Apr 19, 2008
Is Nothing Sacred?
[Note: My friend & fellow-Briton, Mark Brady, got in ahead of me (see below, 'Pipe Dream'), but I thought I'd post this anyway. Two for the price of one..]
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According to a report in the Daily Telegraph [London] 19th April 2008, the iconic
Scots bagpipe as we know it, was only invented in the early 19th century. In other words, it could never have driven Scots into battle over previous centuries, or played laments over deceased Highland chieftains. This, from a new book by “a leading Gaelic historian and expert piper”, which will come out from the National Museums of Scotland.
Apparently we owe the bagpipe we now know, to rich, well-educated Scotsmen living in London from the late 18th century onwards. They founded the Highland Society of London in 1778 to preserve “the martial spirits, language, dress, music and antiquities of the ancient Caledonians”. This Society sponsored bagpipe competitions; the prizes were pipes manufactured by two “well-established pipe makers in Edinburgh” who between them had actually invented the […] instrument.
There is worse to come. This “Gaelic historian”-cum-piper has found that the “set allegedly played at…Waterloo in 1815” is in fact put together “from three or four pipes” and has -- “20th century parts”-- !! Similarly, he is doubtful “about the pipes allegedly played at…Culloden in 1745 and at Flodden in 1513.”
Never study history, unless you are prepared for constant disillusionment….
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According to a report in the Daily Telegraph [London] 19th April 2008, the iconic
Scots bagpipe as we know it, was only invented in the early 19th century. In other words, it could never have driven Scots into battle over previous centuries, or played laments over deceased Highland chieftains. This, from a new book by “a leading Gaelic historian and expert piper”, which will come out from the National Museums of Scotland.
Apparently we owe the bagpipe we now know, to rich, well-educated Scotsmen living in London from the late 18th century onwards. They founded the Highland Society of London in 1778 to preserve “the martial spirits, language, dress, music and antiquities of the ancient Caledonians”. This Society sponsored bagpipe competitions; the prizes were pipes manufactured by two “well-established pipe makers in Edinburgh” who between them had actually invented the […] instrument.
There is worse to come. This “Gaelic historian”-cum-piper has found that the “set allegedly played at…Waterloo in 1815” is in fact put together “from three or four pipes” and has -- “20th century parts”-- !! Similarly, he is doubtful “about the pipes allegedly played at…Culloden in 1745 and at Flodden in 1513.”
Never study history, unless you are prepared for constant disillusionment….