Listening, Especially for the Non-piper

Описание: The best and most enjoyable way to develop an ear for piping is to listen to it. That being said, it doesn't hurt to have some direction regarding what to listen for, along the way. This video is not intended particularly as a scholarly work but as a musical presentation with light commentary, in the hope that it should be enjoyed by both pipers and nonpipers.

In this video I spend about a third of the time discussing features that may help the listener to differentiate between varying levels of bagpiping, and the rest of the time playing Marches, Strathspeys, and Reels as examples. The presentation concludes with back-to-back performances of an MSR played first by a Grade 1 player and an Open-Grade performance of the same tunes, showing a subtle but clear contrast between the levels of play.

This video was made at the invitation of the Scottish Nationality Room of the University of Pittsburgh as part of an ongoing online series of educational and entertaining presentations. My thanks go out to them for hosting the event!

To follow the Scottish Nationality Room:
  / scottishnationalityroom  

To follow me:
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Links and sheet music sources for the tunes performed:
The abbreviation “SG” stands for “Scots Guards,” with the numbers that follow representing the volume and page where the tune can be located. I take some slight liberties with a few of the arrangements, based off of the settings as they were taught to me.

Marches
Grade 4-3: The Haughs of Cromdale, Traditional (possibly J. Hogg), SG1 p.134-135
   • The Haughs of Cromdale  
Grade 3-2: The Atholl and Breadalbane Gathering, W. Ferguson, SG1 p.108
   • The Atholl and Breadalbane Gathering  
Grade 2-Open/Professional: Kantara to El Arish, W. Ferguson, SG2 p.41    • Kantara to El Arish  

Strathspeys
Grade 3-2: The Marquis of Huntly's Highland Fling, G. Jenkins, SG1 p.175    • The Marquis of Huntly's Highland Fling  
Grade 2-Open/Professional: Lady Loudon, Traditional (possibly W. Gow), SG1 p.170    • Lady Loudon  
Grade 1-Open/Professional: Dora MacLeod, P. MacLeod Jr., SG3 p.139    • Dora MacLeod  

Reels
Grade 3: Lexy McAskill, J. McAskill, SG2 p.94
   • Lexy McAskill  
Grade 2-1: Colonel MacLeod, Traditional, SG2 p.89
   • Colonel MacLeod  
Grade 2-Open/Professional: The Sound of Sleat, D. MacKinnon, SG2 p.103
   • The Sound of Sleat  

MSRs
2012 Amateur:    • World Online Piping and Drumming Champions...  
2020 Professional:    • MSR The Balmoral Highlanders Susan MacLeod...  
The Balmoral Highlanders, A. MacKay, SG1 p.115
Susan MacLeod, D. MacLeod, SG2 p.84-85
The Sheepwife, Traditional, SG1 p.216-217