THE MUSIC

Tunes for the Highland Bagpipe fall into two main categories. Light music, which is the most commonly heard bagpipe music. The tunes are relatively short and include marches, strathspeys, reels, jigs and the like. They are often played at joyous events such as weddings, parties and parades. You then have Piobaireachd, pronounced simply: "pee-brock".

Piobaireachd, is a Gaelic word meaning a pipe, or a bagpipe. Piobair is a piper and Piobaireachd is the act of a piper performing with a pipe (or bagpipe). Piobaireachd is the classical music of the Highland Bagpipe. Its origin dates back hundreds of years and was written specifically for the bagpipe. It is rarely heard outside the realm of solo pipe competitions. This music was often written for special occasions such as a battle, or loss of a loved one or to salute a great leader.

These tunes often fall between 10 and 20 minutes in length. Another reason it is also known as the Big or Great music. I find portions of these tunes well satisfy the need for honor and introspection while infusing an ethereal emotion for funerals and memorial services. However, not all bagpipers of this era are trained to perform this special music - it is a choice. I perform a very small selection of the over 300 tunes that have been written. To gather more information on this great music called Piobaireachd, go to the official web site of the Piobaireachd Society.

Call me at 414-745-4742 for a bagpiper or bagpipers for your next event.