NOTES FROM PIPEY'S CORNER

Volume V Number 4; April 2000

No More Sniveling!

Just to let you know that it's April again, and at the end of the month we will pack up and tread our way to Woodland for another edition of the Sacramento Valley Highland Games. Lots of new items for your perusal - new CDs from top players, new books and instructional materials, new chanter and drone reeds, and new sets of pipes, including the three-piece banded projecting mounts, really lovely. We hope to see many of you out there.

In addition, the Dan Reid memorial is set for May 13, just around the corner. Looks like it will be another great competition, dinner, and grand playing after.

I'VE HAD IT!

Up to the eyeballs. I'm sick and tired of hearing about how so-and-so's pipes crack, split, warp, whatever. The time has come for some SERIOUS truth.

Most bagpipe makers - including the one I represent - make every effort to ensure that the product they (and I) sell is the BEST possible product they can make. Quality control is paramount in bagpipe production. If the part isn't round, straight, and truely bored it doesn't go out. That is the criteria of the top makers. The pipes leave the shop in perfect condition - what happens next is beyond their control.

Admittedly there are bagpipe makers that send out pipes with second-rate parts, or send out second-rate pipes altogether. I DON'T SELL THEM. And neither does any other reputable dealer.

SO WHAT HAPPENS? Litle Edgar gets his bagpipes. Doesn't make a tinker's damn of difference if he's twelve or ninety - he can still ruin them. All excited, he plays them and plays them and leaves them on the couch overnight because he's so proud of them, and the next day, or week, or month - they're cracked. The honest truth is - most pipers treat their expensive instruments like shit.

OVER NINETY PERCENT OF ALL DAMAGE TO PIPES IS CAUSE BY USER NEGLIGENCE

There. I said it. It's the truth. They routinely leave pipes in the car, where they heat up and crack. They leave them in the sun at a games, in an open case, where they can overheat and crack. They play them for hours in blistering heat or pouring rain at a games and put them away without drying out the bores - the pipes swell, then shrink. CRACK!

Pipers routinely THROW their instruments into cases without properly settling them, putting undue pressure on the wood, deforming ferrules, and warping the chanter. In time this becomes PERMANENT DAMAGE. They cram a jillion extras into the pipe case, leaving no room for the instrument to breath, then toss the case into the trunk of a car where it bakes on the way home. You can hear the sound of kindling in the making....

The kids blame whatever - "Aw, Dad, I thought these were good pipes, but look at them!" - The adults blame the bagpipe maker. It's the user's own fault. African blackwood can only take so much abuse before it gives - and the idiots who complain the most are those who abuse the instrument the most.

Would you treat an Amati violin the way you treat your pipes? If you own Glens, MacDougalls, Hendersons, or other pipes made fifty or a hundred years ago, you should treat them as if they were precious gems, BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE!

So how do you avoid this problem? Simple. TAKE CARE OF YOUR PIPES. Don't leave them where they will be exposed to extremes of heat, cold, moisture, or dryness WITHOUT letting them readjust. It's like the problem encountered in traveling - pipes dry out on airplanes. When travelling, use an airtight case that won't allow the dry cabin air to affect your pipes. One possibility is to wrap your pipes in a garbage bag and seal it before putting them into a regular case - of course, then there's the problem at the airport - "Will you please open that box(as they step back and look for a cop)?"

If you live in a hot, dry climate, let your pipes dry out SLOWLY after playing - in your case - not on the wall, or on a chair. If you live in a hot, damp climate, you can try various methods to ensure your pipes don't split - including leaving them out to dry. Every climate has its strictures, but there are several hard and fast rules for all climates: 1) keep the bores oiled, and the outside waxed, especially with old pipes; 2) oil the stocks regularly - they crack before anything else; 3) get a GOOD maintenance book and follow the instructions; 4) TALK TO KNOWLEDGABLE PEOPLE about maintenance problems and solutions in your area. Remember, what works for one person may not work for you! And make sure Little Edgar knows what the hell he's doing before you give him a set of pipes!

HERE ENDETH THE LESSON

now for more pleasant topics:

TECHNICAL TALK

CHASED - ENGRAVED - OR WHAT?

Recently there have been a great deal of questions regarding the decoration of silver-mounted pipes. The controversy over the difference between chasing, engraving, and casting has once again come forward. We'll try to shed some light on these subjects.

First, a few words on silver. In 'the old days,' that is to say, before the 1960s, the larger bagpipe makers either had silversmiths in their shop or jobbed out the making and ornamenting of ferrules, ring caps (or just rings), slides, chanter soles, and mouthpieces. Today almost all the work for pipes from Scotland is done by one firm - Dallman & Narborough of Birmingham. Modern mounts are hallmarked with the country, city, and maker's stamps - the maker's stamp says 'D&N.' There are a couple of other bagpipe mount silversmiths out there (in the UK) but the majority of the work is done by D&N. The mounts are almost always made to standard sizes for drone ring caps, ferrules, and slides, so the bagpipe makers have to conform to the silver sizes in their specs.

There are also firms in Canada and the US now making silver or combination silver/bronze mounts for pipes. One pipe maker does his own silver in the US and they're all cast, nicely detailed. There is a maker in Sweden who is also casting silver and using mastodon ivory (VERY legal - but expensive!) for projecting mounts - beautifully done. For those keen on pricing, an American firm offers full sets of mounts made in Mexico, reasonably priced. Note that 'reasonably priced' does not mean 'cheap' - and after you buy the silver, you have to have it put on your pipes.

Now for the ornamentation: Often those who are marketing silver for pipes in this country don't know the difference between the three styles of ornamentation used on bagpipe mounts. They say 'engraved' when they mean 'chased' or even 'carved.' Let's try to clear up some of this confusion.

CHASING - is the most common form of bagpipe decoration found today. Classic chasing involves the use of blunt tools and a hammer, scribing lines and designs into the metal by pushing the metal in, creating a furrow without actually cutting or removing any silver. This process leaves a soft, rounded edge to the line and a bold pattern. The chased design is often improved by the use of repoussee, which pushes the metal out from the back, creating raised relief. The Statue of Libety in New York harbour is actually copper repoussee, brazed to a new stainless steel armature - the copper sheets are about the thickness of a dime. Old chasing on pipes, such as that done by Beaton in England in the 1950s and 60s, is a thing of rare beauty, with full three-dimensional relief and a beautiful, 'sculpted' look.

Modern chasing is often done by machine stamping and is in no way comparable to the original techniques, mainly because almost all the old craftsmen are dead. The method used by classic 'chasers' is far too expensive for the average bagpipe maker to stock, or for a purchaser to buy. There are a very few real chasers still around (in England and Ireland mainly) but their work is VERY expensive. Even modern hand-chasing, which can be quite good-looking, can't compare to the heavy relief work of the past. This is one area in which the old craftsmen were far superior to modern makers.

ENGRAVING - is accomplished by digging a furrow into the silver with a very sharp tool called a graver or burin. This method actually removes a small amount of metal, leaving very sharp, clean edges. Engraving is almost always shaded with cross-hatch designs, much like old engraved prints. Fine engraving is rare, as the work requires an extremely steady hand - one slip will completely ruin a piece, while an error in chasing can often be repaired fairly easily. There are a few very fine modern engravers whose work can be found on pipes. The designs are similar to those used in chasing, but usually with clean, sharp edges and fine detail work. Hand engraving is more costly than chasing, but the result is well worth it. There are fine engravers in the UK, Canada, and the US; the prices on engraving vary with the design and the quality and reputation of the engraver. Each engraved mount is unique on a set of bagpipes; engraving must be considered the most 'hand-made' of all forms of decoration.

Machine engraving, using a power graver (like the kind you can use to mark your camera, guns, etc., with your SS#) is regarded as inferior and not even worth considering in bagpipe ornamentation. Suffice it to say that a machine-engraved ferrule will not have the visual impact or feel of a hand-engraved piece. At all.

CAST DESIGNS - are done by carving or engraving into wax blank models and then investment casting the finished piece. A mould is then made from the master example, and hundreds of copies can be cheaply made using the mould. Investment casting is an ancient process, over two thousand years old, and which provides for uniformity of design in the finished product. Casting is considered more commercial than either chasing or engraving, but is gaining in popularity for bagpipe mounts, especially in the US. Cast pieces can be extremely beautiful, with a three-dimensional quality that can't be found in modern chased or engraved work. The drawback to cast mounts is that you can be sure that there are now, or will be in the future, numerous other sets of pipes with similar or identical mounts out there somewhere....

So, the final question is - which do I choose??? Obviously, the style which best suits your eye and budget. Purists will want mounts made in the UK for their pipes and spend the most money, especially if you want a custom design; others will opt for those made in Canada, the US, or even Mexico - price can be a major consideration. Remember, whichever mount you choose, above all it must FIT your bagpipe - many silver makers use a 'standard size' for ring caps, ferrules, slides, chanter sole, and mouthpiece - and if you're wanting to 'silver' your old set of pipes you may have problems buying mounts 'off the peg.' Additionally it's a good idea to have the mounts put on by either the firm that made your pipes OR one that does fine restoration work - you can have your pipes refurbished at the same time. One of the worst possible scenarios is trying to do it yourself - you can ruin your pipes and the mounts could look ridiculous if poorly done.

THIS IS NOT CHEAP, either. Many people bridle at the price of silver mountings on new pipes, but will gladly shell out the coins for new silver on their older pipes, thinking that they're saving a lot of money. Not really. The amount of labour involved in remounting an old set of pipes is considerable, and you REALLY should consider a complete new set - unless of course they're heirloom Hendersons, MacDougalls, Glens, Thows, or Lawries (to name a few), in which case you probably shouldn't remount them anyway! I'll be happy to advise anyone who's interested in 'silvering' their set of plastic or nickel mounted pipes, and discussing all the options available.

BLACK PART SPEAKS AGAIN:

It was with great pleasure that I attended the Piobaireachd Society's Annual General Conference, held March 25 & 26 in Bridge of Allan, Scotland. I was, unfortunately , the only American piper to attend.

On Saturday the presentations were on the MacDonald manuscripts and the subtle difference of phrasing in Donald MacDonald's work. For those unfamiliar with these manuscripts the cadences are written differently and in 'major' or melody note fashion. When played directly from these manuscripts the tunes will sound quite differently. As was remarked at the conference, it is unknown if this discrepancy is due to the limitations of typesetting of the period or if it was actually intended. In some instances the MacDonald version results in very pleasing renditions, while in other tunes the MacKay versions may be preferred. It was strongly emphasised that the source for the tunes is a choice for the performer to make, and that adjudicators would be well advised to acquaint themselves with, and be willing to accept versions from MacDonald and from other sources as well for some tunes. This is a real challenge to judges, as there can be many sources for some tunes beyond the MacDonald and MacKay versions.

Next we were treated to some of the history behind the Kilberry Book. This excellent collection, based mostly on Angus MacKay's manuscripts, is the most popular book ever published on Ceol Mor. It was mentioned that in spite of the book's popularity, few judges and even fewer pipers bother to read the introduction and its opening remarks on piobaireachd. Every piper with even a passing interest inthe music should read this section of the book.

To close the day's formal presentation we had an excellent discussion of the 'Bobs of Balmoral.' Robert Nicol and Robert Brown were both pipers at Balmoral Castle for most of their lives, playing for three sovereigns. Both men were devoted to piping, both Ceol Mor and Ceol Beg. We know them today mainly through the recordings called 'Masters of Piobaireachd.' It was truly interesting to hear this discussion of the 'Two Bobs' from men who actually knew them.

After the dinner we had a 'piobaireachd ceilidh' with twelve performers,. There were really some fine tunes to be heard. Performers from Scotland, Canada, South Africa, Ireland, and the US - yes, I worked up the courage to perform. Last up, I played Taotear Cloinn Raghnaill, which translates as Clan Raghnaill's (or Clanranald's) Tutor. Only Andrew Wright was familiar with the tune - no one else had ever heard it or heard of it, even though it's in Book 14 of the PS collections. Andrew said at the conclusion of my performance thatmy tune was 'well played and beautifully phrased.' Quite a nice compliment (the tune can be heard on John's "Good Stuff" CD - ed.)

On Sunday we had a review of the set tunes for the Senior Competitions this year from Malcolm MacRae and Andrew Wright, with very fine performances from these gentlemen. The 'Big Contests' should be very interesting this year with the new requirements of lesser-known versions of some of the tunes.

At the business meeting new members were accepted, among them three from the WUSPBA. The new members now include Glen Thompson, Aaron Shaw, and Iain Sherwood. There are also quite a few other new members, and it was gratifying to see younger people accepted into the Piobaireachd Society, which exists to promote the music. In order to do this, new and younger competing players are being encouraged to join. How better to pass on this wealth of information the Piobaireachd Society has to offer, than by direct contact with those who have the most to benefit - the competitors!

For additional information on the Piobaireachd Society please don't hesitate to ask me or any of the other WUSPBA members in the Society!

John Eric Partanen PhD

until next month....