Cemeteries

The word "cemetery" comes from a Greek word meaning "sleeping place", which is a perfect way to describe these peaceful, landscaped parks of commemoration. I have always been a fan of cemeteries, and Connecticut has many beautiful spots where history and wit are carved in marble and the sunlight falls quietly on the lawns.

I have played at many funerals. Bagpipes and funerals are linked by tradition, but there is more to it than tradition alone. The sound of a bagpipe, playing the proper tune, is a perfected distillation of the soul intoning the unspeakable anguish of mourning. The instrument was developed over centuries by increadibly sensitive and gifted people who wanted a sound to accompany two facts of life: War & Death. That it also became useful for celebrations was a happy byproduct. I still cannot play without being caught in the grip of something more than just music. The vibrations of the instrument go through your entire body and stir something that otherwise lies dormant. I have heard some pipers speak of feeling transported or lost when playing, and it is true that the music can tranport you to another place.