Pibgorn (Hornpipe)

[jemtheflute]

Well, I haven't really ventured beyond the Flute and Whistle Fora hitherto, but as I've just acquired a new Pibgorn (Welsh Hornpipe) made by John Glenydd of Pembrokeshire and as there don't seem to be any previous pibgorn posts here, here goes!

Pibgorn virgin/virgin pibgorn! - YouTube video clip.

I can't really play it yet - will take time to get accustomed to the breath pressures to play it in tune better, and to learn the details of the proper fingering and get familiar with them also to adapt tunes - the Pibgorn only has a tessitura of an octave (in D in this case), so one has to work out ways of fitting the tunes into that. It's going to be an adventure!

I'll be taking it with me to the Interceltic Festival in Lorient in August when I'll be part of the official Welsh representation in what is Wales' year at the Festival, as a member of the Clerorfa folk orchestra. There'll be at least 10 pibgyrn and pibau cwd - the bagged version - on the trip, though we're not making much use of them in the Clerorfa arrangements (as yet!).

Comments welcome!

[MTGuru]

Jem, I just watched your vid, and now all the geese in California are gathering in my yard.

Is there a back thumbhole? It looks like you have fingerings of

c x|oxo ooo
d o|oxx xxx

and maybe an alternate d fingering? Similar to recorder?

Congratulations on Lorient, and happy hornpiping, you horny devil.

[jemtheflute]

Yes, back thumbhole, similar to pipes rather than recorder, I believe. I'm not too sure yet about the upper fingerings - there seem to be a lot of of workable possibilities for B, C, C# and D! I was using mostly oxx xxx for D there, but I think Ceri Rhys Matthews (the real expert) who brought the instrument to me yesterday told me he uses oox xxx for upper D, and a kind of rather less than half-closed system - putting the R hand fingers down when he reaches B...... also there is a lot of individual character to each instrument that may offer different fingering possibilities - and changing reeds may also affect the options...... It may also prove necessary to alter some of the tone-holes either permanantly or with tape as pipers do..... we'll see. I've loads to learn!

[wildmanofthewoods]

Pibgorn are very forgiving of different fingerings because of the single reed. I play one by John Tose and there are several fingerings possible, though I usually play straightforward open fingering. Lovely vibrato effects are possible by opening and closing holes at the bottom of the instrument rapidly when playing higher notes.

Its a great instrument all round, gets the crowd going at gigs, and there's always a musician who comes up at the end wanting to know where to get one!

[Geraint]

Indeed. They can all be a bit eccentric, in my experience! I've played pibgyrn by five or six different makers (I think) and they certainly couldn't be described as 'standardised' instruments. Having said that, pretty much all are in D and are happy with open fingering.

On my Glennydd pibgwd, I usually use ooxxxx for D - but then it was Ceri who suggested that and I do find, with Glennydd's instruments, it works better than oxxxxx which I used to use with one of John Tose's instruments. The top D and C of the pibgwd can vary a lot, depending on bag pressure, reed adjustment, phases of the moon, whether there's an 'R' in the month, etc... Of course, they can get out of tune pretty quickly with the pibgorn, too, as the reed gets progressively wetter and less cooperative. My pibgwd has a plastic reed which is rather more stable, if not entirely so!

I used to use wax to adjust the tone holes but have turned to tape myself now - tends to be easier but looks rather unattractive!

Jem, I imagineyou've been on John Tose's website and found his collections of Welsh tunes in ABC, arranged for pipes/pibgyrn? There's some useful stuff there.

http://www.pibydd.fsnet.co.uk/music.htm

Others may find something interesting there. 'Cân y Ceiliog Du' is the boy, I reckon