More clear-eyed historians have noted that police and fire departments offered lots of public sector jobs for Irish political bosses like "Honest" John Kelly to spread among the members of machine-supporting Irish families. The sanitized explanation why so many Irish became cops and firefighters is that these were dangerous jobs that no one else was willing to take. RM E4GCBK French trumpet player Ibrahim Maalouf (right) performing with a bagpipes player at Torino Jazz Festival. In any case, there was enough overlap between the two musical traditions that Scottish-style pipes, which are louder and better suited to outdoor events, began to appear at American Irish funerals in the 19th and early 20th centuries-right around the time big-city police departments in the U.S. RM H3TBTF Scot, bagpipes player, gesture, - quiet studio piper, bagpipes, pouch whistle, Bagpipe, wind instrument. Since January, they've been practicing once a week at their union hall in. (Could this bellows-powered instrument be the long-theorized missing link between the twin hells of bagpipes and the accordion? Inquiring minds…) Portland firefighters with IAFF Local 43 are teaming up to form a Scottish bagpipe and drum band. Scottish pipes get their air from a bag the piper blows into, while Irish pipes use an arm-operated bellows. It's true that Irish uileann pipes-that's pronounced "illin'," for you Run-DMC fans-aren't quite the same as their Scottish counterpart. Some ancient bagpipes have been found that come with this design. There is no need to cover the tip of the blowpipe as well. With this new design, the player found it easier to blow air into the bagpipe. The function is to supply air into the bagpipe. Still, how did they catch on with American cops?Īn answer may begin to suggest itself when I tell you that bagpipes are not unique to Scottish culture-they were culturally important in Ireland as well, where they featured prominently in traditional weddings and funerals. These bellows are similar to those found on an accordion. More charitably, you could say bagpipes are for situations where you want to have music but not in a way that might make people start having a good time.Įither way, we can all agree that few instruments are better at conveying the bleak futility of the human condition. Those of us who have lived near bagpipes might be forgiven for assuming their purpose at funerals to be the fallen hero's final "screw you" to an ungrateful world. And they know only ONE SONG! A little variety might make them tolerable! Why are they here and not in Scotland? -Dirty Al So what's the deal with cops and bagpipes? It seems like every police event-especially funerals-features one or more bagpipe players. (David Mark / Pixabay) By Marty Smith Septemat 10:18 pm PDT
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