I have a large collection (= hundreds) of original prints of pipers (of all kinds) going back to the 15th century - OK, I'll admit that I've only got a single one from the 15^th century! ;-) - and thousand of illustrations of other (pre-classical) wind instruments.
Pipers with the bag under the right arm are perfectly "normal", certainly until well into the 19^th century. The standard explanation for "bag under the left arm" becoming standard is that with the rise of GHB pipe bands it was inconvenient for marching if all the pipers didn't hold the bag on the same side. But even today, there are numerous eminent GHB pipers who play with the bag under the left arm. The great John Burgess was ambidextrous and is supposed to have psyched out the opposition in the warm-up room before competitions by playing just as brilliantly with his right hand on top as the normal way. As regards pre-classical wind instruments in general, playing with the right hand uppermost was so common - at least according to the iconography - as to be basically just as "normal" as what we nowadays consider to be standard. It is only with the advent of complex key systems around 1800 that virtually everyone seems to have switched to the "left hand uppermost" way of playing. Obviously enough, it was economical for instrument makers to manufacture a standardised product. Even so, there are still makers who - if pressed - will provide "left-handed" versions of orchestral instruments. I have played in an orchestra with a "left-handed" clarinettist - it was a rather disorientating experience. We all looked at him, thinking "There's something wrong with that guy, but I can't quite say what." Even more disorientating was playing with a German violinist who had had an accident that ruined his right hand; he re-taught himself to play "left-handed". (Just think what that involves form the neurological point of view!!!) That was SERIOUSLY disorientating - and his desk partner feared for her eyes! Cheers, Paul Gretton -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
