The World of UilleanN Pipes

Discovering Celtic Instruments

12/9/2008, Daniel Hendrix

Back in the summer of 2004, I borrowed a Chieftains CD for a while. My life has never been the same since. I had never played an instrument before, but I had listened to a plethora of music as a kid, including Classical, Bluegrass, and Soundtrack. When I heard the uilleann pipes, played by Paddy Moloney, I knew that I had found something unique, expressive, and fun. I was so moved and thrilled with the instrument that I simply had to play it, regardless of how long it would take me to buy a set or learn to play one. To make a long story short, I ended up buying a practice set and finding someone to teach me. I was extremely fortunate to find a teacher, as there are only a few uilleann pipers in South Carolina. After all of these years, I am still in love with and amazed by this wonderful instrument that has captured the hearts of so many people!

If you are not familiar with traditional Irish music, you may wonder what are the uilleann pipes? Let me put it this way: the uilleann pipes are the soul of Irish music and an important part of Irish culture. They are a mellow, complex, bellows-blown bagpipe with the range of two chromatic octaves and consisting of a bag, a bellows, a chanter (the melody pipe), three drones (pipes that provide a continual sound), and three regulators (keyed pipes that allow the player to play chords or harmony notes). Developed in Ireland since the late seventeenth or early eighteenth century, they have become quite complex and versatile, especially with the addition of regulators, which are unique to this form of bagpipe. These three pipes can be likened to keyed oboes that are attached to the bag and only sound when the keys are pressed. Unlike warpipes (also known as the Great Highland pipes) and other forms of bagpipes, the uilleann pipes are played in a seated position. The reason for this is that the drones and regulators lay across the piper's leg. The sound that comes from the uilleann pipes is sweeter and mellower than the warpipes, which are designed to carry. Another difference is the fact that the chanter is played on the knee, which allows the sound to be stopped when all the holes are closed. In other words, the uilleann pipes can be played staccato, unlike most forms of bagpipes, which allows for a lot of variety and more ornamentation.

Since they are so versatile, the uilleann pipes can fit in with many other instruments in many different genres, though they are most suited for the traditional music that has developed in Ireland over the ages. Even within traditional Irish music, the uilleann pipes exude versatility. For instance, they sound excellent in slow airs, jigs, reels, hornpipes, and marches alike! The uilleann pipes can be heard and seen in traditional Irish bands, such as the Bothy Band, Planxty, the Chieftains, Lunasa, and At first Light, as well as on traveling shows like River Dance and Celtic Woman. Over the past few decades, they have continually gained more and more popularity throughout the entire world, which is a testament to their wonder, beauty, and expression. What draws many people to the instrument is the union of sound that is produced when played. The piper plays the melody on the chanter, which in itself sounds extraordinary, the drones provide a nice background behind the melody, and the regulators, when played, add harmony into the mix. On the regulators, the piper can play long chords, rhythmic chords, or single notes (the single notes being played with the fingers and the chords being played with the wrist). The best pipers can actually sound like a one-man-band.

Even though it is quite difficult to learn, to master, and to maintain, I have found the instrument to be very satisfying and rewarding. It is an instrument full of history and tradition. There was a time when the uilleann pipes nearly died out in the middle of last century, but thanks to the Chieftains and others, this wonderful instrument is flourishing like never before. I am certainly glad this is the case.

There are more articles to come about this unique instrument, so check back often.

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