The Pipers' Gathering "Live From North Hero" |
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Performances |
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"After listening to the CD recorded at the North Hero gathering again, I'd like to thank the people responsible for this recording. Excellent sound, beautiful playing, great way to not only hear the many different kinds of pipes, but also the different sounds of the
different pipe makers. Great music, thanks for making this available!I hope this isn't the last recording. Deb Quigley, whew! I'm really surprised to hear that the recordings are from a tent, the quality (at least in my car player) is fantastic."
Glenn Dreyer March, 2004
- Review from The Bagpipe Society
- by Dave Rowlands featured in Chanter, the newsletter of the Bagpipe Society.
- Review from The NSPSNA Journal
- by Jim McGillivray featured in the Northumbrian Smallpipe Society of North America's News Letter.
- Review from The LBPS Journal
- by Jim Buchanan featured in the Lowland and Border Piping Society's News Letter.
- Review from Sing Out Magazine
- by R Weir featured in Sing Out magazine.
Artists and Tunes
For more artist information and pictures, please see the
INSTRUCTORS and ARTIST GALLERY pages !
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Track 1 Performer: Deborah Quigley Tunes: Reels: Mckenna's # 1 (aka Colonel Roger's Favourite)/Miss Langford's Pipes: Uilleann pipes |
Track 10 Performer: Kevin Rowsome & Lorraine Hickey Tunes: Kilcooley Woods/The First of May Instruments: Uilleann pipes & Fiddle |
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Track 2 Performer: Andy May Tunes: Joan’s Jig/Anne Frazer McKenzie/Shield’s Fair Pipes: Northumbrian Small Pipes |
Track 11 Performers: Iain Mac Harg & Aron Garceau Tunes: Paddy’s Leather Breeches/Mike and the Antipyper/Haggis the Cat Instruments: Scottish Small Pipes & Guitar |
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Track 3 Performers: Benedict Koehler, Hilari Farrington, Kevin Rowsome, and Lorraine Hickey Tunes: Jigs: Smiling Eyes/Gander in the Pratie Hole/Happy to Meet, Sorry to Part Instruments: Uilleann pipes; Harp; Fiddle |
Track 12 Performer: Iain MacInnes Tunes: The Ewe with the Crookit Horn/Sweet Molly/MacPhee’s Reel/Malcolm Currie/Inver Lasses/Buntàta’s Sgadan/Cabarfeidh Pipes: Scottish Small Pipes |
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Track 4 Performer: Brian McNamara Tunes: A stór mo chroí/Biddy from Muckrose Pipes: Uilleann pipes |
Track 13 Performer: Brian McNamara Tunes: The Nightingale/Neary’s Jig/Séan Buí Pipes: Uilleann pipes |
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Track 5 Performer: Moebius (Jon Swayne, Don Ward, Dave Faulkner) Tunes: Love in the Afternoon/Intermission Pipes: 2 Border bagpipes in G and 1 in low C |
Track 14 Performer: Patrick Hutchinson Tunes: Slow Air: Cois Abhainn Na Séad (By the River of Gems)/Hop Jig: Cucanandy Pipes: Uillean pipes |
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Track 6 Performer: Matt Seattle & Nigel Richard Tune: Lindesfarne Instruments: Border pipes & Cittern |
Track 15 Performer: Iain MacInnes Tunes: Murdoch MacKenzie of Torridon/The Glasgow Gaelic Club/Duncan McGillivray, Chief Steward Pipes: Scottish Small Pipes |
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Track 7 Performer: Andy May Tune: Holey Ha’Penny (with variations) Pipes: Northumbrian Small Pipes |
Track 16 Performers: Benedict Koehler & Hilari Farrington Tune: Air; The Lea Rig Instruments: Uilleann pipes & Harp |
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Track 8 Performer: Fin Moore Tunes: Back of the Change House/Moving Cloud Pipes: Border pipes |
Track 17 Performer: Dick Hensold Tune: Stool of Repentance Pipes: Northumbrian Small Pipes |
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Track 9 Performer: Deborah Quigley Tunes: The Maids of Glenroe (aka The Maid at the Well)/The Sports of Multyfarnham Pipes: Uilleann pipes |
Track 18 Performer: Ian Lawther Tunes: Keening in the Wind/Holey Ha' Penny Pipes: Northumbrian Small Pipes |
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This
CD is Copyright © 2003 |
Track 19 Performer: Moebius (Jon Swayne, Don Ward, Dave Faulkner) Tunes: Allemain/Jake Davey’s Polka Pipes: 2 Border pipes in G & Border pipe in low C |
Most people are introduced to the world of bagpipes through the Great Highland Bagpipe of the Scottish Highlands. Many miss the wide array of other bagpipes played throughout the British Isles and Europe.
Since 1984, there has been an annual gathering of pipers in North Hero, Vermont, dedicated to alternative bagpipes. Each year, more than 100 pipers from North America and the British Isles congregate to play, study, and learn. Two concerts showcase the skills of some of the world’s finest pipers. The material on this disc was recorded at the concerts of 2001, 2002 and 2003.
All bagpipes have bags for air storage. They have chanters that play melody, and drones that play constant tones. Beyond these common features, bagpipes evolved in different ways. Several types represented in this collection include: Border pipes, Scottish smallpipes, Irish uilleann pipes and Northumbrian smallpipes.
Bagpipes reached the British Isles from Europe around 1400, and were shown in period artwork as mouth-blown and having one or two drones. By the 1600s, some pipes were bellows-blown. More quiet, stable reeds could be used because there was no moisture from the musician’s breath to affect the reeds. All pipes on this recording are bellows-blown.
An early form of the Border pipes was played in the Borders region of Lowland Scotland and Northern England around 1700. These pipes have a conical chanter that produces a strident tone and are fingered like the Great Highland bagpipe. The Border pipes chanter has the same nine-note range and is generally in A.
Jon Swayne's pipes derive from the Border pipes tradition, but add elements of French pipes. They are fully chromatic over an octave and a half with cross fingering. Additionally, they are made in a range of pitches as featured in the ensemble playing on this disc.
The Scottish smallpipes are a re-creation developed in the 1970s and 1980s by Colin Ross Fingered like the Great Highland bagpipe, the chanter has a cylindrical bore that produces a sweet tone one octave below the Border pipes. It has a nine-note range, sometimes extended by keys. Scottish smallpipes chanters are made in the keys of Low D, A, Bb, B, C & D.
Uilleann pipes evolved to their current form in Ireland by the late 1700s. These pipes also have a two-octave scale, and in addition to three drones, have keyed regulators that allow the sounding of chords. The movie Titanic and the stage show Riverdance have increased public awareness of these pipes. Uilleann pipes are made in the keys of Bb, B, C, C# and the modern and more common key of D.
Unlike the pipes described above, the Northumbrian smallpipes from Northeast England have a stopped-end chanter. When all finger holes are covered, there is no sound, resulting in a distinctive staccato style. The addition of keys can allow two chromatic octaves, and a flexible arrangement of drones provides many harmonic possibilities. The traditional pitch of the Northumbrian chanter is slightly sharp of F. Chanters also are made in D, C, and G.
Each one of the different bagpipe types mentioned above has its own information page on this web site. Please see the navigation menu at the top of this page.
Recorded by Ray Wall live in North Hero, Vermont 2001, 2002 & 2003. Mixed by Ray Wall of Living Traditional Recordings. All tracks except as noted traditional and arranged by artist. Copyright © 2003 The Pipers' Gathering Inc.
The Pipers Gathering Inc. has received permission for use of all tunes not in public domain. If we have mistakenly attributed a tune currently under copyright to the public domain, we apologize and would like to be informed of our error. We wish to thank all the performers on this recording for generously donating their time and skills. We also wish to thank the composers and copyright holders for their kind permission.
The Pipers' Gathering, Inc., sponsors of the Pipers' Gathering, was formed in June of 1999 as a domestic non-profit corporation under the laws of the State of Vermont, USA. Its stated purpose is "to promote the music and playing of bagpipes in all their forms through workshops, education, social and cultural endeavors." It is further recognized by the US Internal Revenue Service as a non-profit organization under the provisions of section 501(c)(3) of the federal tax code. The corporation is eligible to apply for grants available to such organizations and contributions to the corporation are tax deductible. Contact treasurer Mark Stayton, 97 N. 3rd Ave, Royersford PA 19468 or email at Mark.Stayton@pipersgathering.org
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