[Harp-L] Re: Was 'Enough Please'/Free reed history

[Vince Meghrouni <Foomcorp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I don't know if uilleann pipes are in that regard the same as  
bagpipes, but if so, bagpipes are not considered free reed instruments.

"NOT Free Reed Instruments
It may at this point be worth mentioning a few wind instruments often  
erroneously described as having free reeds. For some reason, bagpipes  
are often described as free reed instruments. Whilst it would be by  
no means impossible to make a set of pipes that use free reeds,  
bagpipes invariably use beating reeds, either single or double. Even  
more frequently described as a free reed instrument is the  
Martinsschalmei (also known as Martinshorn, Martinstrompete, or  
simply schalmei - although the latter term is the German for shawm, a  
clarinet-like instrument). Even the usually trustworthy Groves  
Dictionary of Musical Instruments makes this mistake, although  
personal communication with the author of that article blames a  
translation error. These spectacular instruments are essentially a  
set of signal horns of different pitches played from a common  
mouthpiece. Each horn utilises a metal beating reed, much like those  
used in automobile horns."

Supposedly, Marco Polo brought a Sheng to Europe from China, a Sheng  
being a true free reed instrument.  This is not strictly proven,  
however.  A Euorpean violinist in the 1700's played the Sheng, but  
bagpipes were referred to in Shakespeare ("woolen pipes") if we are  
to accept that bagpipes are free reed instruments.

On May 28, 2007, at 9:54 PM, Rick Dempster wrote:

> I'm wondering about the Uilleann pipes - the Irish or celtic term,  
> I believe, for a bellows-driven reed instrument, the like of which  
> can be found in many parts of the world, particularly Eastern  
> Europe. These instruments must fall in the 'free reed' catagory, as  
> the reed is not held in the mouth. I rather doubt that these  
> instruments are related to the 'Asian mouth-organ' ie Khaen, Sheng,  
> Sho, etc.etc.
> Anybody with further knowlwdge, corretions or thoughts on this?
> RD
>
> > > > Vince Meghrouni <Foomcorp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 29/05/2007 12:57:52 >>>
> And harps rely on free reeds, the existence of free reed instruments
> in asia pre-date and presage free reed instruments in Europe.
>
> Reginald "Rex" "Rich" Tobago
> Manufacturer of Memes untethered to reality
>
> On May 28, 2007, at 9:27 AM, Frank Evers wrote:
>
> > Am Sonntag, 27. Mai 2007 21:54 schrieb Jeff roulier:
> > > This is a harp mailing list, not Buddha's.  I mean no offense to
> > > those who follow eastern philosophy.  I myself like some of it.  I
> > > just think it doesn't belong here.
> >
> > Don´t forget it was african culture, that brought the essential
> > ingedience for what we call blues, jazz and whatever came from it.
> > This is a harmonica mailing list, yes. So european craftsmen build an
> > instrument to play traditional  "german major" (scnr ;) ) folk music.
> > That instrument was brought to african american slave descendants who
> > used it in a completely different way, and this new music floated
> > back to europe and all over the world.
> >
> > Remembering this, yet another cultural ingredience will probably be
> > quite interesting.
> > --
> > Gruß,Frank
>
>
>
>
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Vince Meghrouni
http://www.myspace.com/fiendhorn