Books › A descriptive catalogue of the musical instruments recently exhibited at the Royal Military Exhibition, London, 1890 …, 1891 › scan 73
Scan 73
A descriptive catalogue of the musical instruments recently exhibited at the Royal Military Exhibition, London, 1890 …, 1891
10 lines. Read by computer on 1 October 2026. Printed page 53. See the scan on archive.org.
1III.
3CLASS—BAGPIPES.
5INSTRUMENTS with enclosed reeds, blown from a reservoir of air, and known at the present day by the generic term of "Bagpipe," are of very remote antiquity. They were certainly known and used by the ancient Babylonians, and in the many Sanskrit treatises upon music that are still remaining the bagpipe is described. It would appear to have been carried into India by the Aryans, and it is now known under the name of "Moshuq"; and in Southern India as the "S'rut upanga."
7It is even possible that Bagpipes were used by the Hebrews in the Temple service, and upon an ancient terra-cotta, discovered some years since at Tarsus, in Asia Minor, is a representation of what is probably the bagpipe commonly in use at that period, about 200 B.C. By the Greeks the bagpipe was usually called ἀσκαυλος or συμφωνια; while among the Romans it took the characteristic name of "Tibia utricularis," and it is said to have been a favourite instrument of the Emperor Nero, whose love for music has been noticed freely by Tacitus and other historians. Whether we should regard the bagpipe as a Roman importation to this country or not seems an exceedingly doubtful point. But it is certain that it was very well known here shortly after the Roman conquest, and it is a singular fact it is mentioned by Procopius as the instrument of war of the Roman infantry.
9During the Middle Ages the bagpipe was used both in England and on the Continent largely, and appears to have been found in monasteries and religious houses, where it served as an accompaniment to the chanting. An illustration of an instrument of this kind of the 9th century is given by Gerbert, Abbot of St. Blaise (De Cantu et Musica Sacra), and called by him "Chorus." The bagpipe appears to have retained its popularity for some centuries later, and to have been in general use, for on the Minstrels' gallery in Exeter Cathedral another representation of it is seen. This gallery dates from the 14th century, and was constructed during the reign of King Edward III. The bagpipe is held by the player much as at the
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