DNA and the bagpipe

Quite often after playing the bagpipe while practicing in a park or after a performance, I am asked if I have Scottish or Irish ancestry. My response is that yes, there is some in my family history, but I do not think that matters much. To everyone’s surprise I relate that one of the finest pipers in Baltimore can trace his ancestry to Poland.

The bagpipe as we know it, is named The Great Highland Bagpipe. It comes from Scotland and is played and enjoyed the world over. This occurred because of the expanse of the British Empire. Follow along with me and I will explain.

Hundreds of years ago, England was the super power of its time. Its industrial and military might found itself in India, the Middle East and just about all lands in between. Employment in Scotland was scarce for a number of reasons. Scottish men flocked to the British Army for good pay, full employment and the right to retain all Scottish units.

The Great Highland Bagpipe found its home wherever those units landed. It was said that “the sun never set on the British Empire” which explains the expanse of the might and power projected. Wherever the Scottish units were stationed, along came their national musical instrument. Here then, is a brief world tour of lands far away whose inhabitants also love the Scottish bagpipe.

Funeral & Memorial Bagpiper
Wayne Francis
410-591-2322
bagpiperofbaltimore@gmail.com
http://bagpiperofbaltimore.com/

The Bagpipe at war, (1914-1918) World War l

This war was called “The war to end all wars”, in the end like so many wars it is hard to tell the victor from the vanquished. The armies that opposed one another were worn out, the civilian population was homeless and the cities in between were leveled.

New technologies delivered death on an unheard of scale. The airplane, machine gun, tanks and poisonus gas made killing easier and faster. Armies faced off against each other from protective trenches, the land in between was called “no mans land” for good reason. Constant shelling and bombarment made recovering the dead impossible.

During World War l Scottish pipers in the British Army played allied troops out of the trenchs and accross no mans land to the germans. The germans on hearing the bagpipe knew that soon all hell would break loose. They named the kilted troops “The ladies from hell”. More than 3000 pipers would die before the order was given that pipers are not leave the trenches.

Funeral & Memorial Bagpiper
Wayne Francis
410-591-2322
bagpiperofbaltimore@gmail.com
http://bagpiperofbaltimore.com/

St. Patricks Day

Decades ago I would play in pipe bands during the yearly Baltimore’s St. Patricks Day Parade. Then rasing a family and work limited my activity in those wonderful bands. To keep my skills fresh and continue to perform for others I started to play the pipe in bars and restaurants.

Prior to the day I would arrange with the owners of said establishments to perform a “walk through”. This consisted of myself showing up in full kilt, unexpectedly for the patrons and “walk through” the establishment.

This is what I walked into!

Well, there is no volume control on the Highland Bagpipe and once brought into action I was met all around by smiles. Pints were hoisted in the air and everyone was Irish for the day. Walking through the pub, and playing all the tunes heard on that happy day is a wonderful event for everyone.

I remember the owner of a bar/restaurant who stands out to me, all these years later. Smiling, and with tears in his eyes he said “I am Greek, I am from Greece- your music touches my heart and I dont know why!!!”

Those years I was paid with the joy I helped bring to others, and ALOT of free corned beef and cabbage.

Funeral & Memorial Bagpiper
Wayne Francis
410-591-2322
bagpiperofbaltimore@gmail.com
http://bagpiperofbaltimore.com/