On Wed, 18 Jul 2001, Kate Dunlay or David Greenberg wrote:
> > Pipers have the advantage that they don't have all those obnoxious
> >pseudo-classical crossover players hanging around trying to tell them how
> >to play. There are no strathspey and reel "societies" for pipers. Just
> >pipe bands/bagpipe playing drinking clubs.
>
> Are you kidding? Just like any other group, the piping world is full of
> people telling other people that they're doing it all wrong! (I'm not even
> in it and I know this.) They can't even agree on the history of their
> music! When people love something, they tend to have strong opinions about
> it. The problem is that sometimes this turns into intolerance of the
> opinions and practices of others.
>
> - Kate D.
I know about piper's being opinionated, however I still think
alot of fidder's are even *more* opinionated.
Some Cape Bretoner's who play the fiddle vicariously through other people
(my great grandfather played and my brother plays, so that makes me
an expert :-) are even more opinionated then 99% of the pipers and
fiddlers that I know. I know you can think of a few people that are like
that Kate! :-)
Besides, even if pipers are *just* as opinionated, they're alot
more fun to hang out with in groups then fiddlers. Especially the one's
here in California.
However, what could I possibly know about Scottish
music, fiddlers, or pipers. I am after all here in California. I should be
addressing everyone as "dude" and administrating the
"longboards-rule" mailing list :-) Ha..ha..ha..
Sometimes I wonder if those people actually really do love the music, or
enjoy playing the music, or whether they just use it as a vechicle to try
to force their opinions on other people. It seems like it's almost an
ego thing with them. Plus I'm sure it also gives them a convenient way to
pass time during long, cold winters.
Fortunately alot of better players are more open to the
possibility that people who live more then 5 miles away from them might
actually be able to play something worth listening too..
Toby
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