ABOUT THE SOCIETY
We are a Scottish-based society enjoying strong international support, dedicated to researching and developing the Scottish bellows pipe, which includes small pipes (parallel bored chanters in various keys) and Lowland or Border pipes (conical bored chanters)
The Society was formed in 1982 by a group of enthusiasts who were interested in reviving the bagpipes of the Scottish lowlands and border region. These pipes are bellows-blown with their drones issuing from a common stock and have been played in Scotland since at least the 17th Century.
There are two distinct instruments within the tradition: the larger Border or Half Long pipe, which is characterised by a conical (or tapered) bore chanter, and which produces a sound not unlike a Highland bagpipe on a quieter scale. These were the instruments of the Toun Pipers, employed in many lowland towns to play on civic occasions.
The other pipe is the Scottish Smallpipe, characterised by a straight (cylindrical) bore chanter. It is quieter and more suited for indoor use - ideal for playing along with other instruments.
The tradition of playing both the instrument(s) and the music became extinct in the last century in Scotland - there were no hereditary pipers left, no-one to pass on the music through the oral/aural tradition and so the new generation had to look to the Northumbrians for help in making reeds and instruments in the early days. The playing style, however, is much closer
to the Highland tradition, using the same fingering technique and open-ended chanter as Highland pipes. (It may be noted though, that some players do employ the closed fingering technique, producing a quite distinctive sound and style).
A wealth of border music does exist on both sides of the divide and recent research has turned up an important manuscript - the William Dixon Collection of 1733 - of early cross-border music which has been republished by Matt Seattle greatly enriching the current repertoire. Much music
written for fiddle or Highland Bagpipe can also be successfully adapted to fit well on bellows pipes.
Over recent years, the Society has grown from being a group of like-minded friends, to being a truly international organisation with members in many far flung places. There are now a number of well established professional makers producing pipes of the highest quality and the instrument has been adopted by numerous folk groups. Initially at the instigation of Hamish Moore, the Society has also staged a number of high profile concerts which have drawn players from as far away as Cape Breton, Sardinia, Brittany, Central France and Hungary, as well as the cream of Scottish talent.
A relationship with
GREENTRAX RECORDINGS has resulted in three imaginative and critically acclaimed CDs of these, modestly titled "Grand Concerts."
The current Honorary President is
Julian Goodacre - an established bagpipe maker and researcher.
