The Highland bagpipe : $b its history, literature, and music: with some account of the traditions, superstitions, and anecdotes relating to the instrument and its tunesManson, W. L. (William Laird)
History
The Highland bagpipe : $b its history, literature, and music: with some account of the traditions, superstitions, and anecdotes relating to the instrument and its tunes
Manson, W. L. (William Laird)
Bagpipe
The young piper must not forget that it is the practice chanter that
makes the piper, and he should never attempt to play a tune on the full
set until he can play it thoroughly on the chanter. Quick and careless
playing should always be avoided. Also, the player should endeavour to
get into the spirit of the music by understanding the circumstances
under which each particular tune was composed and the feelings it is
meant to express. No man other than a Highlander can fully appreciate
the _piobaireachd_ or do justice to the wild, though majestic, strains.
The histories of the various tunes, with the words to which they are
set, would be invaluable to the player, and it is to be hoped that the
present volume will do something towards emphasising all the grand old
associations that cling round the Highland Bagpipe, and thus enable the
public to appreciate it all the more and pipers to play it all the
better.
III.—BIBLIOGRAPHY OF PIPE MUSIC.
The list of books of pipe music is not very long, but the difficulties
of making it complete and accurate are more than may at first appear.
The principal difficulty is in the matter of dates, publishers, no doubt
for good reasons, nearly always refraining from giving on their title
page the year in which the book was first issued. Some of the older
books, too, are now very rare, and there are not many people who have
anything like a complete set. The following list has been compiled with
every possible care:—
1784—MAC DONALD—A collection of Highland Vocal Airs with a number of
Country Dances or Reels of the North Highlands, a few Bagpipe
Strathspeys and Reels set for the Violin, and also four
Pibrochs, viz.:—Mac Intosh’s Lament, Mac Crimmon’s Lament, The
Finger Lock, and Peace or War. Compiled and published by Rev.
Patrick Mac Donald, minister of Kilmore, Argyllshire. Out of
print.
1803—MAC DONALD—A Treatise on the Theory, Principles and Practice of
the Great Highland Bagpipe, to which is added one pibroch for a
beginner; prepared by Joseph Mac Donald, Sutherlandshire, and
published by his brother, Rev. Patrick Mac Donald, Kilmore. Out
of print.
1818—“AMATEUR”—A Preceptor for the Great Highland Bagpipe, with a few
favourite simple airs; written and edited by “An Amateur,” and
published by Oliver & Boyd, Edinburgh. Price 3s. Out of print.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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