# bagpipes



## science (Oct 14, 2010)

I have two questions here. 

1. What is some music that was actually written for bagpipes (as opposed to things like "Amazing Grace" on bagpipes)? 

2. Is there any bagpipe music that you really love? 

(If this counts as a classical music question, the mods can move this thread. But I put it here because I thought it was kind of folk-music.)


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

An Orkney Wedding with sunrise by Peter Maxwell Davies has a great part for bagpipes. I always wondered whether a real concerto could be composed for it. In general though, I do not care too much for its sound.


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## Sebastien Melmoth (Apr 14, 2010)

Peckinpah's film _Straw Dogs_ climaxes in a teriffic orgy of violence with a bagpipe soundtrack.

cpo has a really superb disc with hurdy-gurdy:
http://www.amazon.com/Masters-Baroq...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1295313274&sr=1-1

sorry, no pipes...


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## dmg (Sep 13, 2009)

Pipes, particularly the Great Highland Bagpipes, have no dynamics whatsoever. They're _loud_, that's it. They also have a very limited range. This is why they do not go well with a whole lot of other instruments (snare drums notwithstanding).


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

Thanks guys! I will look up the Maxwell Davies work.


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## RBrittain (Jan 24, 2011)

Oh yes, definitely. When I was last in Edinburgh, I bought two CDs of Highlands music. Here are a couple of my favourite bagpipes pieces, found on Youtube:

*Highland Cathedral*






*Mist Covered Mountains*






*Scotland The Brave!*


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## GraemeG (Jun 30, 2009)

dmg said:


> Pipes, particularly the Great Highland Bagpipes, have no dynamics whatsoever. They're _loud_, that's it. They also have a very limited range. This is why they do not go well with a whole lot of other instruments (snare drums notwithstanding).


The main reason they don't go well with orchestral instruments is that they're out of tune with the orchestra. 'Bad-tempered' if you like. What sounds wistful and evocative heard from an adjacent mountaintop is too loud and sharp up close...
cheers,
G


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