What's in a well-rounded piper's repertoire?

[HarborSpringsPiper]

I discovered there is also a Book 2 of "Essential Tunes". Looking at this list, I play and/or used to play about eight or ten of them. Some of the others seem worthwhile, but I think they are stretching the "essential" here. Many/most of these tunes are in "Scots Guards Book I" and while some might be essential for military duty, I think there are a lot more fun tunes to learn and play to expand your repertoire besides this list. Granted, it's all subjective and I don't pretend hold the keys to the master list! ith:

B83A Essential Tunes Volume 2 & CD
More music for the piper compiled by Dugald MacNeill.

The 25th (KOSB's) Farewell to Meerut, The Bens of Jura, King George V's Army, The 72nd's Farewell to Aberdeen, The Atholl and Breadalbane Gathering, Greenwood Side, Jenny's Bawbee, Johnny Cope, Black Bear Hornpipe, Campbell's Farewell to Redcastle, The Drunken Piper, Corn Rigs, MacKay's Farewell to the 74th, Corriechoillie's 43rd Welcome to the Northern Meeting, I'm No' Awa' Tae Bide Awa', Lord Byron, The Heroes of Vittoria, Colin's Cattle, Sir Colin Campbell's Farewell to Crimea, Far o'er Struy, The Battle of Waterloo, Jennie's Black E'e, Hot Punch, The Midlothian Pipe Band, The Cock o' the North, MacDonald's Away to War, Dovecote Park, Kenmure's On and Awa' Willie, The Campbell's are coming, Atholl Highlanders, Colonel Robertson of Toronto, The Cameron Men, The Garb of Old Gaul, The Borderers, Leaving Lismore, The Saffron Kilt, The Wandering Piper, Mairi Ban Og, My Lodging's on the Cold Ground, Lord Lovat's Lament, Bonnie hoose o' Airlie, The Flower of Scotland, Cutty's Wedding, McPhedran's Strathspey, Miss Ada Crawford, Monymusk, Stirling Castle, The Braes o' Mar, Because he was a bonny Lad, The Ale is Dear, The Mason's Apron, General Stewart of Garth, Sandy Duff, Granny Duncan, The Wind that Shakes the Barley, Cork Hill, Joe McGann's Fiddle.

[haukehaien]

Volume 1 is the required book for our band. For beginning pipers, (or those who like more ... elegant settings) it's a great book, because the gracings are neither oversimplified, nor too complex.

[OC Richard]

I guess what's "essential" varies on context.

I'm playing at a Burns Dinner tonight at it dawned on me that I know almost no Burns tunes, so I broke out a couple Scottish songbooks (vocal and piano) and transcribed these:

Ye Banks and Braes
The Lea-Rig
Ca' the Yowes
My Love Is Like A Red Red Rose
Afton Water
Loch Lomond

and of course

Auld Lang Syne

none of which, by the way, fit on the gamut of the Scottish Highland pipes.
I'm actually hired to play uilleann pipes tonight.

Now that recent research has revealed that the so-called uilleann pipes, originally called the Union Pipes, was probably developed in Edinburgh and Newcastle and was widely popular in Scotland, my playing them at a Burns Dinner seems more apropriate.

[Jack Daw]

For piping in the haggis procession, I like to play, "A Man's A Man for A' That"; and, for piping away the procession, I play, "Niel Gow's Farewell to Whisky."

[HarborSpringsPiper]

Now that recent research has revealed that the so-called uilleann pipes, originally called the Union Pipes, was probably developed in Edinburgh and Newcastle and was widely popular in Scotland

That's interesting, Richard. I was just reading an article by Julia Say with this mention of them:

Throughout most of the 18th century, both Border pipes and Northumbrian smallpipes remained largely static in design.

Many of the players of whom we have record (Allan, Lamshaw, Turnbull, etc.) are known to have played both types. In addition there was a third type of pipe, played by these players and others, and widespread through the British Isles. This was the Pastoral pipe, also known as the Union, Hybrid Union or Irish pipe.

I did not know their origin was in that area of GB as well. It's fascinating how many of these different pipes that we associate with different regions now were historically much more widespread. I get the sense that as piping began to die off as a mainstream instrument, it might be these "pockets" of survival as to why we associate them with the areas we do. Of course, some like the Northumbrian small pipes seem to have a pretty straightforward history.

I seem to recall reading in Flood's now discredited "The Story of the Bagpipe" that he created a pretty fanciful tale about the origin of the Uillean pipes, reflecting his ethnocentricity. Been a long time since I read that though and I guess he just made up a lot of what he wrote through pure conjecture. I'll have to dig out my copy and look at that again for fun.

Sorry I headed OT. Interesting stuff!

[Andrew M. Stewart]

For piping in the haggis procession, I like to play, "A Man's A Man for A' That"; and, for piping away the procession, I play, "Niel Gow's Farewell to Whisky."

I think those are concidered the standards as for as the piping on and out of the haggis tunes. Somebody (I can't remember his name right now) has just put out a book called "The Complete Burns Piper" it's available from The College of Piping website, they did a little write on it in the latest Piping Times. It's a compilation of all the Burns tunes that can be played on the pipes as well as the protocol of playing at a Burns supper.

[OC Richard]

It's fascinating how many of these different pipes that we associate with different regions now were historically much more widespread. I get the sense that as piping began to die off as a mainstream instrument, it might be these "pockets" of survival as to why we associate them with the areas we do.

I hadn't thought of it that way, but it seems that that's what happened.

There are records of Scottish pipers performing on Highland pipes, Lowland pipes, and Union pipes at the same event in the 18th and early 19th century. It seems that it was common for professional Scottish pipers to play all three types.

Now, that Julia Say quote implies that Pastoral pipes and Union pipes are the same instrument, but there's a critical difference in the chanter: the Pastoral chanter had a long footjoint which contained the ventholes and therefore could not be stopped on the leg like the Union chanter. A widely held theory is that the Union pipes evolved from the Pastoral pipes by simply removing the footjoint, which might explain the odd acoustics etc of the Union/uilleann chanter.

Also, as I recall the Pastoral pipes always had a single regulator, while the Union pipes evolved a second reg early in its history. I think the British Union pipes usually had just the two regs. As the Union pipe was dying out in Britain, in Ireland it kept evolving, adding a third reg by the end of the 18th century and by the 1840's having four or five regs. The modern Irish uilleann pipe has reverted back to the earlier c1800 form for some reason.

[Jack Daw]

I think those are concidered the standards as for as the piping on and out of the haggis tunes. Somebody (I can't remember his name right now) has just put out a book called "The Complete Burns Piper" it's available from The College of Piping website, they did a little write on it in the latest Piping Times. It's a compilation of all the Burns tunes that can be played on the pipes as well as the protocol of playing at a Burns supper.

I'll have to look for that. Thanks.

[HarborSpringsPiper]

I'll have to look for that. Thanks.

Here it is, Jack. http://www.college-of-piping.co.uk/a...ollection.html

[okiwen]

Here it is, Jack. http://www.college-of-piping.co.uk/a...ollection.html

Just a thought...

If any of you pipers that have all these tunes down have some of these books that are not being used anymore, I would consider purchasing them to continue my learning process.

I have FAR fewer than 40 down solid. I have a block against memorization I guess.

A guy could go broke on all the stuff he has intention on doing.