Thursday, May 26, 2016

We Appreciate Our Teachers

I’ve been noticing the improvement one of our younger pipers in the band has been making, and I’ve complimented him. He responded with a lovely smile. I said, “You must be practicing every day, and he nodded. “Are you taking lessons regularly,” I asked, and he responded affirmatively. It’s a definite fact that conscientious practice will result in improvement to the extent of one’s level of ambition.

This has caused me to reflect upon my own process of learning to play the bagpipes. My brother, Ken, and I, were fortunate to be taught by Hugh Fraser, pipe major of the Saskatoon Light Infantry. He was also a member of the police force in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. As we became competent pipers in the Saskatoon Light Infantry (SLI) Pipe Band, we would be participants in many parades and ceremonies. We learned a tune a week, and steadily improved. Our playing motivated Dad to take lessons too, and the three of us had a wonderful time piping for many engagements. Ken and I were not necessarily competitive with one another, but instead, we were just highly motivated, and so was our dad. We would show him certain exercises that would improve his technique, but he wasn’t particularly receptive to our suggestions, and he would say, “You guys are just trying to hold me back.” That wasn’t the case, and he knew it. I’m sure Dad was greatly pleased to see the two of us improving steadily.

Listening to well-practiced pipers such as Peter Henderson, in the SLI band was a motivator. Peter excelled in playing reels. “Mrs. MacLeod of Raasay,” was one, and others were, “The Mason’s Apron” and “Mrs. Terence Eden’s Welcome to Cromlix.” His G, D, and E grace notes clicked in even cadence, and his music had a timing that was obviously designed for dancers. A person would want to play like that. I certainly did. His timing was impeccable. One can learn so much by listening to a good piper.

Hugh was a good teacher because he was appreciative of our conscientious attitude to learn. He was a band-piper however, and had techniques of his own that he passed along. An example was in how he played the burl. It was by sliding his little finger back and forth across the bottom hole. Later on, when we moved to Winnipeg Manitoba, and took a few lessons from proficient pipers, we learned there was a better way. Fred MacLeod and his dad, Donald, demonstrated the technique was to raise the little finger up to a position from which it could strike the bottom hole, then rise up to come down hard onto the hole once more, to really make that burl sound, while being supported by a well-tuned set of drones. Fred was a competition piper. His folks said he wore out the living room carpet by marching on it.

Apparently, that is how he, a competition piper improved upon his timing.

Bill Watt, and competition piper and a veteran of the Second World War, added to my learning by demonstrating how the ending on a competition two-four march should sound. He called it, “Harry Haw, Petraw.” By playing a nice clear C doubling, then a low A using an E grace note to emphasize the A, he would finalize the ending with that nice firm A burl. The pipes “spoke” as the phrase was completed. Bill Watt was not only a great teacher of the pipes, but he was also a composer. One of his fine marches was, “Tornaveen Cottage,” with which I won a first place medal in an open competition. Another technique Bill Watt taught me, was to finish off some 2/4 competition marches with a Bibero Harry Haw Petraw.

Lessons at Bill Watt’s home were memorable. We regularly practiced pipes in his little kitchen for a couple of hours or so. Mrs. Watt would go to the movie theatre. Lesson time would be completed when she got back, and she’d make us a nice evening snack. Bill could produce a marvelous sound from his pipes, and he was keen to pass along his techniques to a piper really wanting to learn. Bill’s son Chris, is a fine piper, and it’s great to see that his dad taught him.

Jack Reay, pipe major of The Manitoba Piper’s Association Pipe Band also taught his own son to play the pipes, and young Jack was an outstanding piper. It was in perfecting band competition sets that I spent time with Jack Sr. where he worked, in the Manitoba Telephone Exchange building. Our band won the Western Canadian Championship three times, and our members participated in The Rose Bowl Parade in Florida several times. Every week-end in the summer, we had engagements.

Later on, Dad, Ken and I became part of the ANAVETS Pipe Band. This was the Army & Navy Veterans Pipe Band. Doug Will, who taught dozens of pipers in the city, was an ardent member. He was enthusiastic about my desire to transcribe and arrange church music and he furnished me with a small collection of hymns as a starter. Since then, I published a number of hymnbooks and continued to transcribe for future publications, all of which are under the title, “The Church Piper.” Ian Conn from Scotland, joined our band. He had the keenest ear for setting pipes. Ian was an ex-member of the Schotts and Dykehead Pipe Band and was playing with them when the band was winning world championships. His technique verified it. I learned from Ian the need to open up my doublings; those F’s, E’s C’s and B’s and the others as well. It meant lifting the fingers more and coming down firmly on the notes. He required an extra consciousness for fine tuning. Our pipes were singing when Ian was in charge, and when he played harmony, it was ecstasy.

One other piper who was a help to me in learning to play well, was Colin Cameron. Colin played several instruments and he was also one of our judges. As I demonstrated to him my mastery over a certain tune, he took note of my D doublings and demonstrated how to improve upon them. I was to play a grip, then bridge the C and lift the fingers to form the D. That’s how I play the D now, to obtain more quality of sound, but of course, if there are two consecutive D’s, the second one would be a shake, while another D doubling might be played with the top hand.

It's grand to recall my various teachers and the times I simply listened to them play. Their encouragement gave me the confidence I needed to play for weddings, funerals, call to worship, banquets and official events. I do appreciate them. I also expect other pipers must feel the same way about their teachers of piping.


        

Friday, January 22, 2016

Humility 101 For Pipers

At the last supper, Jesus was sitting among a few of His disciples. From their conversation, one can visualize their proximity and can follow their conversation. They would have been reclining at the table, as compared to sitting, which is our custom. There wasn’t a slave to wash their dusty feet, so Jesus undertook to begin with Peter, who responded by asking Jesus if He actually intended to wash his feet. Peter was reluctant to consider Jesus’ kind offer, so Jesus replied that their relationship could not be the same if He didn’t.

Each of the disciples considered it inappropriate, but Jesus said He was about to set an example; that each should wash one another’s feet. He told them it would be a wonderful symbol of caring, because it would reveal an attitude of service, care, love and genuine humility, all characteristics of those who would be His followers.

This ceremony pointed towards Jesus’ impending death; a prelude to the cross, which might be stated in the words, “I am among you as he who serveth.” (Luke 22:27(b)). He also said, “The Son of Man came to serve.” (Mark 10:45) There is a beautiful hymn that reminds us of the faithful saying, that “Jesus emptied Himself of all but love, and was obedient to death, even to death on the cross, where He laid aside His glory,” and took on the nature of any of us. It is from the hymn, “And Can It Be?” by Charles Wesley:

“He left His Father’s throne above, 
So free, so infinite His grace! 

Emptied Himself of all but love, 

And bled for Adam’s helpless race!

’Tis mercy all, immense and free, 

For O my God, it found out me.

This hymn is an eloquent message about humility. Automatically, we will ask, “How do we become humble? Left to ourselves, we become proud, and lose any quality of humility. It is a quality of character revealed in how we relate to one another. Now is a good time to resort to prayer. It is then, when one becomes humble before God. Only in humility and brokenness, can we approach the throne of God. That is actually why we resist praying. When we pray every day, we will become humble. There is no place like Calvary to reveal our humility. A hymn by Dr. Isaac Watts explains that we can look contemptuously at our pride, when we consider Christ’s humility in forfeiting His life as a Sacrifice for us. His Sacrificial death was so we can have direct access to God. The hymn is, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.”

1. When I survey the wondrous cross 
On which the Prince of Glory died;
All my gains I count but loss
And throw contempt on all my pride.

2. Forbid it Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God.
All the vain things that charm me most
I sacrifice them to His blood.

How can one possibly be proud, knowing that God did this? Nevertheless, pride and ambition are our motivators. Pride manifests itself subtly. There is pride in ownership and achievements, and it is quite natural to be proud of what we have earned and done, and yet it is quite possible to be proud and still not be ostentatious. We must keep mindful that it is only because of God’s graciousness that we’ve had the vitality and wisdom to do what we’ve done. We are not humble by nature, but humility can become a natural part of us when we make a practice of considering others first. Peter tells us to clothe ourselves in humility and God will lift us up in due time. In the scriptural words, we are to “humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6)

Jesus was asked, “What is the most important commandment of all?” He replied, “To love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and all thy soul and all thy mind and all thy strength, and to love your neighbour as thyself.” (Mark 12:30, 31) He exemplified His love for others and He laid aside His position. As scripture tells us, “There is no greater love than that a man will lay down his life for his friends. After telling us that, Jesus went to the cross and laid down His life not only for His friends, but for everyone who will recognize His Sacrifice as God’s evidence of His love. By acknowledging God’s love, and by asking for forgiveness for what would otherwise separate him or her from God, a person can have a personal relationship with God.

To promote unity with others, it is well to abide by instructions given to us from the Bible. Paul, in Philippians, encouraged Jesus’ followers, saying, “Let each of you look out not only for his own interest, but also for the interests of others. (Phil 2:4) Humility will unite us while selfishness and superiority will divide us. Humility is the quality of being one in spirit and one in mind. Rather than claim we are right in a situation, it is best to give up our right to be right. Rather than insist on having our own way, we will show grace and gentleness. Humility will gives us the ability to value others above ourselves. (Phil 2:3)

An example of humility would be the ability to graciously accept criticism or suggestions about your playing. Consider criticism to be given in the spirit of good advice. Thank the individual, and ask him or her to demonstrate the improvement. Listen carefully, and together, refer to the music page. Individuals may play the music so often that it is by ear. Consequently, the printed music should be the authority for this situation. By giving time to consider the advice, both pipers will benefit. The result is to have made a friend, and it is quite possible he or she was right. If so, you can humbly say thank you, and if he or she was wrong, you will have helped to improve the music as well as having maintained your respect as a player.

Being humble, makes us more like Jesus. “He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death.” (Phil. 2:7, 8) Following in Jesus’ footsteps, means to back away from what we would consider best for us, and to allow it to be best for others…Jesus gave up His life for us. We could ask Him in prayer, to help us make sacrifices for the sake of others. By putting others first, it would reflect upon our humility and be honoring to God.

Pipers can think how they may develop the character quality of humility. It could be by not trying to impress anyone or one another by the quality of their music, but honestly accepting, that to accomplish the level of playing they recognize in others, it must have required much practice. Those persons deserve to be recognized and complimented. That gives the other person an opportunity to say, “Thank you,” and probably acknowledge that you have an appreciation for their playing and that you might also know a great deal about the way the music should sound. Remember always, that your style of music could be different from theirs and vice versa. While one person might specialize in hornpipes, jigs and reels, another might excel in playing marches and memorials and for special occasions. And, if someone should complement you on what you’ve just played, a simple “Thank you,” is adequate. Definitely, never be critical of another’s playing when in conversation with anyone else.

Our conversation began with a discussion on humility. In actuality, humility is opposite to pride. It is natural to be proud of an accomplishment. One should be proud of his or her achievements, but not to the extent of bragging about them. To complete this discussion, several quotations on pride, will be found in scripture. James 4:6 tells us, “God opposes the proud, but shows favour to the humble.” The disciples of Jesus condescended to wash one another’s feet, and Jesus said that if they were unwilling to let Him wash their feet, they could have none of Him. In James, verse 4:10, we are reminded to “humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” Finally, Paul, in Romans, 12:16, advises us, “Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not think you are superior.” God loves us to be humble individuals. He requires us to be close to Him, and it is in Micah 6:9 that we are told, “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.”

I hope you will enjoy playing the two hymns included with this blog, and that you will learn the lyrics too, so your music will carry the expression where words or music alone are inadequate.