Another name for bagpipes. Types of bagpipes: Scottish Highland Bagpipes, Irish Uilleann Pipes, Gaita and others

Bagpipes- folk wind reed musical instrument. It consists of a reservoir (a bag made of the skin or bladder of an animal) into which a tube is inserted for pumping air, several bourdon tubes equipped with a single or double reed for producing sound, as well as a melody tube with holes (the range of the bagpipes depends on the number of holes). The number of bourdon tubes can be from one to four.

Bourdon (French Bourdon, lit. - thick bass) - a continuous sound when playing 1-2 bass tubes. An organ point is a sound sustained in the bass, against which other voices move freely. The tonic organ point contributes to the stability of the sound. Bourdon tubes are tuned to fourth, fifth, sixth, and octave in relation to the melodic tube.

The bagpipe is one of the oldest musical instruments. According to researchers, this is an instrument of ancient Asian origin. Bagpipes were played in military bands of Ancient Rome, in instrumental ensembles France (XVIII century), in solemn processions of musicians in Scotland.

It was played and is still played in the villages of Romania, Poland, and the Czech Republic. The bagpipes (“gaida”) became widespread among the southern Slavs in Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Albania from the 11th century. It was used mainly to accompany dances.

IN different countries the tool has and various names: “goat” - in Ukraine, “duda” - in Belarus, “bagpipe” - in Russia. The image of bagpipes on the miniature “The Play of the Vyatichi Slavs” in the Radzivilov Chronicle (XV century) gives reason to assume that, along with sniffles and pipes, buffoons Kievan Rus used in their musical creativity and bagpipes.

"It is difficult to decide which musical instruments primarily existed among the Slavs. One can only guess that they primarily used wooden canes and also the horns of domestic animals. Therefore, we can probably assume that the pipe and horn were the very first instruments among the Slavs. Then a pity, a horn and a pipe appeared; finally, bagpipes, whistle, balalaika, spoons and harp."(M. Zabylin. “The Russian people, their customs, rituals, superstitions and poetry”). The book gives the following description of the bagpipes:

« It is a very unique instrument in character, reminiscent of a harmonica or a bellows in the shafts; Here the air acts, enclosed in sheep's fur, to which three pipes and a tube are attached. A tube attached to the top is filled with air from two opposite sides; two tubes of different sizes are defined, through which the air passing gives bass voices, and the third small tube has several holes on the side, which allows the player to play with his fingers. different voices and sounds».

Types of instruments

In addition to the animal skin, a bull's bladder was used as an air reservoir. The way to process it is as follows:

• the walls of the bull's bladder are washed in water;
• so that the bubble acquires a large volume when inflated, it is treated with wood ash sifted through a sieve;
• repeated treatment of the walls of the bladder is carried out with ash on both sides (external and internal) and washed again in water, while the walls of the bull bladder become thinner and become soft and elastic;
• subsequent processing is carried out with crushed chalk, which removes grease and moisture. In this case, the bubble acquires viscosity;
• the dried bladder is inflated with air using a tube inserted into its hole.

Then tubes are installed on the air tank (bubble): one for supplying air to the bag, one for playing (melodic), from one to four for bourdon tubes and placed in a bag sewn from animal skin or fabric.

The material can be used as an oxygen cushion used in medicine. Enough big sizes(660 x 500 mm) and the volume, elastic and durable rubber cushions are suitable for such work.

In bagpipes, as a rule, a pipe-type pipe was used, only with a peep. In Russia, the playing tube also has a bell (cow horn) to amplify the sound.

Making an air tank

Cut one side of the oxygen cushion along its entire length so that a small strip remains for subsequent gluing. The holes for attaching the melodic and bourdon tubes to the pillow are cut out in the following way: draw the circle into segments and cut from the center so that you get eight petals; Apply a thin layer of glue to the segments and leave for 5-10 minutes, and then tightly attach to the base of the sleeve and tie with a strong cord, the ends of which are also glued. The bourdon tube in relation to the air reservoir can be located on the side of the performer’s arm, or on the shoulder, or at the bottom of the air bag. When fixing all the parts on the bagpipe body, the air bag itself is glued last, maintaining certain time under load. To check the tightness of the gluing, you need to close the hole for the bourdon tube with a cork and extract the sound on the melody tube. If an air leak is detected, re-glue the air outlet points.

The final stage of work: place the cushion in a case made of animal skin or fabric, fasten the straps or tapes supporting the instrument on the performer’s shoulder or neck, and install the tubes. Preservation of air in the air reservoir (bag) is helped by a valve (thin kid or rubber) glued halfway to the end side of the air injection tube. The valve closes the return air exit from the bag at the moment when the musician releases the air tube from his mouth. The tubes are secured using threads wound around the tubes.

The principle of producing sound in bagpipes is the vibration of a reed located on the mouthpiece, which in turn is inserted into the melodic and bourdon tubes. When inflating the bag, the musician squeezes it with both hands or one hand, presses it to the side of the body and vibrates the reeds in the tubes located in the body of the instrument. Periodic blowing of air into the bag maintains constant air pressure. It is necessary for the vibration of the reeds. When installing additional bourdon tubes, air consumption increases, so the size of the tool and its volume also increase.

When tuning the instrument, it is necessary to establish an overall balanced sound - bright and loud or quiet, soft, muffled. When sounding, the bourdon (bass) tube should not overlap the sound strength of the melodic one. To increase the sound, resonators are placed on the melodic playing and bourdon tubes. Tuning the tubes is carried out in the same way as when tuning pity tubes by moving the tongue up - the sound is increased, and vice versa, down - the sound is decreased. In the old days, much attention was paid external design tool. Bagpipe pipes were made in various configurations and decorated with carvings, inlays, and paintings. The leather bag was trimmed with colorful fabrics and tied with fringe and tassels. Animal figures and heads were cut out of wood and then mounted on the instrument. In Belarus and Ukraine, bagpipes were decorated with a wooden goat's head. Hence, apparently, the dialect name of the bagpipes - “goat”, “kozitsa”.

Tube for supplying air to the instrument.

Instrument setup

In a two-part bagpipe, in this case G major, the melodic and bourdon pipes are tuned in unison. The melodic tube has a scale from G of the 1st octave to G of the 2nd, and the bourdon tube sounds below G of the small octave. In a bagpipe with three playing pipes, the melody pipe is from G 1st, the second is from D 1st, the third is from G minor. The structure of a bagpipe having four pipes is: 1st - G of the 1st octave, 2nd - D of the 1st octave, 3rd - G of the small, 4th - G of the major. The most common and most used bagpipe in musical creativity has two additional tubes. It is enough to have one body and several pipes tuned in different keys, and you can change the tuning of the bagpipes. See the dimensions of the tubes above - “Zhaleika”.

Types of bagpipes:

Scottish Highland Bagpipes
Irish
Galician gaita
Bulgarian guide
Czech goat
Russian bagpipes
Lithuanian labanora duda, dudmaishis
French "musette"
Georgian "sviri" (gudasviri)
Estonian "torupill"
Adjarian bagpipe "chiboni"
Moldavian and Romanian bagpipe chimpoi
Shabr (shapar) - Chuvash bagpipe

Mari varieties - shuvyr, shuvyr, shubber

Technical sound extraction

One of the tubes (chanter) has side holes and is used to play the melody, and the other two (bourdons) are bass tubes, which are tuned to a perfect fifth. Bourdon emphasizes the framework of the octave scale (modal scale), on the basis of which the melody is composed. The pitch of the bourdon tubes can be changed by means of the pistons located in them.

Typology and differences

Some bagpipes are designed in such a way that they are inflated not with the mouth, but with bellows to pump air, which is driven right hand. These bagpipes include the Uilleann Bagpipe - an Irish bagpipe.

Kazakh bagpipes

The Kazakh national instrument is called Zhelboise; it looks like a leather wineskin and is made of goat skin. The neck of the Zhelboise is closed with a special seal. In order for the instrument to be worn around the neck, a strong leather cord is tied to it. IN Lately the instrument is used in concerts of Kazakh national orchestras and folklore ensembles. Found during archaeological excavations, stored in the Museum of National Musical Instruments named after Ykylas Dukenov. Stable temperature is maintained. To prevent moths from eating the exhibit, dust is regularly wiped off with special gauze. Famous composer Nurgisa Tlendiev used jelboise for the first time in concerts of the Otrar Sazy orchestra.

Armenian bagpipes

Irish bagpipes

It consists of a chanter with a double reed, like an oboe, and one or two bass bourdons with single reeds, like a clarinet. The chanter has an internal conical channel, seven holes for fingers and with reverse side left thumb hole. In addition, it is equipped with three non-closing holes located in its lower part on the socket.

Italian bagpipes

Bagpipes of this region can be divided into 2 types - northern Italian, similar in design to French and Spanish instruments, and southern Italian, known under the general name zampogna(Italian zampogna) and distinguished by two melodic pipes in a common drain with two bourdon pipes. Traditionally zampogna is used as an accompaniment ciaramelle(Italian: ciaramella) - a small oboe-like instrument.

Mari bagpipes

Mari bagpipes ( shuvyr, shuvyr, shuvur, shuvur, shyubber). It consists of fur (an animal's bladder) and 3 tubes - 1 for air injection and 2 playing, melodic, located in a wooden bed and having a common bell made of cow horn. Their range is third and fifth, number of playing holes: 2 and 4 (playing 2-voice melodies is possible). The scale is diatonic. The sound is strong, sharp, buzzing timbre. Known since ancient times. Used as an accompaniment to folk songs and dance melodies. Often used with the Mari drum (tumyr).

Mordovian bagpipes

Russian bagpipes

The bagpipe was once a very popular folk musical instrument in Rus'. It was made from raw mutton or cowhide, with a tube on top for air injection, two bass pipes on the bottom, creating a uniform background, and a third small pipe with holes, with the help of which the main melody was played. The bagpipe was ignored by the highest circles of society, since its melody was considered inharmonious, inexpressive and monotonous, it was usually considered “low”, simply folk instrument. Therefore, during the 19th century, the bagpipes were gradually replaced by more complex wind instruments such as the accordion and button accordion.

Information about this musical instrument is quite extensive in the iconographic and written cultural monuments of the Russian people, from the 16th century to the 19th century. The earliest image is in the Radzivilov Chronicle (XV century) on the miniature “The Game of the Vyatichi Slavs”.

Ukrainian bagpipes

In Ukraine, the bagpipe is called “goat” - apparently because of its characteristic sound and being made from goat skin. Moreover, the instrument is also given an external resemblance to an animal: it is covered with goat skin, a clay goat head is attached, and the pipes are stylized as legs with hooves. The goat was, in particular, immutable attribute festivities and carols. There are bagpipes with a goat's head, in almost all Carpathian regions - Slovak, Polish, Czech, Lemko, Bukovinian - there is traditionally a goat's head, wooden, with horns.

French bagpipes

There are many types of bagpipes in France - this is due to the great variety musical traditions regions of the country. Here are just a few of them:

• Central French bagpipe ( musette du center, cornemuse du Berry), common in the areas of Berry and Bourbonnais. It is a double-bourdon instrument. Bourdons - large and small, the small one is located at the bottom, near the chanter, tuned to each other in an octave. The chanter cane is double, the bourdon cane is single; air is forced through the blower. The scale is chromatic, range is 1.5 octaves, the fingering is semi-closed. There are later versions of this instrument with 3 bourdons and bellows for pumping air. Traditionally used in a duet with a hurdy-gurdy.
• Cabretta (French: chabrette, Overnsk. occitan. : cabreta) - a single-bourdon elbow-type bagpipe, which appeared in XIX century among the Parisian Auvergne people and quickly spread in the province of Auvergne itself and in the surrounding regions of the Center of France, practically displacing local, more archaic types of instruments from use, for example, the Limousin chabrette ( chabreta limousina).
• Bodega (Occitan: bodega) - bagpipes with goatskin fur, a blower and one bourdon, common in the southern Occitan-speaking departments of France.
• Musette de cours (French: musette de cour) - a “parlor” bagpipe, widely used in XVII- XVIII centuries in court baroque music. This type of bagpipe features two playing pipes, a bourdon barrel and a bellows for blowing air.

Chuvash bagpipes

Shapar(shabr, shybyr, bubble). It consists of a bag (bull or cow bladder), a bone or metal tube for pumping air and 2 tin melodic tubes mounted on a wooden bed. They were fitted with a bell made of cow horn and sometimes an additional bell made of birch bark. The left tube has 2-3, the right 3-4 playing holes (it has 3-7 small tuning holes at the bottom). Canes are usually single, although in the Tetyushsky region (Tatarstan) double canes are also used. The scales are very different using both chromatic and diatonic intervals.

Sarnai. Unlike the shapar, the bag is made not from bladder, but from calf or goat skin. It has a blower, 2 bourdons (most often tuned to fifths) and one melody tube with 6 playing holes and finger grooves. All tubes are wooden. Single reeds made from goose feathers or reeds. The scale is usually diatonic, but there are also omissions of steps, increased or decreased octaves, etc. They usually play while sitting, loudly beating the rhythm with their feet.

Scottish bagpipes

Scottish bagpipes have taken part in every British Army campaign over the last 300 years. In the Battle of Waterloo in Belgium, held on June 18, 1815, during a counter-attack on the corps of the French Imperial Marshal Dava, the patriotic march of the 52nd Brandland Infantry Shotland Infantry Shotlands was first performed (English "Scotland the Brave" , Scottish (Gaelic) "Alba an Aigh"), which later became unofficial anthem Scotland.

Estonian bagpipes

Estonian bagpipes (Estonian: torupill) made from stomach or Bladder large animal such as fur seal, has one, two or (rarely) three bourdon tubes, a flute as a voice tube and an additional tube for blowing air.

Maintenance and consumables

A special composition (bag seasoning, bagpipe seasoning) is placed in the bag, the purpose of which is not only to prevent air leakage from the bag. It serves as a covering that retains air but releases water. A solid rubber bag (found on unplayable bagpipes and wall souvenirs used to deceive tourists) would be completely filled with water in half an hour of playing

Scottish Highland Bagpipes (Piob-mhor)

Scottish bagpipes are the most famous and most popular today. It has three bourdons (bass and two tenors), a chanter with 8 playing holes (9 notes) and an air pipe. The tuning is from SI bimol, but in musical notation the Highland tuning is designated as A major (for the convenience of playing with other instruments in America they even began to produce versions of these bagpipes in A). The sound of the instrument is extremely loud. Used in Scottish military "Pipe Bands"

Chamber Pipes

A smaller copy of the Highland. Not loud, used for playing indoors and with other instruments

Small Scots bagpipe

The Scottish smallpipes are based on the Northumbrian smallpipes. Its fingering is identical to the Great Highland Bagpipe.

Notably, the end of the chanter remains open; there are no valves, and the sound is dominated by legato, and less often staccato, the range is 9 notes.

The instrument usually has the tuning of A, less often D, C, and B flat. Because of this, the chanter sounds an octave lower than a similar chanter with a conical bore.

Small Scottish bagpipes, as a rule, is made without blowing in the same way as the Northumbrian bagpipe and Border pipe. Options with an injection are also possible, but are less common, because cannot provide good sound due to the design of the reed.

Chanters in most cases are made without valves (there are valves G sharp, F bekar and Do bekar for chanter in A), due to the fact that most of music written for a range of 9 notes.

Usually there are 3 drones in the general flow, which I tune according to the lower A chantera in the tonic.

The baritone is tuned to a fifth from A (in E) or a fourth down, you can also tune it to a tone, the bass is tuned an octave below A on the chanter. The dominant drone can be turned off or on when playing in D.

Many of the Great Highland bagpipes use the bagpipe as a second instrument. The small Scots pipes appear to be the result of a combination of the principles of the Northumbrian smallpipes and the large Scots fingering.

Irish bagpipes

The modern style of Irish bagpipes (Uillean pipes) was finally formed only towards the end of the eighteenth century. This is one of the most complex bagpipes in all respects. It has a double reed chanter with a range of two octaves. If there are valves on the chanter (5 pieces) - full chromatic. Air is forced into the bag by the frog (you get a Practice set: bag, chanter and frog).

Three Uilleann Pipes drones are inserted into one drain manifold and adjusted an octave relative to each other. When turned on with a special valve (stop key), they produce an excellent, dense sound rich in overtones. Stop key (switch) is convenient for turning off or turning on drones at the right moment in the game. This set is called Halfset.

In the manifold above the drones there are two more holes, which in the Half set are usually plugged with plugs. Tenor and baritone controls are inserted into them. The bass control is placed on the side of the manifold and has its own drain.

Regulators have a total of 13 - 14 valves, which are usually closed. They sound only when the player presses them while playing with the edge of the palm or fingers in Slow air. The regulators look like drones, but are actually three modified chanters with a conical bore and a double chanter reed. The entire instrument assembly is called Fullset.

Uilleannpipes is unique in that a musician can extract up to 7 sounds from it at the same time. In its complexity, multi-partness and aristocracy, it has every right be called the crowning achievement of bagpipe thought.

Northumbrian bagpipes

Large bagpipes intended for outdoor performance (eg Great Highland) have been known in Europe since around the 12th century. The use of bellows (frogs) in combination with bagpipes is recorded around 1530, but not until the end of the 16th century. True bagpipes (Northumbrian bagpipes) with a cylindrical chanter appeared.

The French version, the musette, with cylindrical shuttle drones, gained particular fame among the aristocracy and lasted until the 1770s. Bagpipes from Northern Europe, known in Germany under many names (for example, hummelschen), were first inflated like regular ones - with the mouth, and began to be used with frogs around the second half of the 17th century. A variant with 3 separate drones combined into one pipe seems to have served as the prototype for the modern Northumbrian smallpipes.

Similar instruments were known in Britain, judging by the surviving reference to them in an unpublished treatise on musical instruments compiled by James Talbot around 1694.

The earliest Northumbrian bagpipes found whose age can be determined were made in the late 18th century, when the fashion for “house” musical instruments such as the harmonic and the small harp began to emerge among the upper classes. The earliest were made of ivory with a chanter without valves. At the beginning of the 19th century. additional valves appeared on the chanter (4 or 5 in total). Then the number of valves increased to 7.

In the middle of the 19th century. small bagpipes experienced some decline, although they were never completely forgotten. They remained the subject of narrow academic interest. In the 20th century interest in them was revived among the farming and mining communities of Northumberland. Attention to the instrument was attracted by the growing popularity of folk music in the 60s.

Biniou koz (biniou bihan)

Breton bagpipe with one bourdon, chanter (10 notes) and air pipe. The names translate as "old bagpipe" and "little bagpipe". The sound is an octave higher than the Scottish "Highland", tuning in different areas Brittany varies (G#, A, B, C). The Biniou koz is traditionally played in pairs with a bombarda.

Biniou bras

Bagpipes Scottish type, which appeared in Brittany at the beginning of the 19th century. It became popular only towards the end of the 30s. when it began to be used instead of Biniou koz paired with a bombard, as well as in the Breton bagpipe orchestras "Bagad", formed in the 50s. 20th century

Veuze

Considered the oldest of the Breton bagpipes, it was distributed in the southeast of Brittany and in the northern part of the Vendee province. An instrument with one bourdon, possibly related to the Galician "Gaita". We usually played it
along with an accordion or violin. It fell out of use and was revived only in the mid-70s. 20th century

Gaita

There are three main types of Galician Gaita bagpipes:

• Gaita Tumbal (Roucadora)
  The largest gaita and the lowest in timbre,
  B flat tuning, chanter tuning is determined by closing all finger holes except the bottom one under the little finger.
  There are two drones - in octave and fifth.
• Gaita Normal (Redonda)
  This is the average bagpipe and the most commonly found. Most often it has one bass octave drone, less often two drones (the second tenor is almost always in the octave or dominant).
  There are also examples with four drones: bass, baritone, tenor, and sopranino.
  Build Before.
• Gaita Grileira (Grillera)
  The smallest, graceful and high in timbre (traditionally it had one bass drone per octave). Stroy Re.

Bagpipes

Russian folk reed wind instrument. It consists of a fur (a bag of gall bladder or skin) into which are inserted: a tube for pumping air, a melodic tube with playing holes and a single reed, as well as bourdons numbering from 1 to 3.

Bourdons are tuned into octave, fifth and fourth in relation to the melody tube. Air is forced through the mouth. It is a solo instrument and is used in various ensembles. "Bagpipes" is one of ancient instruments, played by buffoons, is common among many peoples of the world. It has different sound timbres and names. Currently, the Russian “Bagpipe” represents a whole family of instruments: soprano, alto, tenor and bass.

Labanora duda (Dudmaishis)

Lithuanian bagpipes (Labanora Duda). Fur is made from the skin of an animal, less often from the stomach. The length of the melodic tube is 200-400 mm, the bourdon tube (sometimes two, consists of 2 sliding elbows) is 300 - 1000 mm (tuned by a fifth or octave below the melodic one), the length of the blowing tube is about 200 mm (has a locking valve). There are 5-8 finger holes on the melody tube. The scale is diatonic. Pikelets made of reed or goose feather with a single notched tongue. "Labanora duda" has been known since the 16th century. It existed until the beginning of the 20th century among peasants, wandering bugbears and beggars. It was used solo, sometimes in an ensemble with a violin, cymbals in instrumental tunes, as well as for various modern songs. Nowadays, the modified “Labanora duda” is included in the ensemble of folk instruments.

Musette

It had a bellows made of fabric, bellows - rocking chairs for pumping air (in contrast to the French shepherd's "Cornemuse", which still exists today, where the air is pumped by the performer through an inflatable tube). Two melody tubes (on the main one, the playing holes were closed using valves, on the additional tube there are none). And a special bourdon barrel with several reeds and sound channels, the length and tuning of which changed as the records moved. The "Musette" was formed by the beginning of the 17th century, and was used in the 17th - 18th centuries as a professional instrument in chamber and theater music, as well as for home games.

Sviri (Gudasviri)

Georgian bagpipe without bourdon pipes with two fastened melodic pipes, with three and six finger holes. The scale is diatonic. The sound is soft in thirds, sixths, fourths and fifths, accompanied by folk dance. Other bagpipe options are also possible.

Torupill

Estonian folk instrument such as bagpipes.

Consists of: fur (from an animal bladder, stomach and goat skin), three or five tubes, one of which is for pumping air, the other is a melodic play. One, two, rarely three are bourdon with a small bell.

The melody tube, up to 300 mm long, has five or six finger holes.

Bourdon tubes up to 750 mm long consist of two different bends, allowing you to change the pitch of the sound and are tuned by a fifth or octave below the melody tube.

Single reeds are usually made of reed. It mainly developed among peasants from the 16th century.

Ciboni

Adjarian bagpipes. Has two reed melody tubes and eight playing holes. The first tube plays the main melody, the second one plays the backing melody. The waterskin serves as a reservoir. The scale is diatonic. Performers (men only) play solo and accompany the dances. It was widespread especially in mountainous Adjara. Related instruments are the "Parakapzuk".

Chimpoi

Moldavian and Romanian bagpipes. Fur made from the skin (skin) of a goat or sheep. It has two tubes: a melodic tube with a conical channel about 200 mm long, a cow horn bell and seven to eight playing holes, and a bourdon tube, consisting of three sliding elbows. Single reeds are inserted into the tubes. The scale is diatonic. Bourdon is tuned to fourth, fifth or octave. Used as a solo and ensemble instrument. Nowadays it is rare.

Shabr (Shapar)

Chuvash bagpipes. A bone or metal tube for blowing air and two melodic (tin) tubes, fixed in a common wooden bed, are inserted into a reservoir made from the bladder of a bull or cow. There are 2-3 finger holes on the left (from the performer) tube, and 3-4 on the right one. In its lower part: 3-7 small holes, fixed with wax; they are pierced when adjusting the trunks. Melody pipes end with a bell made of cow horn or birch bark. Squeakers are inserted into the holes inside the tank. The scales are diatonic and chromatic. Used as a solo and ensemble instrument.

Shuvyr (Shyuvyr, Shubber)

Mari varieties of bagpipes. Tubes are inserted into a bull's or horse's bladder (diameter 600-900 mm): one for air injection, and 2 playing melodic ones made of bird bones or metal (length 180-300 mm), secured in a wooden bed and equipped with a cow horn bell; in their holes inside the bladder there are reed peepers. The left (from the performer) tube has two finger holes, the right - 4. The scale is diatonic. The sound is sharp, buzzing. Usually they perform 2-voice tunes, song and dance melodies. Men play (usually in an ensemble with “Gumyr”) on different instruments.

Polish Koza and Czech Duda

This bagpipe has a cylindrical chanter with a single reed and a bass bourdon. They end equally in a horn and a brass bell. Single reeds are a copper tube with a tin tongue. Air is pumped<лягушкой>, the bag is quite large, with the fur facing out. Build most often in A

Gaida (Keychain)

Bulgarian, "Gayde" - Serbian and Croatian bagpipe-type instrument with a single reed and three melody pipes. The scale is diatonic. The range is usually nona. They exist in high tuning (a, g, f, e, - first octave), medium (d, c), and low small octave (h, b, a). The name "Gaida" is of Arabic origin. Known to the South Slavs since the 14th century, it is now widespread in the countries of the Balkan Peninsula (Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Albania, Greece), as well as the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. Mainly used for accompaniment folk dances. Related instruments are Polish, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Latvian, Lithuanian “Duda”, “Koza”, Portuguese “Gaita”.

Bagpipes are a folk wind musical instrument made from several tubes embedded in a leather bag or bladder through which air is blown.

Bagpipes is a traditional musical wind instrument of many peoples of Europe and Asia.

A bagpipe is an air reservoir, which is usually made from a calf or goat skin, removed entirely, shaped like a wineskin, sewn tightly and equipped with a tube on top for filling the fur with air, with one, two or three playing reed tubes attached below, which serve to create polyphony.

One of these three tubes with side holes (chanter) is used to play a melody, and the other two (bourdons) are bass tubes that are tuned to each other in a perfect fifth. Bourdon emphasizes the framework of the octave scale (modal scale), on the basis of which the melody is composed. The pitch of the bourdon tubes can be changed using the pistons located in them.

The bagpipe bag is most often made of leather, but bags made of synthetic materials are sometimes found.

Some bagpipes are designed in such a way that they are inflated not with the mouth, but with a bellows to pump air, which is driven by the right hand. Such bagpipes include, for example, the Uilleann Bagpipe - an Irish bagpipe.

Scottish bagpipes exist and have their own characteristics, as well as Irish, Italian and Spanish, French, Mordovian, Armenian, Chuvash, Belarusian... The Lithuanians called the bagpipes “Labanora duda”, “Dudmaishis”. In Georgia, the bagpipes were called Stviri or Gudasviri. She did not have bourdon pipes. There were two melodic tubes. The Estonian bagpipe is called Torupill. Its bag was made of goatskin. The number of tubes is from three to five.

Scottish bagpipes - English. Scotch bag-pipe - "Scottish bag with a pipe." This instrument was so popular that even Angels began to be depicted playing bagpipes. In Italy, there is a custom of playing the piffaro (the Italian name for this instrument) on Christmas Day in front of the image of the Virgin Mary and Child. That's why in the pictures Italian painters on the theme "Adoration of the Shepherds" one can also see the playing of these instruments.

The French bagpipe is called a musette. Its fur was made primarily of fabric.

The image of bagpipes is present in scenes of peasant holidays in paintings by German, Dutch and Flemish artists of the 16th-17th centuries. (Fig. 636, 637). In Renaissance painting on secular subjects, bagpipes have phallic symbolism. The musette acquired a similar, but somewhat softened, veiled meaning in the everyday life of the French court in the 17th-18th centuries. Characters of paintings in the genre of "Gallant festivities" (French "Fêtes galantes") of the era French styles Regency and Rococo play musette.

Today, bagpipes remain, perhaps, only in the national orchestras of Scotland and Ireland. The sound of the bagpipes is so loud and shrill that it is not recommended to play them for more than half an hour a day. :-)

Bagpipes in Rus'

The bagpipe was a very popular folk instrument in Rus'. Made from lamb or ox (hence the name of this musical instrument) raw leather, on top there was a tube for pumping air, below there were two bass pipes, creating a monotonous background, and a third small pipe with holes, with the help of which the main melody was played.

Another version of the origin of the name. In the 9th-11th centuries, Kievan Rus included Volhynian tribes. Due to the fact that the name of the tribe is very similar to the name of the instrument, some researchers conclude that the instrument got its name from the name of this tribe, the Volynians.

The bagpipe was ignored by the highest circles of the world: its melody was considered inharmonious, inexpressive and monotonous, it was usually considered a low and common instrument. Therefore, during the 19th century, the bagpipes were gradually replaced by more complex wind instruments such as the accordion and button accordion.

How to play the bagpipes

The bag is filled with air through the valve tube using special device- furs or just with your mouth. Then the valve closes and air cannot escape back through this tube.

By pressing the bag with his hand, the musician forces air from it into bourbons - special tubes with reeds or reeds. They vibrate and produce certain sounds.

Typically there are between one and four bourbons in a bagpipe. They create a background melody.

Technical sound extraction

One of these three tubes with side holes (chanter) is used to play a melody, and the other two (bourdons) are bass tubes that are tuned to a perfect fifth. Bourdon emphasizes the framework of the octave scale (modal scale), on the basis of which the melody is composed. The pitch of the bourdon tubes can be changed by means of the pistons located in them.

Typology and differences

Some bagpipes are designed in such a way that they are inflated not with the mouth, but with a bellows to pump air, which is driven by the right hand. These bagpipes include the Uilleann Bagpipe - an Irish bagpipe.

Russian bagpipes

The bagpipe was once a very popular folk instrument in Rus'. It was made from raw mutton or cowhide (hence the name), with a tube on top for air injection, two bass pipes on the bottom, creating a monotonous background, and a third small pipe with holes, with the help of which the main melody was played. The bagpipe was ignored by the highest circles of society, since its melody was considered inharmonious, inexpressive and monotonous; it was usually considered a “low”, common instrument. Therefore, during the 19th century, the bagpipes were gradually replaced by more complex wind instruments such as the accordion and button accordion.

Scottish bagpipes

Playing the bagpipes

Old Scottish instrument. It is a reservoir made of sheep or goat skin, turned inside out (goose), to which three bourdon tubes (drones), one tube with eight playing holes (chanter) and a special short tube for blowing air are attached (tied). It has a simplified air supply - through an inflator tube - provides freedom to the right hand.

When playing, the musician (piper) fills the reservoir with air and, pressing it with the elbow of his left hand, makes the bourdon and playing tubes sound, which in turn are equipped with special reeds (reeds), moreover, single reeds are used in the bourdon tubes, and double reeds in the playing tube, made from reeds.

Irish bagpipes

Cillian Vallely plays a "full set" of Irish bagpipes

see also

• Scottish music
• Irish music

Notes

Literature

• // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional ones). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.

Links

• (Russian) (Retrieved August 6, 2011)
• Russian-language encyclopedia site about bagpipes for beginners and masters (Russian) (Retrieved August 6, 2011)
• Encyclopedia of bagpipes (Russian) (Retrieved August 6, 2011)
• How to make bagpipes, drawings (Russian) (Retrieved August 6, 2011)
• Moscow International Bagpipe Festival “Russian Bagpipe Forum” (Retrieved August 6, 2011)
• Information portal “Bagpipe News” (Retrieved August 6, 2011)
• Forum of bagpipe players of Russia, CIS and neighboring countries (Retrieved August 6, 2011)

Russian performers using bagpipes

• Moscow & District Pipe Band - Pipe Band of Moscow and the Region (Retrieved August 6, 2011)
• Evgeny Lapekin (Scottish bagpipes, Irish bagpipes)
• Mervent (Retrieved August 6, 2011)
• Moscow folk-rock band Tintal (Retrieved August 6, 2011)
• "Puck & Piper" (Retrieved August 6, 2011)
• Legacy of the Vagants - Heavy folk rock with bagpipes (Retrieved August 6, 2011)
• Musica Radicum. Medieval folk. Galician, French and Irish bagpipes are used. (Retrieved August 6, 2011)
• Reelroad Russian-Celtic music. (Retrieved August 6, 2011)
• Website of a group from Novosibirsk that performs Celtic music. Among the instruments is the bagpipe, played by Galina Belyaeva. (Russian) (Retrieved August 6, 2011)
• Dubrava - Ensemble of medieval music from Ryazan
• SKOLOT - Neofolk rock band Tambov (Retrieved August 6, 2011)
• TeufelsTanz - a group performing medieval music new times
• ZMEY VOLYNYCH - Neofolk group Moscow (Retrieved August 6, 2011)
• Alexander Anistratov - musician, bagpipe player of Scotland, Ireland and Spain, popularizer, music master