Bagpipe Discography

Discography is defined as the study and cataloging of phonographic recordings.  Mr. Bill Dean-Wyatt, age 72, has been seeking out and compiling discographical information since he was 16 years old.  He has lived his entire life in Walsall, England and holds a Masters of Philosophy degree from Glasgow Caledonian University for his substantial work entitled "Beltona Gramaphone Records and their role in Scottish popular culture, 1923 - 1974." Mr. Dean-Wyatt is currently working on Scottish Vernacular Discography which covers all commercially issued 78 rpm disc and phonographic cylinders made in Great Britain between 1888 and 1960.  From this work The Bagpipe Discography and a Gaelic language discography have been produced.

The following introduction was extracted from the original document. The entire 28 page PDF can be downloaded by clicking on the phonograpgh to the right.  Also, if you have any information that might be of value to Mr. Dean-Wyatt in completing this project please email him at billdeanmyatt@blueyonder.co.uk

A DRAFT BAGPIPE DISCOGRAPHY Introduction By Bill Dean-Myatt © 2004 by W. W. Dean-Myatt This is a first attempt to document all records of the Scottish Highland bagpipes recorded on 78 rpm records and phonograph cylinders in the British Isles between the 1890s and the demise of the single record. As will be seen I have listed solos, pipe bands and any record that features the pipes in a subsidiary role.  When possible a recording date is given, either a precise and accurate one, or a reasonable estimate.  As to the location where the record was made, unless otherwise stated it will have been made in London. The spelling of tune titles is an absolute nightmare.  No one, least of all me, seems to know whether or not there is a definitive spelling and form for many titles.  The use, or non-use, of dialect words is totally arbitrary.  Different pressings of the same record may have different spellings of the tunes played, the record company’s catalogue may give yet another variation. Just to illustrate the point, here a few examples;     “Devil among the tailors”     “The Devil among the tailors”     “De’il among the tailors”     “The De’il among the tailors”     “De’il amang the tailors”     “The De’il amang the tailors”     “Tulloch Gorum” or “Tullochgorum”     “Marquis of Huntly” or “Marquis of Huntley”     “Corn Rigs” or “Corn Riggs”     “Athol Highlanders” or “Atholl Highlanders” Gaelic language titles have even more variations, there seems to have been no consensus as to how most words should have been spelled.  Little wonder that record company employees in London were confused – its not uncommon to find each re-pressing of a record and re-print of a catalogue to be different from its predecessor and for each format to be at variance with the other. The use of ‘Mac’ or ‘Mc’ seems to have been almost arbitrary, it’s hard to know what was the correct spelling of an artist’s name.  This does give rise to the problem of knowing whether two people are in fact one.  Two examples will suffice – 1)  Is Corporal Piper McLennan on World records the same man as Pipe Major R. MacLennan on  Regal-Zonophone? 2)  Is Pipe Major McIntosh on Imperial the same man as Pipe Major MacIntosh on Zonophone? Help is needed in building up biographical files on these pipers.  Some are well known, Willie Ross and Henry Forsyth, for example, but what about the Reith Brothers and others?  We need to know more. Finally, I need very piece of information that can be found on a record, particularly those that are not listed in this discography. Matrix Number – this number was allocated by the recording engineers in a chronological sequence and remains with the record throughout its life..  It can normally be found in the wax surrounding the label, often on the label and sometimes under the label.  However, any numbers may be of value, so please send them all. Tune titles - please give the title exactly as it is spelled on the label.  Incidentally, any tune title that mentions bagpipes could be of interest. Composers - please give any composer and/or arranger credits as shown on the label. Artist credit - please give this exactly as shown on the label, misspellings and all. Miscellaneous – if you know of any 78 rpm record or cylinder that features the “bagpipes in a subsidiary  role I would like to know.  Pathe records sometimes bear a very faint date written in mirror image.  If you can decipher this it is of very great value.   Some early record companies announced the artist at the beginning of the disc, i.e. Odeon and Pathe, I would like to know about his as well. Cylinders - Many of the earliest cylinders bore no information at all, except for a catalogue number.  You need to listen to the announcement at the commencement to hear the company name and catalogue number, tune title and artist. Very occasionally faint dates are written at one or other  end of the cylinder, sometimes in mirror writing.   You may find you need a magnifying glass or jewellers glass to see some of the numbers. I do NOT need information on issues made on Vinyl, Cassette or CD. Just one more comment.  It is more than probable that most of the early anonymous pipers  and pipe bands were drawn from the  Scots Guards who, being in London, were readily available.