Books › A descriptive catalogue of the musical instruments recently exhibited at the Royal Military Exhibition, London, 1890 …, 1891 › scan 74
Scan 74
A descriptive catalogue of the musical instruments recently exhibited at the Royal Military Exhibition, London, 1890 …, 1891
6 lines. Read by computer on 1 October 2026. Printed page 54. See the scan on archive.org.
1present day. The single drone rests upon his left shoulder, the bag being beneath his left elbow. The instrument is inflated from the mouth, and he is holding the chanter and playing upon it; the position of the hands is noticeable, the right hand being uppermost; and the right thumb is evidently stopping a hole on the underside of the chanter.
3Of the advent of the bagpipe into Scotland or Ireland it is difficult to say much with certainty. It appears to have been, from very early times, a special instrument with the Celtic races, and a very interesting old Celtic pipe of the 15th century is presently described. This pipe appears to be almost the only instrument of that age in existence, and it is in a singularly good state of preservation. Its authenticity is beyond doubt. The bagpipe appears to have been in use in Ireland about the same time, for in an ancient Irish MS. of the year 1300, known to the late Mr. Carl Engel, is a representation of a pig gravely employed in playing the bagpipe. In the following century the pipes were in common use as a military instrument; and Derrick, who wrote in 1581, gives, in his "Image of Ireland," a picture of a band of Irish warriors marching out preceded by a piper. The pipe in this case has two drones held over the left shoulder, and is inflated from the mouth.
5That the bagpipe appears to have come into Ireland from Scotland, is an opinion advanced by Mr. Walker in his Historical Memoirs of the Irish Bards (Dublin 1786), where the subject has been very fully treated of. According to Aristides Quintilianus, the instrument prevailed from very early times in the Highlands of Scotland. Mr. O'Connor, the eminent antiquarian, informs us (Dissertation on the History of Ireland) that one of the instruments in use amongst the Scots, or ancient Irish, was the Adharcaidh Cuil, that is, a collection of pipes with a bag, or rather a musical bag. We also learn that another instrument, of more simple make, called Cuisley Ciuil, was employed as a means of marking the measure for the Rinkey, or field dance, of the ancient Irish. The Irish pipes used prior to the 16th century were blown by means of a pipe held in the mouth of the player. The chanter had six finger-holes only; and there were two drones. The instrument thus made was known by the name of Piobmala. Bellows for inflation of the bag appear to have come into
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.