Samhain Bagpipes?
 

I just realized I'll be releasing a podcast on October 31st, and wondering if anyone knows any Halloween or Samhain bagpipe traditions or history?
I think I might just look at a bunch of tunes with Faeiries in the title, and I just ordered John Gregorson Campbell's books, so I'll see where that takes me, but if people know of anything concrete and historical I'd love to hear about it!

Re: Samhain Bagpipes?
 

Tam o' Shanter by Burns was often read at Hallowe'en when I was at school in Aberdeenshire. It features Auld Nick piping at the witches coven, but I'd lay odds they'd be bellows pipes.

Nowadays Tam o' Shanter seems to be the only poem that gets recited at Burns Suppers at the end of January. There's many poems suitable for Burns night, and I feel a wee bit wistful that Tam has been robbed of it's Hallowe'en specialness.

Re: Samhain Bagpipes?
 

I've played for a fair number of Burns' Nights here in the Boston States and have yet to hear anyone recite "Tam O' Shanter".

Address to the Haggis is de rigeur, of course, and usually "Tae a Mouse", and a handful of others.

Re: Samhain Bagpipes?
 

Aye!!... and... "A Man's A Man For A' That."
(Damned fine tune... as well !! :)

But back to... The Original...

There should be... a passel o' tunes and songs...
for... "Things That Go Bump!!... In the Night!!"

Re: Samhain Bagpipes?
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU3bsvt1kIc

Any use to you? Perservere, the tune... on C Smallpipes, comes in eventually

Re: Samhain Bagpipes?
 

Thanks for the Tam O' Shanter discussion,

and Neil thanks for exposing me to Violet Jacobs! I was ignorant of her work. Lovely pipes, singing and performance!

Re: Samhain Bagpipes?
 

Didn't notice this till second read through haha. No doubt, I'm sure the gentleman's breath would play havoc on the reeds and spittle would spring leaks in the bag!

Re: Samhain Bagpipes?
 

I was just thinking that Tam o' Shanter is set in Ayr, well into the lowlands and far from the Highlands. The poem was also written in the last quarter of the 1700's, and we have an unambiguous image of Auld Nick playing a set of bellows driven pipes from that time.

https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/.../0/default.jpg

Re: Samhain Bagpipes?
 

Adam, that image is awesome!

Gonna have to poke around pretty deep to see just what this Political cartoon is suggesting about the Scottish influence on the American Revolution, but I think I'll use a close up of the image as the Cover art for the episode anyway. Thanks!
Jeremy

Re: Samhain Bagpipes?