[Harp-L] Irish Harmonica and Pipes

["Aongus Mac Cana" <amaccana@xxxxxxxxxx>]

It is gratifying to find awareness among "listers" of the Uillean Pipes. I
thought that this would have been the sole prerogative of traditional Irish
musicians. Even in Ireland some ignoramuses who consider themselves
sophisticated refer to uillean pipe music as "Bas na mbo" (death of the
cow), suggesting that the sound of the pipes is akin to the wailing of a cow
in her death throes. The late lamented F.R. Farrell used to say that anyone
who could not fix his own harmonica could not afford to play one. This
applies in spades to Uillean Pipers who have to be able to make and tune
their own reeds. Another sexy Celtic instrument is the Breton Bombarde. This
is a sort of a long bagpipe without the bag. A French exponent called Jean
Claude Jegat has made some recordings with organ accompaniment (Bombarde et
Orgue) that are a real 'turn on'. Definitely worth looking up! Some of these
Breton Bombarde clips could go well on harmonica.

Beannachtai

Aongus Mac Cana