanter, the harmonic possibilities are somewhat limited, but well-written harmony in
7007-534: The popularity of many traditional forms of bagpipe throughout Europe, which began to be displaced by instruments from the classical tradition and later by gramophone and radio. As pipers were easily identifiable, combat losses were high, estimated at one thousand in World War I. A front line role was prohibited following high losses in the Second Battle of El Alamein in 1943, though a few later instances occurred. In
7098-423: The reed is a combination of a cotton phenolic (Hgw2082) material from which the body of the reed is made and a clarinet reed cut to size in order to fit the body. These type of reeds produce a louder sound and are not so sensitive to humidity and temperature changes. Most bagpipes have at least one drone , a pipe that generally is not fingered but rather produces a constant harmonizing note throughout play (usually
7189-641: The regions of Galicia , Asturias and Cantabria in Northern Spain. The pipe band's origins are in the military, but are obscure as contemporary historical regimental records had no direct interest in piping, giving only hints at details. The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association maintains that the origin of military pipe bands are traced back to the early 1800s as soldiers tasked with keeping pace and morale on long marches with their respective regiments. The global spread of piping can also be directly attributed with British colonial expansion. Pipers and drummers in
7280-429: The shoulder, across the arm opposite the bag, or may run parallel to the chanter. Some drones have a tuning screw, which effectively alters the length of the drone by opening a hole, allowing the drone to be tuned to two or more distinct pitches. The tuning screw may also shut off the drone altogether. In most types of pipes with one drone, it is pitched two octaves below the tonic of the chanter. Additional drones often add
7371-465: The sport of curling , bagpipes are also the official instrument of the World Curling Federation and are commonly played during a ceremonial procession of teams before major curling championships. Bagpipe making was once a craft that produced instruments in many distinctive, local and traditional styles. Today, the world's largest producer of the instrument is Pakistan , where the industry
7462-457: The stocks are typically tied into the points where the limbs and the head joined the body of the whole animal, a construction technique common in Central Europe . Different regions have different ways of treating the hide. The simplest methods involve just the use of salt, while more complex treatments involve milk , flour , and the removal of fur. The hide is normally turned inside out so that
7553-478: The tenors support that pulse, often adding supporting beats, accents and dynamic interest. Tenor drums in their modern form are a relatively new addition to the pipe band. While pipe bands of the past would often include tenor drummers, they would usually be "swinging tenors", players who would swing their sticks for elaborate visual effect but who would rarely play. They are more known as flourishing tenors. Today's tenor drummers play pitched drums, and careful thought
7644-508: The title of World Champion is highly coveted, and this event is seen as the culmination of a year's worth of preparation, rehearsal and practice. Traditionally, the entirety of the World Championships had taken place on one day in August, on Glasgow Green . However, in more recent years, the competition has been spread over Friday and Saturday, with Friday hosting a qualifying event for the Grade 1 final. Typically, several hundred bands attend across
7735-759: The top four are covered by the thumb and the first three fingers of the left hand, then the four fingers of the right hand cover the remaining four holes. The note from the chanter is produced by a reed installed at its top. The reed may be a single (a reed with one vibrating tongue) or double reed (of two pieces that vibrate against each other). Double reeds are used with both conical- and parallel-bored chanters while single reeds are generally (although not exclusively) limited to parallel-bored chanters. In general, double-reed chanters are found in pipes of Western Europe while single-reed chanters appear in most other regions. They are made from reed ( arundo donax or Phragmites ), bamboo , or elder . A more modern variant for
7826-416: The townland of Drumalig, a few miles from Carryduff on the outskirts of Belfast. A group of farmer’s sons had decided to form a band and name it after Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery . The youths wrote to Montgomery to ask for permission to use his name, and as well as allowing them to use his name he donated ten shillings to their funds. In the years to follow, the band successfully worked its way through
7917-458: The two days, traveling from all over the world. Bands arrive early and, in most grades, are required to perform in a qualifying round which takes place in the morning. The top bands at the end of the qualifying round play in a second event in the afternoon to determine an aggregate winner. To win, Grade One bands must perform in two events, a March, Strathspey & Reel event (known as a "set" or "MSR") which consists of three pre-arranged tunes, and
8008-417: The typical uniform consists of a glengarry (cap), shirt, tie, waistcoat (vest), jacket, kilt , hose and ghillie brogues . Many pipe bands wear a tartan that may reflect the area the band originated from or the history of the band. Jackets and waistcoats are usually black, and shirts are often short-sleeved for comfort. Each band also has its own tie, which can match the kilt tartan, or is sometimes merely
8099-412: The various pipes to the bag. The most common method of supplying air to the bag is through blowing into a blowpipe or blowstick. In some pipes the player must cover the tip of the blowpipe with the tongue while inhaling, in order to prevent unwanted deflation of the bag, but most blowpipes have a non-return valve that eliminates this need. In recent times, there are many instruments that assist in creating
8190-699: The world. For example, in the Republic of Ireland and North America, Grade 4B is known as Grade 5, and in Australia and New Zealand there is no Novice grade at all. Many pipe bands perform in parades and other public events as a primary activity. These bands are sometimes referred to as "street bands" or "parade bands". Some military bands fall into this category as well, playing for regimental functions in lieu of, or supplemented by, competitions and/or concerts. In recent times, concert performances have become increasingly popular. The purely musical nature of these venues enable
8281-481: Was worth $ 6.8 million in 2010. In the late 20th century, various models of electronic bagpipes were invented. The first custom-built MIDI bagpipes were developed by the Asturian piper known as Hevia (José Ángel Hevia Velasco). Astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is thought to be the first person to play the bagpipes in outer space , having played " Amazing Grace " in tribute to late research scientist Victor Hurst aboard
#34965