History of the Bagpipe

[OC Richard]

The title is a bit misleading perhaps because about the bagpipe there's very little history per se, that is, very little in the way of written accounts.

There are plenty of ancient accounts that mention instruments, the problem being that in many cases we don't know exactly what instruments various words in various languages refer to, often generic words meaning "tube" or "pipe". It's all too easy to make the leap to bagpipes from these words, a leap not supported by any evidence.

The earliest references anywhere on earth that unequivocally mentions bagpipes are both connected to the Emperor Nero, first century AD.

Dio Chrysostom, writing in Greek, says

A certain King of our time... could paint and fashion statues, and play the aulos, both by means of the lips and by tucking a skin beneath his armpits, and so avoiding the reproach of Athena.

Another account (in Latin) says that Nero promised a music festival at which he would perform upon a number of musical instruments including a filled animal-skin bag.

Then, hundreds of years of silence on the topic until bagpipes suddenly appear all over Europe, in the distribution we see today.

We don't have an exact "when" as to the appearance of bagpipes in various parts of Europe, and we have little clue as to "why". But we can examine the "what" in detail, the typology or organology of bagpipes which have survived to modern times. Just as the study of the DNA of modern populations can offer clues about the spread of humans around the world, the study of bagpipes suggests possible connexions, enabling us to group various species of bagpipes into families of presumed common origin.


What most European bagpipes have in common is a chanter (melody pipe) and single drone, a "bass drone" that plays a note two octaves below the main chanter note.

The main divide between Eastern European and Western European bagpipes is the type of chanter reed. Eastern European bagpipes have single reeds in both chanter and drone, like this:



They're basically a length of cane with a "tongue" cut into them.

Eastern European chanters have a cylindrical (straight-sided) internal bore, or in some cases a gently conical (tapered) bore.

Western European bagpipes have the same single-reed in the drone (or drones) but a double reed in the chanter.

A double reed is a sophisticated affair, being two shaped blades tied onto a "staple" (metal tube). Orchestral bassoons and oboes also have double reeds. Here's a Scottish Highland bagpipe chanter reed:





The chanter bore of Western European bagpipes is more strongly conical, especially in the so-called "Celtic" bagpipes.

So, what are the types of Eastern European bagpipes?

In Bulgaria, Macedonia, and parts of Greece the bagpipes are like this, a full sheepskin with blowpipe, chanter, and bass drone



In north-eastern Europe you can see bagpipes like this, once again a chanter and a bass drone



Instruments are meant to be played and listened to, so here we go, the Slovak bagpipes, fairly representative of central eastern European bagpipes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIB6KzQEAgw

Here's the Bulgarian bagpipe, the largest of several sizes, called Kaba Gaida, an incredibly soulful instrument for singing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hggvrJlLDs

Now about Western European bagpipes. The more steeply conical bore and double reed in the chanter gives a brighter tone.

What many regard as the best survival of a typical Mediaeval bagpipe is the Gaita Galega from northwest Spain (their dialect lacks the double-L).

Here it is; the older style had only the blowpipe, chanter, and bass drone. At some point a tenor drone started being added; sometimes the tenor drone (sticking out the side of the bag) has a shutoff valve. The affinity to the Scottish Highland pipes is obvious, especially to the oldest surviving Highland sets.



And here you can hear the Spanish pipes; this is slightly rare, in that instead of both gaitas being in the usual high key, one is a lower-pitched gaita.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hZOxvpjYNg

There's a so-called "Celtic group" of bagpipes including Spanish pipes, Highland pipes, and these, the traditional bagpipe of Brittany, in effect a tiny Spanish or Highland pipe, called the Biniou



Here's a Biniou with the traditional pewter inlay ornamentation, also found on Bulgarian and other pipes



And here's the traditional Breton dance music, played on Biniou and Bombarde

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gqLyRGpXqg

(more to come)