Weddings | Funerals
Music is important part of any funeral service. The bagpipes have been commemorating the loss of loved ones with music at funeral services for hundreds of years. Many people associate bagpipes with funerals and this is because they powerfully touch our deepest emotions; the haunting voice of the bagpipe express feelings that words alone may fail to convey.
When to Use a Piper at the Service
What is the best time to have a piper play? The answer to this question is really a personal choice, but the following are a few suggestions.
The bagpipes can be utilized at any point during the funeral service. Typically the bagpiper will perform at either the Funeral Mass at the chapel or at the Interment at the cemetery, or both.
The Funeral Mass at the Chapel
The piper usually plays before, sometimes during but not often, and after the funeral mass.
Before the Mass
Piper can play outside chapel/funeral home as people are arriving. Small bagpipes and other quiet celtic instruments (high whistle, low whistle, irish wooden flute) can be played inside the chapel/funeral home while people are seated and waiting for the service to begin.
During the Mass
Some churches do not allow bagpipes to be played inside a church during the mass. If your church will allow it and it is your desire to have the pipes played limit the amount of playing to just one or two tunes. The piper can play at any point during the mass but they often play near the end, after the benediction for example.
After the Mass
The piper plays as the casket is being carried out. The piper may lead the procession out of the church to the hearse. When the back door of the hearse is closed, the piper may continue to play until the hearse leaves and is out of site.
Note: If the piper is accompanying the funeral procession to the Internment, the piper will stop and proceed to the piper’s transportation.
At the Internment
When the funeral procession arrives, the piper stands near the hearse in position playing until casket is in place and internment service is ready to begin.
At the conclusion of the service the piper can plays a lament or hymn such as Going Home or Amazing Grace. Mourners often place flowers on the gravesite.
Special Considerations
Music Choices
This is something that you will have to work out with each piper. The Piper will already have several sets of music that he or she will know and intend to play. The piper will know a great number of tunes, but be sure to ask if you have a special request. Give the piper a few weeks notice of the request to ensure the piper has ample time to find the music and learn it if required.
There are numerous tunes written specifically for the bagpipe for any occasion. The pipes have a narrow range of nine. As a result, most popular tunes cannot be played on this instrument. Examples of bagpipes tunes:
- Danny Boy
- Going Home
- Loch Ronnach
- The Skye Boat Song
- Dark Island
- Eagle's Whistle
- Fair Mary
- The Green Hills of Tyrol
- Scotland the Brave
