[gothic-l] GAITA -from- (GAITS)followup

[F. Ximeneiks - (F. E. Ximenez)]

Hello All,
Just a followup to my previous post concerning the:
[CASTILIAN "GAITA"] POSSIBLY FROM GOTHIC <GAITS>

1).
The history of the bagpipes is very nebulous. They are thought to have
originated in the near east. Some say that a set of pipes (I am not sure
what the latter may comprise) were found in Panapolis, Egypt and date
back to 1500 B.C.E. Others claim a Mesopotamian origin around 2000
B.C.E. There is a description of such an instrument by Suetonius in the
c1 who claims that a depiction of same appeared on one of Nero's coins.
At a later time, Dion Chrisosthom states that Nero enjoyed playing the
"hydraulic organ", an instrument having a leather bladder. He follows by
saying that Nero knew how to blow into the pipe and squeeze the bladder
under his arm. Nonetheless, to cut to the chase, bagpipes seem to have
arrived in Spain at least around the time of its Roman occupation via
Roman troops who used them in battle. -

2).
Considering the above statements of Dion Chrisosthom, it seems that the
"hydraulic organ" he mentions is most likely the same instrument
mentioned by Sidonius Apollinaris in his portrait of Theodoric written
at about 455, there he states:  "In any case no ( hydraulic organs ) are
heard there, nor does any concert party under its trainer boom forth a
set performance in chorus; there is no music of a lutenist, flautist,
dance conductor, tambourine girl, or female guitarist; for the king
finds charm only in string music that comforts the soul with virtue just
as much as it soothes the ear with melody." Thus the bagpipes appear to
have been (at least) known and most likely used by the Goths.

3).
Also - While researching this I found  that the earliest European
depiction of bagpipes occurs in an illuminations of the songbook of the
"Cantigas de Sancta Maria" of Alfonso X, in Castille in about 1224.
Thereafter, other depictions begin appearing in Galicia Spain (a boar
playing bagpipes) cut into a church pew in the church of Santa María de
la Oliva in the late c13.

4).
It appears that in Hungary bagpipes are called "Gaida".
In Yugoslavia they are similarly called "Gayda", where the name also
means (goat).
Interestingly, the latter are areas through which the Goths wandered
during their migration. [Coincidence perhaps?]

Frith,
F. Ximénez


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