The 'piper's Corner

The sleepy little town of Cold Spring, New York might be the last place you'd expect to find a workshop specializing in custom building bagpipes, and especially uillean 'pipes.  Nestled on the banks of the Hudson River, not far from West Point, Cold Spring is the kind of friendly small town where everybody knows you, and the pace is always easy-going.  But at Seth Gallagher's shop  there's always work to be done.  As one of the most popular of the younger generation of 'pipe makers, Seth has a waiting list for instruments up to three years long.  He has shipped 'pipes as far afield as Hong Kong, and employs two other craftsmen full-time to keep up with the demand.  The quality of his work speaks for itself, and none other than virtuoso Jerry O'Sullivan plays Seth's 'pipes and is an outspoken supporter.  In an era of new-found popularity for all things Celtic, more people are playing uillean 'pipes than ever before.  I talked with Seth in his shop on a crisp March afternoon, while he was prepping the full set of concert-pitch uillean 'pipes he had just finished building for me.

AP:  How'd you get into making uillean 'pipes?

Seth:  I did a whole bunch of stuff after college. I was a labor organizer, political organizer, I also worked alot of construction, and finally got to the point where I wasn't happy. It was sort of lean times, I was living in Boston. One day I happened into a shop in Brookline, Massachusetts that made musical instruments, the Von Huene Workshop. I went in to see if they needed anybody and they hired me.  I have to say it pretty much changed my life.  Von Huene makes very high-quality baroque and renaissance wind instruments.  I think Von Huene was the best place I could have ended up in to train to be a musical instrument maker.  I learned how to make woodwind instruments from the master of the shop, Friedrich Von Huene.  He taught me pretty much everything I needed to know to become an uillean 'pipe maker, other than making reeds. 

AP:  So as far as uillean 'pipe making, and the art and science of it, who do you consider your major influences? 

Seth:  I was inspired by some of the older makers, like Coyne, Colgan, Robert Reid, the Taylor Brothers and also some famous instruments, like the Coyne set Seamus Ennis played.  I really like the look of the older instruments, and I try to combine the beauty of those old sets with some more modern innovations, like the Taylor Brothers-style wrap-around bass regulator I incorporated on your set.

AP:  Who are some modern makers and players that have helped you develop?

Seth:  Jerry O'Sullivan is one of my mentors.  My current chanter design is based on the Johnny Bourke chanter he used on his first solo album, "The Invasion."  I also learned alot from Benedict Koeler, particularly when it comes to making reeds.  Jimmy O'Brien-Moran and Bill Ochs are others who have helped me a good bit over the years. 

AP:  As an American, did you find any difficulty in getting into the "cult" of uillean 'piping? 

Seth:  Well I guess the good thing is that there's a really strong tradition here in the US now.  And an important thing for people to remember is that it's good to buy a set from somewhere geographically close to where they are.  Because of the level of maintenance involved it's good to be able to get to the maker when you need to.  If something needs to be repaired or adjusted, it's difficult to ship overseas.  The sets also react to the different climatic conditions, sometimes drastically.

AP:  With the recent revival of interest in Celtic music and culture, what are your predictions for the future of the instrument, particularly here in America?

Seth:  Well, the revival has certainly kept me in business.  When I first started out, it was tough to get orders and it took a while for word to get out.  The exposure the 'pipes have been given via the media, in things like "Riverdance" and the soundtrack to "Titanic" has helped to increase demand for sets.  People are delving deeper into Irish traditional music and finding out about it.  It's much easier now to find a teacher and obtain a decent instrument.

" It's a little tight with three guys working here, but it works for us now.  The nice thing about   'pipes is they are pretty compact, so you can make them in a fairly confined space.  And we turn out a pretty good volume of work, given that each set is hand-made."

AP:  How many people do you encounter who started out on Highland 'pipes or other types of instruments, and want to transition to uillean 'pipes?

Seth:  A lot.  I think people are intrigued with the unique sounds and capabilities of the uillean 'pipes.  There is actually a long history of 'pipers playing both instruments, and there have always been a few players around who "overlapped."  And that is becoming a lot more prevalent today.  I really think of the Highland 'pipes and the uillean 'pipes as the epitome of bagpipes.  The Highland 'pipes are so powerful, both in airs and in dance music, but if you want to play in a different style, or blend with other instruments, the uillean 'pipes lend themselves much more readily to those kinds of things. 

AP:  I love your shop--it has so much character and atmosphere.  When I think of a 'pipe maker's shop, this is exactly the kind of place I envision.  Do you see yourself expanding from here?  What's in the future for the Seth Gallagher Workshop?

Seth:  Actually, we're about to move down to Mexico...  (laughter)  Seriously, though this is a great location for us, because the Workshop is actually a converted garage next door to my house, so the rent is free.  It's a little tight with three guys working here, but it works for us now.  The nice thing about 'pipes is they are pretty compact, so you can make them in a fairly confined space.  And we turn out a pretty good volume of work, given that each set is hand-made. 

AP:  What advice do you have for new 'pipers, or people contemplating starting uillean 'pipes?

Seth:  Get a good set that is airtight and in tune, and try to buy from a maker who is geographically close to you, who will give you good technical support.  Unlike other types of bagpipes, reeds aren't interchangeable and it's difficult to progress when you have a set that doesn't work.

For more information regarding Seth Gallagher's uillean 'pipes, visit Seth's Website at www.uilleann.com