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Piping at a funeral
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 7:25 am
by Major Thom
I was asked to pipe at a funeral, so yesteday I set off, I did not know the place and had to keep asking every few kilometres. I got there 1 hour late the mourners had gone and the only people there were the workers filling in the grave. I shouted from my motorbike can you stop for a few minutes please. I got the pipes tuned and walked over to the grave where I played "The Flowers of the Forest" and "Amazing Grace". As I was playing the workers started to sob and the more I played the more they sobbed and wailed. It brought tears to my eyes and I could hardly play. I stopped after a few minutes dismantled the pipes put them in the case and walked over to the motorbike. As I was walking over I heard one of the workmen saying to his mate, that was fanastico, I have never seen that done before, and I have installed hundreds of Septic Tanks in my life.
Needless to say I am still lost!!!!!!!!!
Re: Piping at a funeral
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 9:49 am
by Dusak

... I thought you said last week that you now had no personal transport

Re: Piping at a funeral
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 12:14 pm
by Major Thom
So you think this is not a joke D I should have put it in the Joke section. No I no longer have transport, only Shankses Pony and Service vehicles.
Edit Horus: I have moved it for you

Re: Piping at a funeral
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 3:07 pm
by Scottishtourist
Major Thom wrote:I was asked to pipe at a funeral, so yesteday I set off, I did not know the place and had to keep asking every few kilometres. I got there 1 hour late the mourners had gone and the only people there were the workers filling in the grave. I shouted from my motorbike can you stop for a few minutes please. I got the pipes tuned and walked over to the grave where I played "The Flowers of the Forest" and "Amazing Grace". As I was playing the workers started to sob and the more I played the more they sobbed and wailed. It brought tears to my eyes and I could hardly play. I stopped after a few minutes dismantled the pipes put them in the case and walked over to the motorbike. As I was walking over I heard one of the workmen saying to his mate, that was fanastico, I have never seen that done before, and I have installed hundreds of Septic Tanks in my life.
Needless to say I am still lost!!!!!!!!!
I'm lost too!
Did you play bagpipes at Egyptian funeral or not MT?
My lovely big brother died 6 years ago at age 55 (throat cancer).He is very sorely missed.
He always liked the "Hovis"advert.Tune was something like "I'm going home"
His family arranged a piper to play it at graveside..and it tore me apart!Up until then I'd kept my emotions in check!
There is nothing more haunting than a bagpipe lament at a graveside.And the piper admitted that it was a very difficult song to play on the pipes.
Haunting,beautiful,respectful..just what we wanted for him.
Re: Piping at a funeral
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 3:30 pm
by Horus
It is a joke ST, that's why I have moved it to the 'Just for Fun' section.
Re: Piping at a funeral
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 4:01 pm
by carrie
What a strange sense of humour

Re: Piping at a funeral
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 5:31 pm
by Major Thom
Yes ST the theme from the Hovis advert is "Going Home" if I remember the second tune I learned to play on the pipes, when slowed right down it really portrays a beautiful yet haunting tune.
Re: Piping at a funeral
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 5:48 pm
by Horus
Going Home is a song based on the famous Largo from Antonin Dvorak's 9th symphony ('From the New World'). It uses Piccolo, Flutes, Oboes, English horn, Clarinets, Bassoons, Horns, Trumpets, Trombones, Tuba, Triangle, Cymbals, Violins, Violas, Cellos & Double basses, but not a bloody Bagpipe in sight.

Re: Piping at a funeral
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 6:02 pm
by newcastle
Horus wrote:Going Home is a song based on the famous Largo from Antonin Dvorak's 9th symphony ('From the New World'). It uses Piccolo, Flutes, Oboes, English horn, Clarinets, Bassoons, Horns, Trumpets, Trombones, Tuba, Triangle, Cymbals, Violins, Violas, Cellos & Double basses, but not a bloody Bagpipe in sight.

Just for you then Horus (earplugs recommended

)
Re: Piping at a funeral
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 8:28 pm
by Horus
Oh no Newcastle! spare me please

Re: Piping at a funeral
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 9:31 pm
by Scottishtourist
Horus wrote:Oh no Newcastle! spare me please

Au contraire Horus!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart newcastle.Haunting and beautiful!
There's actually a much more personal story to this.
My brother was a Policeman.He was first on scene at a very serious incident in a small Scottish mining village.A chief superintendant was called to a disturbance..and was stabbed.He lay in the garden and my brother sat with him whilst waiting for the ambulance to arrive.The wounds were fatal..and he died.
Being a fellow officer,my brother attended his funeral,and it was there he heard this tune being played on the bagpipes.It stayed with him!A harrowing experience!And a fitting tribute!
Funny how such small details in a person's life..can leave behind such a legacy.respect and remembrance.
Re: Piping at a funeral
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2016 9:56 pm
by Horus
I will agree with you ST that some tunes sound wonderful played on the pipes

but not everything does

Re: Piping at a funeral
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 6:05 am
by Major Thom
Then you should try listening to Bagrock, the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, The Badpiper, Celtica etc. these all show the versatility of the pipes.
One of my favourites is an air called The Dark Island. The Dark Iskand is Benbecula, nestled in the Outer Hebride's
Re: Piping at a funeral
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 9:42 am
by Horus
The Dark Iskand is Benbecula, nestled in the Outer Hebride's
Ben Becula? any relation to Count Dracula

Re: Piping at a funeral
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 10:53 am
by Dusak
Horus wrote:The Dark Iskand is Benbecula, nestled in the Outer Hebride's
Ben Becula? any relation to Count Dracula

I've been, a fangtastic place.

Re: Piping at a funeral
Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2016 8:48 pm
by Brian Yare
Major Thom wrote:One of my favourites is an air called The Dark Island. The Dark Iskand is Benbecula, nestled in the Outer Hebride's
Another good Dark Island comes from the Orkneys.
"Dark Island is an iconic beer: The Orkney Brewery's flagship beer. Exhibiting a ripe fruity, chocolate nose, Dark Island is balanced by flavours of dark Chocolate, dried fruit, figs and nuts from the combination of roasted malts and rich hops. A standard-bearer for traditional Scottish ales. In cask, this beer has twice won CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Scotland."