Books About Uilleann Pipes

smithand · Post by **smithand** » Mon Aug 15, 2005 7:59 pm

Are there many books *about* uilleann pipes? Not tutorials, but histories of the pipes, players etc. Which are the best, which are in print?

Thanks

Andrew

billh · Post by **billh** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 2:06 am

O'Neill's "Irish Minstrels and Musicians" (1913) is your best bet for anecdotes, history, etc.

It's available from Ossian USA still

Bill

djm · Post by **djm** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 6:24 am

For ancient history your best bet is "The Early History of Piping in Ireland" by Seán Donnelly, available from NPU. For essays on UP history check out the two CDs of the Sean Reid Society available from NPU.

djm

Steampacket · Post by **Steampacket** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 7:59 am

Check out back issues of "An Piobaire" & the "Pipers Review", lots of articles there about uilleann pipes and pipers.

PJ Curtis' fine book "Notes from the heart" has a nice chapter concerning Johnny Doran. Feldman's Book "The northern fiddler" (hard to find & expensive) has some interesting stuff here & there between the covers regarding pipes, as has Caoimhín MacAoidh’s "Between the jigs & reels".

Nice article about Willie Clarke at http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/w_clarke.htm

Also the article on fiddler Junior Crehan a great friend of Willie Clancy & Johnny Doran at http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/crehan.htm

Irish Folk Music Studies / Éigse Cheol Tíre has articles about Piper Jackson and The Kerry pipers

texasbagpiper · Post by **texasbagpiper** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 11:08 am

Do you have to be a member of NPU to order the Sean Reid CD's???

piperman07 · Post by **piperman07** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 11:12 am

You don't have to be a member to order from NPU.
You do get discounts if you are a member on some things.

Steve

smithand · Post by **smithand** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 11:20 am

So, there's no standard book on the pipes and their history? Part of the reason that I'm asking is that I'm a small publisher and I'm always interested in publishing or reprinting books in subjects that I have an interest in.

Andrew

djm · Post by **djm** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 11:46 am

Andrew, there are lots of books on pipes, but the majority of them are on Scottish warpipes, or bagpipes in general. There are also books in French and Italian on bagpipes. There's just not a whole lot written scpecifically about UPs.

djm

smithand · Post by **smithand** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 11:59 am

Sorry, when I wrote 'pipes' I meant uilleann pipes specifically.

Patrick D'Arcy · Post by **Patrick D'Arcy** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 12:02 pm

Also, there is a ton of misinformation out there. A correct historical publication with details on the instrument and its development, pipers past and the music would be excellent. Seán Donnelly's writings are the best and the most historically accurate. O'Neill's Minstrels and Musician's is a beautiful piece of history itself and might be a publication you would like to re-publish. I think it's currently out of print.

Patrick.

djm · Post by **djm** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 12:43 pm

Just about everything by O'Neill is out of print with the exception of his 1850 and 1001 tune collections (Mel Bay). I'm sure there'd be interest in accessing the rest of his stuff. I just spent an unhealthy amount on eBay for his Irish Minstrels and Musicians.

djm

smithand · Post by **smithand** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 12:54 pm

djm,

what size is Irish Minstrels and Musicians? Page count, approximate dimension? Does it have illustrations and/or notation?

djm · Post by **djm** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 1:12 pm

8.25" high
5.79" wide
1" deep

497 pages not counting extra blank pages f & b.

"Profusely illustrated" (and proud of it) with B&W drawings, photos, notation.

Republished 1987:

Celtic Music
24 Mercer Row, Louth,
Lincolnshire, England

Reprinted by The Moxon Press Ltd.

ISBN 0 946987 04 1

illwinds · Post by **illwinds** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 1:37 pm

How about Francis O'Neill's "Irish Folk Music, a Fascinating Hobby". Long out of print and currently available used on Amazon for $749.00!
Also, The Dance Music of Willie Clancy. I belive out of print, would be of more practical use to many of us.

billh · Post by **billh** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 4:34 pm

djm wrote:Just about everything by O'Neill is out of print with the exception of his 1850 and 1001 tune collections (Mel Bay). I'm sure there'd be interest in accessing the rest of his stuff. I just spent an unhealthy amount on eBay for his Irish Minstrels and Musicians.

djm

Editing:

"As I said in a previous post, IMM is currently available from Ossian USA."

What I guess I meant was it was recently available, I bought it less than a month ago. It was product number 00648-BK in their catalog, 42.00 USD, but it seems to have disappeared from their product listing. Maybe I bought the last copy? Worth contacting them about I think.

Bill