Fun Holidays - Bagpipe Appreciation Day

Ancient Scottish traditions include accompanying military battles, funerals, parades, weddings and other celebrations by playing a traditional wind instrument The history of bagpipes, which were brought to Great Britain by the Vikings, goes back more than one millennium A variety of musical instrument, the torupill, is found among the Estonians, the gaita among the Spaniards, the sheepskin coat among the Turks, and the chimpoi among the Moldovans and Romanians But only the Scots have bagpipes and a kilt as national symbols The sound of the musical instrument has accompanied every British military campaign for the past 300 years The first mention of the Scottish Highland bagpipe dates back to September 10, 1547 The Great Highland bagpipe was played during the Battle of Pink Scottish bagpipers, as part of regiments, went into the attack in the front ranks until the First World War, inspiring soldiers to heroic deeds More than five hundred fearless musicians died on its battlefields alone, who raised the morale of the army with their play and personal example A holiday has been established in honor of the ancient musical instrument July 27th is Bagpipe Appreciation Day The piercing and deep sounds it produces with a range of 1-2 octaves resemble the guttural singing of a person With their playing, the bagpipers not only inspired the Scots with military marches, but also had a terrifying effect on the enemy, paralyzing his will There is something magical and bewitching in the long and monotonous sound of the instrument Therefore, a person who has not succumbed to its influence can be considered to have passed the test of psychological stability And although bagpipes appeared in Ireland and Scotland thanks to the Vikings (according to another version, the Romans), its inventors are considered to be the ancient Egyptians and Hittites, who lived in Asia Minor in the 2nd millennium BC The instrument is mentioned in the myths and literary works of the ancient Greeks The Roman Emperor Nero loved to play the bagpipes The first mentions of a reed wind instrument in Ireland date back to the 10th century AD The bagpipes gained immense popularity among the Scots during the Crusades Playing the instrument, which includes a bag made of goatskin, calfskin or oxhide, a chanter, a pipe-mouthpiece and drones, requires remarkable physical strength from the performer In ancient times, only healthy men with a well-developed chest could become bagpipers The musicians walking ahead of the formation with wineskins at the ready became an easy target for the enemy The losses of bagpipers during the First World War were so great that the British Ministry of Defense banned their participation in combat battles by a special decree The people will forever remember the feat of the brave mountaineers who fearlessly marched ahead of the columns towards the enemy The Bagpipe Appreciation Day celebration pays tribute to both the brave bagpipers and the instrument's contribution to the world's musical tradition and the indigenous cultures of Ireland and Scotland