LL-L "Music" 2009.03.04 (05) [E]

[Lowlands-L List]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 04 March 2009 - Volume 05
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From: Paul Finlow-Bates <wolf_thunder51 at yahoo.co.uk>

Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2009.03.04 (04) [E]



An Irishman once insisted to me that they invented bagpipes - as a joke,
which the Scots haven't got yet.



Actually, as you say, a very ancient and widespread instrument.  I've heard
Hungarian and Swedish ones, amongst others.



Paul

Derby

(which has no native bagpipe as far as I know)



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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Music

Folks,

Historically, bagpipes are indeed found in most parts of Europe as well as
in parts of North Africa and in West Asia all the way via Arabia and Iran to
India. There are claims that bagpipes were played in Ancient China but later
fell into disuse.


The Roman *tibia utricularis*, a type of *aulein* (pipe) Emperor Nero
(37-68) is reported to have been able to play "with mouth and armpit," is
widely assumed to be a type of bagpipe. Furthermore, there are claims that
Greeks played bagpipes before the common era. No details are known about
bagpipes prior to the Middle Ages and Renaissance at which time they became
very popular and remained so in folk music until the end of the 19th
century. Most bagpipes produce very loud sounds. Perhaps this is one of the
reasons for them having been choice instruments accompanying (noisy) peasant
dances in earlier times.

We know, among others from engravings and paintings, that bagpipes were
commonly played in what are now Belgium and the Netherlands, also in the
southern parts of Germany. Personally I do not associate them with Northern
Germany's part of the Lowlands. But apparently bagpipes used to be played
there as well. For instance, The chanter of a 13th-century bagpipe of the *
Hümmelchen* type was found in the area of Husum (Hüsem) in Northern
Friesland, Schleswig-Holstein. (The *Hümmelchen* came into its own in the
Renaissance but may have existed earlier.) In fact, the German word *
Hümmelchen* for this seemingly smaller version of the
*Schäferpfeifen*("shepherds pipes") with a softer, more buzzing sound,
is apparently not the
diminutive form of *Hummel* 'bumblebee' but was derived from *hemeln ~
hämeln* ~ *humeln* 'to truncate', 'to shorten', 'to lop', in Middle Saxon
("Middle Low German"), the language of the north.

I understand some people claim that bagpipes were invented in Thrace. Be
this as it may, assuming a connection with early shepherding cultures seems
reasonable considering that the bag seems to have begun as (and in many
cases remains to be) an intact goat's or sheep's skin and especially loud
sounds carried over long distances are a common feature of Eurasia's
pastoral instruments and singing styles. Given indications that some forms
of bagpipes existed already in Classical Greek times, I hardly think we can
really determine where this type of instrument was first invented. For all
we know, it may have been invented in an area in which its use came to be
discontinued a long time ago. (See my first paragraph.)

Because of their iconic status, bagpipes are nowadays only associated with
Hiberno-British cultures in popular cultures. Most people are surprised to
find out about the true extent of this type of instrument. I would even go
as far as suggesting we consider it a Eurasia instrument. (I do not think
there are equivalents in traditional American and Oceanic cultures.)

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
Seattle, USA

•

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