Pipe Major Paul Burns, the Sovereign's Piper of the Royal Regiment of Scotland at the time of her death, performed the traditional Lament 'Sleep, dearie, sleep' as the congregation stood at the end of the service in London's Westminster Abbey.
“Highland Cathedral” is a popular bagpipe processional. It does duty both at weddings and funerals. It has a solemn, steady melody designed to move you, whatever the occasion.
This piece (Skye Boat Song) was played by the royal military band (Bagpipers) during the state funeral for her Majesty Late #Queen #Elizabeth II held on 19.09.
Pipe Major Paul Burns of the Royal Regiment of Scotland played the lament "Sleep, Dearie, Sleep." Pipe Major Burns began playing from the doorway between the chapel of St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle and the Dean's Cloister, walking away as he played.
Walch, Funeral March (c. 1830) performed at the procession for Queen Elizabeth II - YouTube.
A two-minute silence, heard across the United Kingdom, followed, concluding with a sounding of The Reville by the State Trumpeters. Following this, the congregation sang the National Anthem, 'God Save The King'.
Supposedly they are the only instrument that can be heard in Heaven. A piper and the sound of the bagpipes helps to direct departed souls towards Heaven's Gates. The walking away symbolizes the piper leading the departed to the Hereafter, yet stopping short of the Gate through which the piper cannot pass.
1. Scotland the Brave: This is a Scottish patriot tune first thought to have appeared around the turn of the 20th century and is played by pipers and pipe bands all over the world.
The Parting Glass
It's since become very popular as a funeral song, especially in Scotland and Ireland. The song is about celebrating good times and good people. It's not meant for funerals, but it feels like a farewell from someone who made the most of life.
World Champion Piper Robert Watt from Northern Ireland has achieved many of the greatest awards for solo piping and pipe band playing worldwide. His diversity and talent represents Celtic music from the ancient Piobaireachd to the modern day bagpipe playing.
Eric Rigler is known throughout the music industry as "the most recorded bagpiper of all time".
Bagpipes, A Symbol of Scotland
But, whoever invented them, the Scots have pretty much made this instrument their own over the years. However, the Irish also lay claim to playing an instrument that is similar to the Scottish version. The national bagpipe of Ireland is as much a tradition as their Scottish counterparts.
It's not the emotion behind the sound, it's the fact that they're loud. It's a feedback loop: One of the reasons people get sad is because of long, slow notes, but also because of the fact that it's used in these sad situations.
Bagpipers do not only know one song. They can play a wide variety of traditional and contemporary music on the bagpipes. Could be that you only recognize one song. The most often heard pipe tunes are: Scotland the Brave and Amazing Grace, but there are many many more.
For most of her reign, the Queen was roused by the sound of bagpipes played beneath her window – at all her residences around the country. The Piper to the Sovereign for decades acted as a personal alarm clock, playing for 15 minutes each morning, as well as on state occasions.
Queen Elizabeth II's funeral was concluded with music played by her bagpiper, Pipe Major Paul Burns. For decades the monarch was woken up by the sound of bagpipes, played underneath her window, acting as a personal alarm clock.
The Lord's My Shepherd
As part of this, the Queen listed her ten favourite pieces of music. Two hymns featured in this list. One was 'Praise, My Soul, The King of Heaven' mentioned above: the other was 'The Lord's My Shepherd'.
Praise, My Soul, The King of Heaven (hymn)
The first hymn of the ceremony, 'The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended', written by the Anglican hymnodist the Rev John Ellerton, is significant in its origins; as the British Monarch is the head of the Church of England, music from the Anglican musical tradition was predicted to play a large role in today's funeral ...
Scotland. Great Highland Bagpipe: This is perhaps the world's best-known bagpipe. It is native to Scotland. It has acquired widespread recognition through its usage in the British military and in pipe bands throughout the world.
Some historians believe they travelled over from Europe while others think they came from as far away as Ancient Egypt. Bagpipes appear in Scottish records from as early as 1400 but there are earlier records of them in Europe. Their Gaelic name is Piob Mhor which means big pipe.
The earliest description of a bagpipe-like instrument comes from Egypt, as early as 400 BC. The so-called 'pipers of Thebes' were said to play instruments with pipes made from dog skin and chanters of bone.