Comments on: Hum Bug Pipers

By: Stig Bang-Mortensen

Stig Bang-Mortensen — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 10:04:31 +0000

Maybe it’s just a matter of the size of the dedicated environment. I was merely reflecting over “what makes a tune a Christmas tune” for me.

By: mike

mike — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:27:06 +0000

Well, Stig, I supposed it’s an artistic thing so a matter of opinion. I know Handel’s “Messiah” (with or without the Hallelujah chorus) and Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite” both say ‘Christmas’ to me! M.

By: Stig Bang-Mortensen

Stig Bang-Mortensen — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 09:35:09 +0000

OK, but will it relate to Christmas if you don´t know the name?
Tunes like Jingle Bell’s are in my opinion only known as Christmas tunes because the text relates to the season.

Dancing round the tree to the tune of “The Christmas Carousal” will only work in dedicated environments.

By: mike

mike — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 14:45:25 +0000

I’m not sure, Stig. From my own experience I can say I haven’t been too precious about naming most of my compositions – the tune is written and a name is plopped on it! M.

By: Stig Bang-Mortensen

Stig Bang-Mortensen — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 10:12:39 +0000

I think it is difficult to write a Christmas tune. How will it relate to Christmas in the future if it’s recognized by only it’s name? Most Christmas stuff has words to to it.

In Ireland they have a three parted reel called “The Christmas Eve”. That is a real insider joke when played in December and in reality you have to know the name to relate it to anything.

By: ChrisZ

ChrisZ — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:09:11 +0000

Ohh yeah…”Amazing Grace.” Forgot about that one. That shoots my theory all to Heaven.

By: mike

mike — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:08:03 +0000

Chris – But what about “Amazing Grace”? The archetypal “bagpipe tune”?

Leave it to Wall Street’s Duncan Bell!!

By: ChrisZ

ChrisZ — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 03:42:13 +0000

That the tone of a GHB is intrinsically bellicose and agonistic (”more like a warpipe and less like a tin whistle,” according to Angus MacDonald) and thus does not lend itself well to a genre whose theme or mood is one of peace and reconciliation? One doesn’t hear much of competition choirs.

*On a semi-related note, Wall Street’s Duncan Bell once remarked, of a band we were in whose numbers were short (minimal) for a certain contest: “We could go out there playin’ like JESUS but still wouldn’t have a chance.”

So there you go.

By: mike

mike — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:14:04 +0000

Yes, Iain true re: Hogmanay… but, as I suggested, even Hogmanay and New Years tunes are poorly represented in the repertoire.

Pipers are heathens. What else might be the answer? M.

By: iainmacd

iainmacd — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 06:28:05 +0000

Having spent a Christmas in Scotland in my 20s, it was my impression that Christmas was not as big a deal as Hogmanay. Here is a link that may shed some light.

http://www.christmasarchives.com/scotland.html

Another way to ask the question: “Why do pipers commemorate epic drinking, romantic [or purely physical] encounters, and band hijinks more than religious holidays?” Uh…..