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 An
interview with Chicago Musician and All Ireland Piping Champion Brendan
McKinney By Lou Carlozo Chicago Tribune Staff Writer
Like long-winded politicians, Scottish bagpipes dominate at funerals
and formal parades. But while the Scottish variety might have a higher
and much louder profile, another type of bagpipe is demanding to be
heard.
Uilleann (pronounced ILL-in, from the Gaelic word for "elbow"), or
Irish, pipes have gained popularity thanks in part to The Chieftains,
"Riverdance" and "Titanic"; they were also dubbed into the soundtrack
for the 1995 film "Braveheart" (the pipes you saw were Scottish; the
pipes you heard were Irish). Compared to Scotland’s pipes (which
are very loud, thus ideal for parades), uilleann pipes are more lyrical
— the perfect instrument for striking up a jig. But behind their
honey-sweet tones, uilleann pipes are complex instruments to build,
learn and maintain.
Though Scottish pipes will be blaring in Tuesday’s St. Patrick’s
Day parades, uilleann pipes will no doubt lead the indoor celebrations
at pubs and concert halls. Here we examine the history and the mechanics
of the Irish pipes. |
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