GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
What would you recommend? What are your favourite recordings? What's your best choice for ear education, to win hearts and minds and feet?
I consider my experience here limited, but, even so, I have my favourite, old field recordings made on Cape Breton Island of a piper there who played regularly for dancers, at houses, halls, crossroads, bridges and platforms, not competition, and had a lively and foot tapping way with the music. Even with the separation of time and not the best recording equipment or situation it makes your feet move, it makes you want to get up and dance... I can't say the same for much of what I have been exposed to, though I have an affection for pipes in general, all sorts...
GBH ~ maybe you've been completely turned off to the Great Highland Bagpipes, so tell us why? What tramatic experience in your life spoiled it for you?
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
I started to play GHB this year April 2009..50 years too late, I am enjoying the journey thus far..as a fair flute and whistle player, I thought the transission would be easy.err no..I`m still trying to tell my brain the bag is only to blow into and squeeze not play the melody, still, I am working hard on it.
As being Scots for some reason I was never in the right place at the right time to learn them..my excuse.
Listen to Simon Fraser University`S album On Home Ground, it`s a lovely mix of Scottish, Irish and Canadian tunes..it has me hooked. Does thios help...lol
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Hi i'm 15 and have been playin the pipes (and the snare) bout a year. If you can get your hands on this years world pipe band championship cd you wouldn't go too far wrong. it features irelands only grade 1 band St. Laurence o Toole and i must say they sound excellent. Yes simon fraser are excellent too their medley this year was outstanding.
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
For dancing it's a bit of a funny one Ceolachan. It's only recently that many pipers have started to tune to concert Bb so dancing to the pipes has been rare in recent times. Probably one one the better known for dances nowadays would be Skipinnish http://www.myspace.com/skipinnish
There are very different areas of piping a bit like the diversity in Irish music. The difference between competition piping and what used to be known as kitchen piping is quite distinct. Personally I'm not that keen on the competition style though many are. I think the style used in folk bands today is probably closer to the old style, but in my opinion there is a chunk of history missing due to the prohibition, the church and the military here. There seems to be plenty competition players and folk band players but little in between.
For crossing over from competition to more mainstream the late Gordon Duncan is seen as the king. Fred Morrison is probably the best known contemporary http://www.myspace.com/fredmorrison
For solo stuff the MacDonalds of Glenuig have a wonderful west coast style http://www.myspace.com/iainmacdonald . Check out Allan MacDonalds wonderful duet stuff with Margaret Stewart if you haven't already. West coast gaelic music at it's very very best. http://www.myspace.com/margretstewart
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
I just want to run inside and grab a sword everytime I hear one , its genetic ,with many of my forbares living along the ever changing border. It usually signals a surpise raid.
Only joking try some Ossian ,Ceol
my, my, me, me, me, do, ray me, fa ~ It's late and I'm tired. Thanks for the responses thus far, all of them, hoping there's more to come, both sides of the blade...
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Ceolachan ~ I'm looking for the clip. Someone posted a YouTube of a pipe band which I enjoyed greatly. I'll give the (video) link once I find the earlier thread.
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Listening to digitized 78 recordings, acetates and other old scratchy or half-forgotten recordings of the GHB, it's interesting to note that the same marches that pipers play today were played in the past at twice the tempo, ornaments and all. Talk about skill! Why did things slow down? Lost function?
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
I love the Great Highland Bagpipes. Here's a clip of my hero, Angus McColl, from you tube. Watch carefully; it's like having a lesson. I could live to be 400 years old and never play like this.
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Those marches played really, really fast
are for retreatin'. Just kidding!
Music for dancing - has to be dance-able...
music for marching - has to be march-able (even at a good clip).
Anything faster than that and there's 'something else going on'.
On the occasions that I would get carried away with tempo,
my grandfather was quick to remind me that I was playing a march...NOT a foot race.
And, like llig says:...The instrument belongs outdoors (!)
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Gravelwalks, it is very common for old 78s to be faster than they actually were played, both to fit on that limited media and to compensate as well for the mechanism of playing, the old wind-ups. There's only so fast you can reasonably walk a march and play at the same time, falling between a range of acceptable tempos. And yes Fr. Jack, it would also fit with dance as marches were regularly put to that end. The likelihood is that both marching, unless a funeral, and dance would bear similarities tempo wise... The methods, media and technology of the time had its effects, as it still does. Like with anything, a healthy skepticism is good, better an understanding fed from knowledge and experience...
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Ceolachan:
Some years ago, I had recommended to me a 1994 CD by Hamish Moore, title: "Stepping on the Bridge". I was looking for recordings with dance music, particularly on the Borderpipes.
A bit different, but some fine piping on smalls and Borders, and a bunch of tunes found in Cape Breton in the mix. I do not know what a serious Scottish piping scholar would think of it, but I think it has some grand music. It inspired me enough to get my own set of pipes.
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Pipes - I love 'em - all kinds: Highland, Lowland, Breton, Northumbrian, Dutch, Swedish, Czech etc.
But only out-of-doors. And not "Amazing Grace" - Ugh!
And not at pub sessions either - too dominating.
My most enduring memory of a GH piper was when taking a passenger ferry (in 1970) from Kilchoan (Scottish mainland) to Tobermory (Isle of Mull).
The time was around 7:00 a.m, and it was a beautiful summer's morning without a cloud in the sky - just a little atmospheric mist hanging over the water.
Apart from the ferryman, myself and two friends, the only other passenger was a piper. He'd won a piping competition on the mainland the previous day, and he had a bottle of the best single malt with him to prove it.
Notwithstanding that he was somewhat worse for wear owing to the drink, he managed to stand bolt upright on the prow of the boat, and played a haunting pibroch throughout the crossing - note perfect.
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
A vehicle ferry now I think. Curiously my oldest strong memory of pipes was just east of there about 5 years later. Top of Ben Resipol on a windless evening. A piper miles away across Loch Shiel, faint but clear enough to sit and listen to the music.
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
If you want to educate your ear (and mind), listen to some pibroch. It hasn't changed in centuries, and is the original music of the pipes, called 'big music' in Gaelic. Dance music came much later, and is referred to as 'little music'. There are some splendid pipers around, but if you can get your head round the pibroch, it takes some beating. The reason other instruments sound awkward with the pipes, incidentally, is that the pipes have their own scale which is not found elsewhere.
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Ceolachan, old friend, I just want to let you know I am still searching for the video which I so much enjoyed. So far I have not been able to bring it back into my memory. This is not the one I am looking for ~ until then;
The Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland Music: "Itchy Fingers, Clumsy Lover, Scotland the Brave" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKfnfcgH3L4&feature
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
At this point I am YouTube/TheSession frazzled. I think I found it. I hope so. Cheers ;)
LA Scots Pipe Band Medley 2007 World Championships
"Re: Calling out chord names to guitarists at sessions" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qxvJ28W-7k
April 1st 2009 by Richard D Cook
just reread your OP ceol, not competition, there's another one gone astray. In that case I would say a smaller set of pipes & less or no drums. These are the big pipes, ya' know?
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Is that Cape Breton field recording of Paddy Curry? Is that commercially available?
I see the Glenuig MacDonalds' names have been dropped and rightly so. A Sireadh Spors by Dr. Angus, of course. He has a new one coming out on the Macmeanmna label. "First Harvest" by Iain along with Iain MacFarlane has excellent piping as well as flute and whistle with MacFarlane on the fiddle. Iain produced the Daimh albums. Allan's recordings with Margaret Stewart are fantastic too for incorporating Gaelic song. For the piobaireachd inclined, Allan's "Dastirum" is fabulous.
Fred Morrison's "Broken Chanter" is pretty epic though Donald Shaw's synthesizers weigh heavy sometimes.
I cut my teeth on the Tannahill Weavers. Their not my cup anymore but their recordings with Iain MacInnes are still pretty classic and are what turned me onto the pipes.
I don't usually recommend pipe band CDs even though I'm an avid bandsman myself. But the pipe band recording to end all pipe band recordings is 78th Frasers Live In Ireland.
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
I was wondering where you were malcomb, thanks. It was your review of Dr. Angus MacDonald's recording "A' Sireadh Spòrs" that in part made me chase up a listen and then purchase it. Thanks for more recommendations.
Random ~ I'm on it now...
While I am not into costumes and competition and pomp, in general, that doesn't mean I don't appreciate that passion in others. Personally, I, and my wife and general cohorts, believe it does more damage than good, and that the idea of awarding 1st, 2nd and 3rd to potentially different traditions and approaches sends out a bad signal, one that destroys diversity in favour, usually, or the more commercially driven, or the more ornate and O.T.T. ~ slick standardization. Too often speed and flash become the focus over just decent playing, lift and danceability...
But, I listen to all sorts, though I have my favourites...
But ~ any visit to the island would be rewarding. They have a mass of recordings at Cape Breton University, including old 78s, of which there are quite a few...
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Musn't forget credit where it's due ~ concientious objector's additional recommendations with regards to the MacDonalds of Glenuig sealed last night's first order...
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Thanks to everyton for their recommendations ~including Dave_ the late-starter's of the Simon Fraser University album "On Home Ground", I like the promised mix; and jb14's ~ a CD that includes an Irish contingent. Best of luck you two on your journeys, hoping you're able to keep the joy and the humour in your music through the inevitable trials and frustrations.
( & may you also succeed in keeping your hearing in reasonable tact . Hint, in rock music earplugs are not uncommon... )
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
What are/were "Real pipes" (or is it "Reel Pipes) ? mentioned in short interview with Fred Morrison in the first half hour of this programme, still available for a couple of days: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00nsmmg/Archie_Fishers_Travelling_Folk_12_11_2009/
"Real pipes ... in the Highlands .... used for light music .. dancing .... bellows blown ... "
Couple of tracks from his latest CD as well. Are we allowed to use "Transatlantic" as a decriptor here ?
Two CDs on my shopping list from half and hour of radio.
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
My wife might not be happy about this, but on their way here, at the moment, aside from the Angus MacDonald order already mentioned ~ Breaban, Hamish Moore (the Cape Breton connection and content made that a must, and 'border pipes'), and which ever of the first two mass piping recommendations I can find first. That's for starters, but I thought the least this deserves is proof of your influence... I'll blame you all when my wife asks "another recording!?" They forced me!
Alright Dave_ & jb14, your recommendations, you didn't tell me they come in pairs, two volumes, and DVDs too. They will have to wait, until my wife's patience is renewed after these recent purchases... The are on my Christmas list... Besides, I still have to put the Ian MacDonald CD on order...
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
I've been playing GHB for 35 years now and my favourites to listen to are:
Pipe bands: World Pipe Band Championships, the Grade One Finalists.
Solos:
1) solo competitions, piobaireachd or MSR
2) "kitchenpiping" competitions. Yes much of the best piping is to be heard at the informal kitchenpiping competitions held in a pub at night after the day's formal competitions are over with.
Here are a couple examples:
World Pipe Band Championships, Grade One Finals. Here are the LA Scots (my hometown band) from 2007.
Now here's our own Steven Megarity (originally from Northern Ireland but now living here in Orange County CA) playing at the kitchenpiping event at the Queen Mary Highland Games, Long Beach, CA:
GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
What would you recommend? What are your favourite recordings? What's your best choice for ear education, to win hearts and minds and feet?
I consider my experience here limited, but, even so, I have my favourite, old field recordings made on Cape Breton Island of a piper there who played regularly for dancers, at houses, halls, crossroads, bridges and platforms, not competition, and had a lively and foot tapping way with the music. Even with the separation of time and not the best recording equipment or situation it makes your feet move, it makes you want to get up and dance... I can't say the same for much of what I have been exposed to, though I have an affection for pipes in general, all sorts...
GBH ~ maybe you've been completely turned off to the Great Highland Bagpipes, so tell us why? What tramatic experience in your life spoiled it for you?
# Posted on November 15th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
I started to play GHB this year April 2009..50 years too late, I am enjoying the journey thus far..as a fair flute and whistle player, I thought the transission would be easy.err no..I`m still trying to tell my brain the bag is only to blow into and squeeze not play the melody, still, I am working hard on it.
As being Scots for some reason I was never in the right place at the right time to learn them..my excuse.
Listen to Simon Fraser University`S album On Home Ground, it`s a lovely mix of Scottish, Irish and Canadian tunes..it has me hooked. Does thios help...lol
# Posted on November 15th 2009 by Dave_
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Hi i'm 15 and have been playin the pipes (and the snare) bout a year. If you can get your hands on this years world pipe band championship cd you wouldn't go too far wrong. it features irelands only grade 1 band St. Laurence o Toole and i must say they sound excellent. Yes simon fraser are excellent too their medley this year was outstanding.
# Posted on November 15th 2009 by jb14
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
For dancing it's a bit of a funny one Ceolachan. It's only recently that many pipers have started to tune to concert Bb so dancing to the pipes has been rare in recent times. Probably one one the better known for dances nowadays would be Skipinnish http://www.myspace.com/skipinnish
There are very different areas of piping a bit like the diversity in Irish music. The difference between competition piping and what used to be known as kitchen piping is quite distinct. Personally I'm not that keen on the competition style though many are. I think the style used in folk bands today is probably closer to the old style, but in my opinion there is a chunk of history missing due to the prohibition, the church and the military here. There seems to be plenty competition players and folk band players but little in between.
For crossing over from competition to more mainstream the late Gordon Duncan is seen as the king. Fred Morrison is probably the best known contemporary http://www.myspace.com/fredmorrison
Personal favourites would be Daimh http://www.myspace.com/daimh , Ross Ainslie and Jarlath Henderson http://www.myspace.com/rossandjarlath and Breabach http://www.myspace.com/breabach. They are all quite progressive if compared to the more traditional Irish scene, I don't mean as in better, just a different approach.
For solo stuff the MacDonalds of Glenuig have a wonderful west coast style http://www.myspace.com/iainmacdonald . Check out Allan MacDonalds wonderful duet stuff with Margaret Stewart if you haven't already. West coast gaelic music at it's very very best. http://www.myspace.com/margretstewart
# Posted on November 15th 2009 by bogman
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
I'd concure with this years world pipe band championship cd. The instrument belongs outdoors
# Posted on November 15th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
I just want to run inside and grab a sword everytime I hear one , its genetic ,with many of my forbares living along the ever changing border. It usually signals a surpise raid.
Only joking try some Ossian ,Ceol
# Posted on November 15th 2009 by bazouki dave
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
I've only known one track from this, a set of slip jigs, but it was enough for my to add it to a list of things I want to hear more of ~
"Dr. Angus MacDonald: A' Sireadh Spòrs"
http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/2680
# Posted on November 16th 2009 by ceolachan
my, my, me, me, me, do, ray me, fa ~ It's late and I'm tired. Thanks for the responses thus far, all of them, hoping there's more to come, both sides of the blade...
# Posted on November 16th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
True to my word, just before going for a soak, I placed my order for the MacDonald CD...
# Posted on November 16th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Ceolachan ~ I'm looking for the clip. Someone posted a YouTube of a pipe band which I enjoyed greatly. I'll give the (video) link once I find the earlier thread.
# Posted on November 16th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Listening to digitized 78 recordings, acetates and other old scratchy or half-forgotten recordings of the GHB, it's interesting to note that the same marches that pipers play today were played in the past at twice the tempo, ornaments and all. Talk about skill! Why did things slow down? Lost function?
# Posted on November 16th 2009 by gravelwalks
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Things slowed down to accomadate the drumming.
Tannahill Weavers were the first band to really capture the music of the Scottish bagpipe in terms of upbeat rhythms with other instruments.
# Posted on November 16th 2009 by Lone rover
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
How 'bout the Wicked Tinkers. They do a lot with pipes. Pretty energetic. Not quite my cup of tea but a couple of friends love them.
# Posted on November 16th 2009 by shanty
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
I love the Great Highland Bagpipes. Here's a clip of my hero, Angus McColl, from you tube. Watch carefully; it's like having a lesson. I could live to be 400 years old and never play like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_9dkLniGgc&feature=related
# Posted on November 16th 2009 by Greg the Piano Tuner
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Those marches played really, really fast
are for retreatin'. Just kidding!
Music for dancing - has to be dance-able...
music for marching - has to be march-able (even at a good clip).
Anything faster than that and there's 'something else going on'.
On the occasions that I would get carried away with tempo,
my grandfather was quick to remind me that I was playing a march...NOT a foot race.
And, like llig says:...The instrument belongs outdoors (!)
J.
# Posted on November 16th 2009 by Fr.Jack
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Gravelwalks, it is very common for old 78s to be faster than they actually were played, both to fit on that limited media and to compensate as well for the mechanism of playing, the old wind-ups. There's only so fast you can reasonably walk a march and play at the same time, falling between a range of acceptable tempos. And yes Fr. Jack, it would also fit with dance as marches were regularly put to that end. The likelihood is that both marching, unless a funeral, and dance would bear similarities tempo wise... The methods, media and technology of the time had its effects, as it still does. Like with anything, a healthy skepticism is good, better an understanding fed from knowledge and experience...
# Posted on November 16th 2009 by ceolachan
I love the quote from your Grandfather Father Jack...
# Posted on November 16th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Ceolachan:
Some years ago, I had recommended to me a 1994 CD by Hamish Moore, title: "Stepping on the Bridge". I was looking for recordings with dance music, particularly on the Borderpipes.
A bit different, but some fine piping on smalls and Borders, and a bunch of tunes found in Cape Breton in the mix. I do not know what a serious Scottish piping scholar would think of it, but I think it has some grand music. It inspired me enough to get my own set of pipes.
This link has a tunelist included so you can see some of what you are getting -
http://www.musicscotland.com/cd/hamish-moore-stepping-on-bridge-musicscotland.html
FWIW.
# Posted on November 16th 2009 by Piece
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Thanks Rook, I quite like the border pipes...
# Posted on November 16th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Pipes - I love 'em - all kinds: Highland, Lowland, Breton, Northumbrian, Dutch, Swedish, Czech etc.
But only out-of-doors. And not "Amazing Grace" - Ugh!
And not at pub sessions either - too dominating.
My most enduring memory of a GH piper was when taking a passenger ferry (in 1970) from Kilchoan (Scottish mainland) to Tobermory (Isle of Mull).
The time was around 7:00 a.m, and it was a beautiful summer's morning without a cloud in the sky - just a little atmospheric mist hanging over the water.
Apart from the ferryman, myself and two friends, the only other passenger was a piper. He'd won a piping competition on the mainland the previous day, and he had a bottle of the best single malt with him to prove it.
Notwithstanding that he was somewhat worse for wear owing to the drink, he managed to stand bolt upright on the prow of the boat, and played a haunting pibroch throughout the crossing - note perfect.
Magic!
# Posted on November 16th 2009 by Mix O'Lydian
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Q. Is that passenger ferry still operating, I wonder?
# Posted on November 16th 2009 by Mix O'Lydian
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
A vehicle ferry now I think. Curiously my oldest strong memory of pipes was just east of there about 5 years later. Top of Ben Resipol on a windless evening. A piper miles away across Loch Shiel, faint but clear enough to sit and listen to the music.
# Posted on November 16th 2009 by David50
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
If you want to educate your ear (and mind), listen to some pibroch. It hasn't changed in centuries, and is the original music of the pipes, called 'big music' in Gaelic. Dance music came much later, and is referred to as 'little music'. There are some splendid pipers around, but if you can get your head round the pibroch, it takes some beating. The reason other instruments sound awkward with the pipes, incidentally, is that the pipes have their own scale which is not found elsewhere.
# Posted on November 16th 2009 by gam
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Thanks for the ferry update, david_h
.. but it just wouldn't have been the same on a vehicular ferry, would it?
... hmm ..... I wonder if it was the same piper?
# Posted on November 16th 2009 by Mix O'Lydian
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
... do you reckon that some hater of the pipes asked him if he could play "Over the HGills and Far Away"?
# Posted on November 16th 2009 by Mix O'Lydian
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Hills
# Posted on November 16th 2009 by Mix O'Lydian
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Ceolachan, old friend, I just want to let you know I am still searching for the video which I so much enjoyed. So far I have not been able to bring it back into my memory. This is not the one I am looking for ~ until then;
The Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland Music: "Itchy Fingers, Clumsy Lover, Scotland the Brave"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKfnfcgH3L4&feature
# Posted on November 17th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
I keep coming back Random, and I know, if you find it, the wait and patience will be worth it...
# Posted on November 17th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
At this point I am YouTube/TheSession frazzled. I think I found it. I hope so. Cheers ;)
LA Scots Pipe Band Medley 2007 World Championships
"Re: Calling out chord names to guitarists at sessions"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qxvJ28W-7k
April 1st 2009 by Richard D Cook
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/21089/comments#comment440450
# Posted on November 17th 2009 by Ben Steen
just reread your OP ceol, not competition, there's another one gone astray. In that case I would say a smaller set of pipes & less or no drums. These are the big pipes, ya' know?
# Posted on November 17th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Is that Cape Breton field recording of Paddy Curry? Is that commercially available?
I see the Glenuig MacDonalds' names have been dropped and rightly so. A Sireadh Spors by Dr. Angus, of course. He has a new one coming out on the Macmeanmna label. "First Harvest" by Iain along with Iain MacFarlane has excellent piping as well as flute and whistle with MacFarlane on the fiddle. Iain produced the Daimh albums. Allan's recordings with Margaret Stewart are fantastic too for incorporating Gaelic song. For the piobaireachd inclined, Allan's "Dastirum" is fabulous.
Fred Morrison's "Broken Chanter" is pretty epic though Donald Shaw's synthesizers weigh heavy sometimes.
I cut my teeth on the Tannahill Weavers. Their not my cup anymore but their recordings with Iain MacInnes are still pretty classic and are what turned me onto the pipes.
I don't usually recommend pipe band CDs even though I'm an avid bandsman myself. But the pipe band recording to end all pipe band recordings is 78th Frasers Live In Ireland.
# Posted on November 17th 2009 by malcombpiper
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
I was wondering where you were malcomb, thanks. It was your review of Dr. Angus MacDonald's recording "A' Sireadh Spòrs" that in part made me chase up a listen and then purchase it. Thanks for more recommendations.
Random ~ I'm on it now...
While I am not into costumes and competition and pomp, in general, that doesn't mean I don't appreciate that passion in others. Personally, I, and my wife and general cohorts, believe it does more damage than good, and that the idea of awarding 1st, 2nd and 3rd to potentially different traditions and approaches sends out a bad signal, one that destroys diversity in favour, usually, or the more commercially driven, or the more ornate and O.T.T. ~ slick standardization. Too often speed and flash become the focus over just decent playing, lift and danceability...
But, I listen to all sorts, though I have my favourites...
# Posted on November 17th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
RANDOM ~ YES!!!
# Posted on November 17th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
No Malcomb, sorry, those early field recordings or Cape Breton piping, pretty raw, are not available commercially...
# Posted on November 17th 2009 by ceolachan
But ~ any visit to the island would be rewarding. They have a mass of recordings at Cape Breton University, including old 78s, of which there are quite a few...
# Posted on November 17th 2009 by ceolachan
& there's The Gaelic College at St. Anne's ~
http://www.gaeliccollege.edu/
# Posted on November 17th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Musn't forget credit where it's due ~ concientious objector's additional recommendations with regards to the MacDonalds of Glenuig sealed last night's first order...
Thanks all ~ 'c'
# Posted on November 17th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Thanks to everyton for their recommendations ~including Dave_ the late-starter's of the Simon Fraser University album "On Home Ground", I like the promised mix; and jb14's ~ a CD that includes an Irish contingent. Best of luck you two on your journeys, hoping you're able to keep the joy and the humour in your music through the inevitable trials and frustrations.
. Hint, in rock music earplugs are not uncommon... )
( & may you also succeed in keeping your hearing in reasonable tact
# Posted on November 17th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
One I didn't know and I quite like what I hear ~ Breabach, thanks for the link malcomb....
# Posted on November 17th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
What are/were "Real pipes" (or is it "Reel Pipes) ? mentioned in short interview with Fred Morrison in the first half hour of this programme, still available for a couple of days:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00nsmmg/Archie_Fishers_Travelling_Folk_12_11_2009/
"Real pipes ... in the Highlands .... used for light music .. dancing .... bellows blown ... "
Couple of tracks from his latest CD as well. Are we allowed to use "Transatlantic" as a decriptor here ?
Two CDs on my shopping list from half and hour of radio.
# Posted on November 17th 2009 by David50
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Ok, got it. Reelpipes=Border pipes. So was that for the "kitchen music" ?
# Posted on November 17th 2009 by David50
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
My wife might not be happy about this, but on their way here, at the moment, aside from the Angus MacDonald order already mentioned ~ Breaban, Hamish Moore (the Cape Breton connection and content made that a must, and 'border pipes'), and which ever of the first two mass piping recommendations I can find first. That's for starters, but I thought the least this deserves is proof of your influence... I'll blame you all when my wife asks "another recording!?" They forced me!
Alright Dave_ & jb14, your recommendations, you didn't tell me they come in pairs, two volumes, and DVDs too. They will have to wait, until my wife's patience is renewed after these recent purchases... The are on my Christmas list... Besides, I still have to put the Ian MacDonald CD on order...
# Posted on November 18th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
I've been playing GHB for 35 years now and my favourites to listen to are:
Pipe bands: World Pipe Band Championships, the Grade One Finalists.
Solos:
1) solo competitions, piobaireachd or MSR
2) "kitchenpiping" competitions. Yes much of the best piping is to be heard at the informal kitchenpiping competitions held in a pub at night after the day's formal competitions are over with.
Here are a couple examples:
World Pipe Band Championships, Grade One Finals. Here are the LA Scots (my hometown band) from 2007.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qxvJ28W-7k&feature=related
Here's Shotts & Dykehead's 2008 G1 Finals:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWVRlktwq3Y&feature=related
Now here's our own Steven Megarity (originally from Northern Ireland but now living here in Orange County CA) playing at the kitchenpiping event at the Queen Mary Highland Games, Long Beach, CA:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccMDKpNNsEM
# Posted on November 18th 2009 by Richard D Cook
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Thanks Richard, I was wondering where you were.
# Posted on November 18th 2009 by ceolachan
Re: GHB or GBH? ~ Music on the Great Highland Bagpipes
Random gave the LA link earlier, but brilliant it is, well deserving of repeat visits and listens...
'Shotts & Dykehead' ~ nicely done too...
Steven Megarity ~ mmmm! Good kick, wish I'd been there...
# Posted on November 18th 2009 by ceolachan