Irish bagpipes

The oldest Irish bagpipe, according to the Bregon laws of the 5th century, was a peasant instrument, in whose bag air was forced by the mouth. In the ancient Irish chronicles there are references to cuisleannach - pipe blowers . It is difficult to say when exactly bagpipes first appeared in Ireland, but it is known that in its early form it resembled modern Scottish .

In the 17th century in Ireland, among the upper and lower classes, bagpipes with elbow air injection, similar to the French bagpipe musette (musette), became popular. By the 18th century, the somewhat refined uilleann pipes supplanted the harp as the leading instrument in most genres of Irish music. In the second half of the 18th century, the invention of a chanter (melodic tube) with valves, regulators , and later, other improvements by masters like Egan from Dublin led to the appearance of the instrument, which is now called the most developed bagpipe in the world.

Irish bagpipes - the most developed and complex version of the bagpipe today. Full set ( full set - set) uilleann pipes includes air bag, bellows, chanter, three burdon and three regulators.

In the bag of Irish uilleann pipes the air is injected with elbow belts, unlike, for example, the Scottish highland bagpipe , in the bag of which air is forced by the mouth. The range of the chanter Irish uilleann pipes is two octaves; Scottish bagpipes - only 9 tones. If the bagpipe chanter is done in the key of D (re), the range can be even larger - up to С (up) of the third octave. Chanter has seven holes on the front side and one for the thumb on the back.

Bourdonne nozzles - bass, baritone and tenor, are inserted into the common base ( drain ) and, (when turned on), give a continuous tone throughout the melody. Regulators (regulators) (there are also usually three: bass, baritone and tenor) lie across the hips of the musician in such a way that their valves can be pressed with the lower part of the palm of the right hand playing the chanther. The arrangement of valves three in a row allows you to play a simple harmonic accompaniment.

Play the instrument while sitting. The musician attaches a belt to the right elbow, which pumps air into the bag. The air flow from the bag is controlled by the left elbow; by increasing the pressure on it, a transition to the second (upper) octave is achieved. Chanter fingering closed. Chanter is located above the right thigh. The right hand is played on the lower notes of the chanter, and its wrist is controlled by bourdon and plays the accompaniment on the regulators.

Irish uilleann pipes have an unusual timbre of sound for bagpipes - it is medium in volume, soft and juicy.

Due to the complexity of the device and the high cost of the Irish bagpipe, it is found in different configurations, converting one into the other as it becomes more complex:

• "Training kit" practice set - a chanter without valves, with a bag and furs, for elementary education;
• "Half set" half set - a tool with bourdon nozzles, but without regulators;
• “Full set” full set is a complete tool, with regulators and bourdons, the chanter can be with valves.

There is another type of bagpipe in Ireland - Irish War Pipes . According to the device and features, it is very similar to the Scottish highland bagpipe, but it has only one bubbly pipe (there are 3 in Scottish). Similar bagpipes existed in Ireland in the 16th century. Irish War Pipes is distributed mainly in the north of Ireland.