# Bagpipe music



## charlieivan (Apr 25, 2006)

Just heard some bagpipes playing and it reminded me of time I spent in Scotland during my time in the Navy.

Names the bagpipes were given such as ; Agony bags, Porridge guns.

When listening to what appears to be one of the most popular tunes(!!!!) Scotland the Brave, try adding the words " We caught an octopus and we tried to strangle it, and this is the noise that it did make"

Can't help thinking of it every time I hear that played!!!!


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Spent ten days at a Celtic folk festival in Asturias a few years ago.

All the participants were billeted in a primary school.
Desks cleared out, bunk beds fitted.

The performances in the town went on until the small hours (being Spain) so we were permanently sleep-deprived.

Thus the afternoon siesta was of vital importance.

Now, don't get me wrong, I like bagpipes.

But the Scottish and Breton pipe bands would practice in the playground at any and every opportunity.

Including during the precious afternoon siesta, which they didn't seem to need.

I experimented with every known form of ear plug available.

It was possible to get rid of most of the noise except for the low drones which made a curious wow-wow sound as they were all slightly differently out of tune.

The Scots ALWAYS started their practice with Scotland the Bloody Brave.

All possibility of sleep was lost when the kettle (snare?) drums joined in.

And I was born in Aberdeen!


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Hi.

We went to the Inverness highland games two years ago, there was the marching pipers bands with the pipes swirling and the drums drumming.. Amazing! must admit I got a bit of dust in my eye or something..  :lol: :lol: :lol: 

ray.


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## HarleyDave (Jul 1, 2007)

Aberdonian here too Pippin!! (born in Torphins, lived in Drumoak and then Dyce)

But I can still take/tell a joke against the "skirl" of the pipes.

F'r instance...

Q Definition of a gentleman?

A Someone who knows how to play the bagpipes
.
.
.
.
.
.

But doesn't!!

Cheers

Dave


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## gillnpaul (Jan 6, 2007)

We went to Edinburgh two years ago for a 'New Year' ( the Scots know how to celebrate) and a lone master piper played a most haunting tune just after midnight. 
The piece of music was called Highland Cathedral. Dont know if anybody knows it but it sounds fantastic to me.
Paul


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## Spiritofherald (May 18, 2012)

I joined a scout pipe & drum band and started to learn to play the bagpipes when I was about 12 years old - even though I was living in a small town just outside Wolverhampton, just about as remote from Scotland as you can get (at least culturally speaking).

I often spend New Year on Isle of Skye and as a small community they invite locals to do ‘a turn; which includes everything including singing, dancing and playing traditional instruments including bagpipes. Last New Year there was a woman who had been born and raised in New Zealand, but of Scottish decent, who did a solo on the bagpipes – most impressive. They do sound so much better when played somewhere traditional and atmospheric such as Skye.


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## dovtrams (Aug 18, 2009)

gillnpaul said:


> We went to Edinburgh two years ago for a 'New Year' ( the Scots know how to celebrate) and a lone master piper played a most haunting tune just after midnight.
> The piece of music was called Highland Cathedral. Dont know if anybody knows it but it sounds fantastic to me.
> Paul


Highland Cathedral is a great piece of music for the bagpipes. It was composed in 1982 by two German musicians. It was first played by a mass band in the old Olympic stadium in Berlin, the one used for the 1936 Jessie Owens games. However, it did not attract much acclaim until it was played at the Edinburgh military tattoo and then recorded by the band of the Scots Dragoon Guards.

Dave


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## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

The Black Bear is my favourite bagpipe piece. 
Highland Cathedral v. good too.


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## an99uk (May 12, 2005)

Hezbez said:


> The Black Bear is my favourite bagpipe piece.
> Highland Cathedral v. good too.


Highland Cathedral is my ringtone for George calling me,( it used to be George of the Jungle but got a bit embarrassing when he rang me whilst on a train)


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## HarleyDave (Jul 1, 2007)

Great idea - just downloaded it

Cheers

Dave


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## brynric (Oct 17, 2009)

We stayed in Ypres twice over the summer and twice attended the Menin Gate last post ceremony. It was a dignified and moving ceremony on both occasions but the evening when the Auckland Police Pipe Band played shifted it into another level entirely. Magnificent.


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