Banning of bagpipes?

[Hirta]

Here's a letter from today's Times:

"Although the Principal of the College of Piping is quite right to complain of the disgraceful absence of the great pipes from Scottish Parliament Cermonial, he is quite wrong to claim that they were ever banned by the Act of Proscription of 1747.

This is a perennial misconception. But maybe it derives from the Act's stated intention - 'the preservation of the public peace'".

Any views on this?

[Scottish_Republican]

The pipes were banned in most of Europe for being too loud in towns. That's why they died out on the continent.

[SherbrookeJacobite]

I was always under the impression that, although the bagpipes were not specifically mentioned in the 1747 Act of Proscription, the authorities responsible for "administering" the act, interpreted bagpipes as "a weapon of war", which then fell under the Act.

For those interested, you can read the Act of Proscription at:
http://www.electricscotland.com/hist...ption_1747.htm

It has been suggested that the effective banning of the pipes led to the popularity of the fiddle in the highlands, and the unique Scottish style, with its use of grace notes in fiddle tunes. This style is commonly heard in the music of Cape Breton fiddlers to this day.

Slainte,

John

[jacquiemccrackenrosenberg]

In Ogden UT USA at Ben Lomond High School their motto is The Marching Scots using bagpipes. This is a senior high school in Ogden and they march and play bagpipes and also wear the Scottish kilts. It is so cool. Love Scottish music with the bagpipes.