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A Web Site by Oliver Seeler |
Page 5 of 30 illustrating the pipes heard on Bagpipes of the World |
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For more information on the album click on the cover at left |
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THIS BAGPIPE HAS BEEN STOLEN!! Here are some identifying characteristics of the pipe, provided by Sean (see also detail photos, below): "The set was made by Ken Fisher of Jarrow, circa 1972, and the 7 key chanter was made by Colin Ross of Whitley Bay, circa 1994. All the wood is Lignum vitae (also known as South American Ironwood). The mounts are made from Catalin Plastic Imitation Ivory, with Brass ferrules. Underneath the brown tweed bag cover is a Michael MacHarg riveted elkhide bag. The thief did not take the bellows, as that was in a separate plastic bag. The plastic bag that the set was in was actually two doubled up "Hudson Newsagents" plastic bags, from the Logan Airport in Boston." |
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played on this pipe by Sean Folsom. The above sound file is of limited quality due to the format and is not representative of the quality of the CD. Also, no CD quality .wav file of this tune is provided here because of the size - about 13 megabytes; however, another rendition of Fortune Is My Foe does appear on the album, played on the keyless-style Northumbrian Smallpipe (pipe no. 18). Confused? So am I. |
The Northumbrian Smallpipe perhaps evolved from the French Musette, itself probably a refinement of the Germanic Hummelchen - a pipe seen in many very old illustrations and now being enthusiastically revived. The Smallpipe seems to first appear during the seventeenth century. Since then it has enjoyed steady popularity, waning a bit as was the case with most bagpipes during the nineteenth and much of the twentieth centuries; it is now enjoying a very dynamic surge in popularity.
This is a very versitile instrument, not only because the chanter is equipped with an array of keys but also because the four drones can each be set to sound two different notes. Furthmore, the outlet end of the chanter is completely closed and the pipe is generally played with closed fingering; thus the piper has available something very rare among bagpipes - silence between notes. It is a quiet instrument but its clear tone carries well.
| The scales and key signatures given may be regarded as approximations; bagpipes may deviate from conventional standards in absolute and relative pitch. |
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The Northumbrian Smallpipe (keyed chanter variety) being played by Sean Folsom. |
| A view of the chanter with its formidible keywork. |  |
Chanter outlet (left) end is closed, allowing silences between notes. |
| The pipes out of their stocks, showing the reeds |  |
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