Some Piping for the Weekend

This is Chris Ormiston playing "Gypsy's Lullaby" and "Lark in the Morning" on the Northumbrian smallpipes back in 1994. I have had Northumbrian smallpipes - "NSP"s if you will - on the brain lately. It's a wonderful sounding pipe. The staccato technique is such a delight. Impossible to do on the Highland pipe, of course, except through the illusion you get quickly moving back and forth from high A. It all started with an unexpected present of a tape of two old NSP recordings, one featuring Billy Pigg and the other a selection of fine NSP players of 50 years ago. This blogging wheeze has unexpected and delightful consequences. Thanks again, Leo.



This one's for Richard who asked me today why I liked the smallpipes in D and what they sounded like. They sound like this. Reminiscent of a lower pitched NSP, maybe?