Invention Of The Bagpipe

For nearly a millennium the bagpipes has been at the center of Scottish traditions, from learning how to play the instrument to playing traditional songs that have been passed down from generation to generation and the development of the pipes over the centuries. Piobaireachd in Gaelic literally mean ‘pipping’ and it is properly expressed by minute or subtle variations in note duration and tempo. However with the development of such instrument caused an unrest throughout the catholic society in Scotland with prodigy’s brining a new light to playing the bagpipes, by this it caused people believing that the players were of supernatural abilities and occult knowledge. The bagpipes developed at an early age from around 1300 BC, Scotland was not the only country that the bagpipes were being played for instance the Emperor Nero of Rome was also a bagpipe and fiddle player and however neither of the instruments were being played when Rome burned. Emperor Nero was said to have been one of the most cultured person of his time however he became more ruthless and brutal in the second half of his life. With the

The evolution of the drums has varied from being made from a simple wood log, to having a hollow object covered in rawhide, to being completely electronic. Like any instrument, each one produces a different sound. Some may sound light like a snare, deep like a bass, or metronomic by simply producing a clicking noise to keep count. Some are completely electronic, even.

A Bedouin is a nomad and a nomad a wanderer. Nathaniel Mackey seems to wander far and away in his Bedouin Hornbook, a series of fictional letters addressed to an “Angel of Dust” and signed by the ambiguous “N.” N. interprets passages of improvisation, analyzing others’ musical expression in surprising detail to the point that his unquestioning sincerity and self-assurance are almost laughable. That N. can glean meaning from music in such a direct and certain manner is problematic because his tone implies that there is only one correct interpretation of music. In addressing the issue of how music conveys meaning, Mackey seems to wander in two disparate directions. After asserting each seemingly

The origin and design of the Native American flute is a little more complicated to figure out due to the fact that there were no written languages among North American Tribes at that time. It wasn't until explorers documented their travels and findings, that record of the Native American flute is found in

After reaching the outside edges of this musical arena, the true penetration of excitement occurs. An enormous steel plate decorated with a brilliant brass halo hangs on a slim, silver frame circumscribing the magnificent steel plate. A trapezoid of thin aluminum tiles placed in two meticulous rows across a thick ebony base rests gently, waiting for a majestic and seemingly undiscovered musician to compose amazing melodic tunes of grace and peace on its brittle keys. Sturdy skins of beastly predators stretch taut across their compressed wooden shell identical to a native American replication of a warrior’s cry as he marches his tribe into battle. Trailing in the forgotten distance perches a somber tower of drab coffers stacked with immense

Music has always had a crucial impact on both political and cultural events throughout the years, whether it be about topics such as war, a breakthrough within society (i.e., racism, sexuality, etc.). It has provided hope during some of the darkest moments in history. For this assignment, I have chosen to discuss a topic that is much ‘closer to home’. Rita MacNeil’s song “Working Man”, in addition to other Cape Breton folk songs, was inspired by the Island’s rich coal mining history as well as the disasters and hardships that define that history.

The banjo is known for its rich and vast history and has evolved throughout the years to what we now call the modern banjo. The banjo is a string instrument that can be plucked or strummed and has a long neck with a circular sound table at the end usually called the “head” of the banjo. Though the modern banjo is different than its African predecessor, it still has many similarities holding true to its African folk origins. There is no doubt that the banjo, known largely as an American instrument, maintains an place as the core of both African and North American American culture. The banjo’s oldest ancestor dates back thousands of years ago.

The song “Zombie” written by Dolores O’Riordan effectively describes the post-colonial theory, in its subsections; issues on power dynamics, economic issues, and political issues to portray that people’s conscience cannot be silenced. O’Riordan composed “Zombie” after the bomb blast in Cheshire Ireland during 1993, which killed two innocent children. The bomb was caused by the Irish Republican Army, most commonly known as the IRA which is a militant group that formed in 1916. O’Riordan recorded the song in an effort to stop the war between the IRA and British. Since the 1600s the British have ruled Ireland, and they have used Ireland for their own economic needs. British used the Irish slave trade to torture the Irish and generate cheap labour. The harsh standards of the British lead to the formation of the IRA whom fought out for independence. Due to the selfish economic needs of the British the IRA have had to fight for their independence. This signifies that even though the British have ruled the Irish for hundreds of years, the conscience of the Irish have not been silenced. This is because the Irish have been conscience of the British ruling, however due to the power that the British withhold; the Irish people could not do anything. In 1916 there was hope for the Irish because the IRA would gain independence for the Irish by fighting against the British. However the war went on for too long with no change. O’Riordan sings, “Same old theme since

Mediterranean and Ottoman-style pipes are markedly different from their northern European counterparts, allowing for distinctions to be made between different pipe-making traditions. Pipe smoking, concerning tobacco in particular, was popular within the Balkans, and “evidence suggests that it may have been practiced as early as the end of the sixteenth century” (Batchvarov 3). Conversely, it has also been argued the English introduced tobacco smoking at the start of the seventeenth century (Batchvarov 3). Stub-stemmed or reed pipes were popular in this area, as the remains of many were found in harbors in the waters of Malta. This style of pipe is “commonly found in association with inhabited areas and trade routes across the Ottoman Empire” (Wood 315). Of these pipes originating from the Mediterranean that were discovered at a site in Dockyard Creek, Birgu, many had a keel joint between the bowl and shank, “a feature which begins in the late 17th-early 18th century” (Wood 317). Due to this feature, it is possible to roughly date these pipes, as they could not be from a time period

In music, the harp, lyre, zither, drum, tambourine, flute, oboe and reed instruments were either directly used in the ancient Arab civilization or variations of

World-renowned drummer Niall MacMillan’s world has been rocked by his brother’s betrayal. Still struggling to distinguish fact from fiction, he welcomes the distraction offered by the beautiful woman pulling him into her dreams.

The first instrument dated back 40,000 years where early humans made a bone flute, since then, humans have made hundreds of instruments, including trumpets, violins, pianos and many more. As instruments progressed, so did the skill level of the musicians, however, with this

During the 1950’s, disenchantment with commercial music led many to look for alternatives. This led to a revival of folk music in Britain that gained momentum during the 50’s and surged ahead rapidly in the 60’s. (11) Left-wing political activist and folk musician Ewan McColl is considered by most to be the godfather of this folk music revival. (5) Born Jimmie Miller (14), McColl was a successful playwright, folk musician (1) and highly acclaimed radio broadcaster. (2) He was active in left-wing politics from his teenage years and conscripted into the British Army in 1940. (19) After five months he deserted the army, going on the run for the remainder of the war and eventually changing his name to Ewan McColl. (19) McColl produced a number of collections of folk music during his career, including collections of sea shanties he worked on with A.L. Lloyd (17) and collections of industrial songs he produced both alone and with his third wife Peggy Seeger. (17) McColl’s left-wing political beliefs and practices were heavily tied up with his collection of folk music. He saw folk music as a way to engage the working class and working class issues (18) and used his folk music collections to do this.

The inventor of the saxophone, Antoine-Joseph “Adolphe” Sax, was a genius inventor. His invention of the saxophone and other instruments changed the musical world and his influence still felt today in jazz bands across the world, even though he never got to see his inventions become as popular as they are today. Sax had many difficult challenges to face throughout his life, but he persevered and we can learn many lessons from his example.

Hermes, future messenger of the gods, at a day old stole his brother Apollo’s herd of cattle, and sacrificed two of the cows to the twelve Olympian gods. He then took the entrails of the sacrificed cows, made seven strings out of them, and strung them across a tortoise shell, creating beautiful music and the first harp. When confronted by his brother, Apollo, for stealing his herd, he denied responsibility. Zeus forced Hermes to return the herd. Afterwards, Apollo forgave him, but when he discovered that two of his cows were missing, he went back to Hermes even more angered than before; Hermes had predicted this to happen and quickly began to play his harp. “Apollo listened spellbound to the beautiful sounds from the new musical instrument, and he quite forgot his anger.” (D’Aulaires 53) Being the God of Music, Apollo offered to exchange his entire herd for Hermes harp. The enriching history of harps and their evolvement in different cultures will continue to be one of the reasons I am so passionate about the