England: Over one century of the panpipes and tabor
Pandean pipes history - Regency (1790 - 1829)
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The majority are extracts from larger pictures and prints. Links to originals are given, where possible. If you have any more information on any of these images, or you are the copyright holder and I have not managed to get in touch with you, please do let me know.
Pandean Pipes gallery - Regency | |||||||||||||||||
Both women and men are shown in contemporary illustrations playing the pan-pipes; the drum is played either horizontally or vertically. Pan-pipes were known as pandean pipes or mouth-organ at this time. |
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1791 Vauxhall at Harrogate newspaper advertisement [detail] |
John Durang (1768–1822) USA multi-talented performer. |
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1801 Royalty Theatre, Wells Street, Goodman’s Fields Morning Chronicle - Monday 16 March 1801 |
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A set of pan pipes dated to the late 18th century is in the Science Museum. | |||||||||||||||||
Pandean band | |||||||||||||||||
Panpipe and drum were often part of a small band. Whole pandean bands were soon all the rage at fashionable places of entertainment in which every band member played the panpipes and a percussion instrument. The vogue for pandean bands spread from the military to civilian life from the late eighteenth-century to the end of Regency times. The percussion instruments played in these bands were thought of as giving a fashionable 'Turkish' flavour to the music. The Ottoman Empire had invaded Europe and the military leaders (the princes) were very impressed by the clamour of the loud percussion instruments that led Turkish armies into battle. They had trumpets, drums, cymbals and loud bells and triangles. When the Sultan of Turkey was defeated in battle he made a present of a band of military musicians to the winner, the King of Poland. So of course, every war-like monarch with an eye to his military reputation had to have a loud band too. 'Turkish' instruments quickly became standard for military bands across Europe. |
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1813 The Prince Regent’s GalaAnti-Gallican Monitor - Sunday 11 July 1813 |
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James Saggiani's household accounts, Gloucestershire, include "pan pipes for the regiment" (Gloucestershire Archives item D2700/RA2/1/21 1798-1801). A one-man band wearing military uniform includes the pandean pipes (illustrated online Bridgeman Art Library, item no. 249560). |
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1802 Vauxhall Magnificent GalaLondon Courier and Evening Gazette - Wednesday 23 June 1802 |
[There are many more mentions of Vauxhall's Pandean Minstrels than listed here - see British Newspaper Archive] | ||||||||||||||||
The pandean band at Vauxhall Gardens, London, is recorded as playing all over the country, Scotland and Ireland until 1825. The ensemble's repertoire included marches, quick-steps, minuets, waltzes, and airs. 1802 Advertisement: Morning Post - Monday 09 August 1802 |
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1802Salisbury and Winchester Journal - Monday 25 October 1802 | |||||||||||||||||
1803 Advertisement for Royalty Theatre, Wells Street, Goodman’s FieldsMorning Post - Monday 26 December 1803 | |||||||||||||||||
1803 Newspaper report: Oracle and the Daily Advertiser - Friday 22 July 1803 | |||||||||||||||||
1803 Newspaper advertisement: Hull Advertiser - Saturday 09 July 1803 | |||||||||||||||||
1804 The Countess of Carhampton’s Ball, Bruton Street Morning Post - Saturday 05 May 1804 | |||||||||||||||||
1804 Newspaper report:Morning Post - Monday 18 June 1804 | |||||||||||||||||
1804 Newspaper advertisement Northampton Mercury - Saturday 08 September 1804 | |||||||||||||||||
1804 Newspaper report: General Evening Post - Saturday 23 June 1804 | |||||||||||||||||
1804 Newspaper report: Caledonian Mercury - Saturday 15 December 1804 | |||||||||||||||||
1804Caledonian Mercury - Thursday 27 December 1804 | |||||||||||||||||
1805 Caledonian Mercury - Monday 01 April 1805 | ' |
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1807 Caledonian Mercury - Saturday 18 April 1807 | As pandean pipes became more fashionable in the middle and upper classes, music books with arrangements especially for the pandean pipes were printed, such as 1810 'Third Book of Pandean Music. |
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Dances and dance tunes were named after them: 1791 'Vauxhall Saloon. A Pandean Dance' 'The Pandean Dance or Lord Wellington' published in 'Hime's Dances for 1812'. New tunes had 'pandean' in the title, such as in 'The Joseph Kershaw Manuscript; the music of a 19th century Saddleworth Fiddle Player' (begun in 1820). | |||||||||||||||||
1812 Northampton: ‘To be Sold by Auction ... a Variety of Musical Instruments, viz. Violins, Clarionets, Hautboys, Pandean Pipes, Flutes, etc. etc. and a select Assortment of new Music.’ |
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1814 Mr Cole a music-seller, a bankrupt, to be sold by auction. The sale included 34 Pandean Pipes. |
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1805Morning Post - Wednesday 01 May 1805 | |||||||||||||||||
1805 Mrs Lambert’s Fete at Harrow Oracle and the Daily Advertiser - Thursday 30 May 1805 |
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1805 advertisement: Morning Post - Monday 03 June 1805 | |||||||||||||||||
1805 At Vauxhall a Fete in honour of His Majesty's BirthdayLondon Courier and Evening Gazette - Friday 07 June 1805 |
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1805 Mrs Coke’s Masquerade
‘None of the company appeared more happy than a Royal groupe, consisting of Her Royal Highness the DUT'CHESS of YORK, and the Dukes of CUMBERLAND arid CAMBRIDGE. Their Royal 'Highnesses wore dominos ; that. of Her Royal Highness was blue. As they entered the house the Pandean Band played God Save the King.' Sun (London) - Friday 14 June 1805 |
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1805Oracle and the Daily Advertiser - Thursday 06 June 1805 | |||||||||||||||||
1805 Lady Louise Manner’s Grand MasqueradeOracle and the Daily Advertiser - Friday 19 July 1805 |
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1805 ‘Mrs. Forsyth's second Concert and Supper took place at Pyrmont-House, near Broadstairs,’ KentMorning Post - Wednesday 02 October 1805 |
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1805 ‘The Infant Mania’ General Evening Post - Saturday 14 December 1805 | |||||||||||||||||
1806 | |||||||||||||||||
1806 York Herald - Saturday 28 June 1806 | |||||||||||||||||
1806 New Royal Circus, St. George’s FieldsMorning Advertiser - Monday 21 July 1806 | |||||||||||||||||
1806Morning Herald (London) - Thursday 19 June 1806 | |||||||||||||||||
"The Marchioness of Lansdowne grand Masquerade. ... Chester Chronicle - Friday 18 July 1806 |
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1806 ‘Miscellaneous Intelligence Domestic’Aberdeen Press and Journal - Wednesday 19 November 1806 | |||||||||||||||||
1807 at the Royal Amphitheatre, WestminsterMorning Advertiser - Monday 30 March 1807 | |||||||||||||||||
1807 at Astley’s Olympic Pavilion, Newcastle Street, Strand, LondonMorning Chronicle - Tuesday 10 March 1807 | |||||||||||||||||
1807 Grand Masquerade at the Pantheon Morning Herald (London) - Wednesday 29 April 1807 | |||||||||||||||||
1813 at the Olympic Circus: advertised in the Liverpool Mercury - Friday 01 January 1813 | |||||||||||||||||
1807 Grand Masquerade at the Pantheon Morning Herald (London) - Wednesday 29 April 1807 | |||||||||||||||||
1807 newspaper advertisement: Morning Post - Tuesday 26 May 1807 | |||||||||||||||||
1807Morning Advertiser - Monday 29 June 1807 | |||||||||||||||||
1807 at Drury Lane Theatre: British Press - Monday 01 June 1807 | |||||||||||||||||
1807 The Countess Spencer’s Fete Champetre, WimbledonMorning Post - Monday 06 July 1807 | |||||||||||||||||
1807 Mrs Coke, Hanover Square, opened her house to her friends.British Press - Wednesday 08 July 1807 | |||||||||||||||||
1807 Ball Morning Post - Monday 13 July 1807 | |||||||||||||||||
1807 Rout Morning Post - Thursday 16 July 1807 | |||||||||||||||||
1807 FeteMorning Post - Friday 31 July 1807 |
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[Similar entries can be found in the British Newspaper Archives] Towns other than London boasted similar events with Pandean Bands and individuals playing at private and public functions such as in Lancaster, Hereford, Dublin, Shrewsbury, Cheltenham and Liverpool |
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Pandean Musicians | |||||||||||||||||
1812 Police Report, London Saint James's Chronicle - Saturday 14 November 1812 |
outside show musicians 1812 | ||||||||||||||||
The panpipe and drum player was loud, which was useful at outdoor events such as fairs, races, street processions and celebrations. 1810 ‘Croydon Fair, I paid a visit to that scene of jollity induced by the fineness of the weather, and :that natural desire -which I possess - to see the humbler classes of society happy, ... I would have proceeded, notwithstanding the sneers of my auditors, if an accursed Pandean Minstrel had not struck up the famous Paphian melody of “Stoney Batter.” |
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A couple dance to a band that includes a pan-pipes and drum player in 1814 at the Thames Frost Fair:Public Ledger and Daily Advertiser - Friday 04 February 1814 |
The Frost Fair of 1814 by Luke Clenell (detail) |
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In 1819 a man was beaten up and robbed at a fair in Hampstead, London.
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1814 A concert: Chester Courant - Tuesday 01 November 1814 |
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1816 Middlesex Sessions report: Public Ledger and Daily Advertiser - Thursday 31 October 1816 |
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1817 Mrs Cooper’s list of instruments sold includes Pandean Pipes Cheltenham Chronicle - Thursday 19 June 1817 |
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1819 A meeting was held in the Finsbury market-place and the people processed down the street. Hampshire Chronicle - Monday 08 November 1819 |
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Another report of the same meeting states:
“the gentleman who had spoken from the window made his appearance with a mouth-organ. (vulgo° a pandean piper) stuck beneath his chin, and a middling sized drum, covered with a piece of old green baize, hung horizontally across his stomach.” |
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1819 'Bracebridge Hall or The Humorists' by Washington Irving [pseudonym Geoffrey Crayon] (1783-1859), American essayist, historian, and author who spent some years doing the Grand Tour in Europe. |
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In 1820 at the Peale Museum in Philadelphia, USA, when 'Signor Helene and his Pandean Band' performed he did play on his 5 different instruments at the same time. These included the Italian viola, Pandean pipes, Chinese bells, Turkish cymbals, and tenor drum; during performances he also imitated a mockingbird and a canary with his voice.
1822 Newspaper report: "Yesterday a company of blind itinerant Musicians, consisting of a clarionet, two violins, and bass viol, were performing in Albemarle Street, Piccadilly, some of the choicest pieces of modern music, in a style which drew together a very numerous audience. In the midst of this delightful harmony an evil genius suddenly appeared in the person of another member of the profession ; who, jealous of the applause his brethren bad obtained, or envious of the harvest they were reaping from their exertions, exerted himself so successfully with a drum and pandean pipes as to stifle in the birth the soul-enlivening notes from the silver toned cremonas. The little band for a short time endured the discord the vile pandean occasioned with the most philosophic forbearance; but finding all their endeavours to be heard completely ineffectual were compelled to desist ,expecting their opponent would immediately discontinue his annoyance. But in this they were disappointed ; the fellow still kept up the most astounding noise with his drum, to the infinite amusement of the bystanders and chagrin of the little band who manifested their displeasure in rather uncourtly terms. Still the provoking pandean was not to be silenced. He continued blowing and thumping, till he was black in the face, without once deigning to notice his enraged brethren. The little band apparently unwilling to yield, and puzzled how to proceed, held a council of war, in which it was resolved to ascertain, who could play longest. The clarionet immediately struck hp, followed by the violins and grumbling bass viol. The full blown cheeks of the former presented an amusing contrast with the lank visage of the Pandean, and the contest was for some time severe and doubtful. The latter, however, who from the commencement had allowed himself but little or no breathing time, began to exhibit evident symptoms of 'exhaustion and ultimately was compelled to cease. The triumph of the little party was, however, but of short duration foe the fellow who appeared to recollect that though short of breath, he had not lost the use of his arms, commenced a solo on the drum which he belaboured so unmercifully as to compel the luckless fiddlers to put up their fiddle-sticks in despair.. A short pause ensued, which was but the prelude to a storm. — The little party, enraged beyond measure at the opposition they had experienced sent forth a volley of abuse which quite overwhelmed their opponent. Four to one, he observed, with the most provoking sang froid, was a fearful odds, and again had recourse to his drum, with which he kept up such a clatter, as completely silenced, and ultimately drove his antagonists from the field. We understand the poor fiddlers, in the course of their peregrinations, had entered the street in question, and had been pretty successful in drawing the loose pence from the pockets of their hearers. The Pandean, who had for some time enjoyed the exclusive right of playing in this street, viewed this unconscious invasion of the blind men as a direct attack on his privilege, and formed the resolution on which he ultimately succeeded to drum ',em out." Constitution (London) - Sunday 20 January 1822
A street puppet theatre came along the road in 1825:
This description is accompanied by a drawing of a puppet booth.
In New Zealand in 1827 at the crowded Sandy Bay races on New Year's Day An 1828 sketch shows the characters in Punch and Judy, together with the |
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Henry Mayhew (1812 - 1887)was a social researcher, journalist, playwright and advocate of reform published 'London Labour and the London Poor' in 1851. This was a groundbreaking and influential survey of the poor of London. |
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1825 puppet booth |
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1829 The Big Fight Morning Advertiser - Thursday 26 March 1829 | |||||||||||||||||
‘The Winters Wreath for 1830’ contained written work and engravings. Kilkenny Moderator - Wednesday 09 December 1829 Brighton Gazette - Thursday 22 October 1829 |
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[1828 source] | |||||||||||||||||
A painting entitled 'Sweeps Day in Upper Lisson Street, Paddington' painted in the late 1830's shows a 'Jack-in-the-Green' with other historically-based characters dancing to the pan-pipes and tabor in the street. (Museum of London Collection).
So there is the possibility that the piper 'who also played the drum' as remembered by an elderly gentleman in 1860 recalling a "Jack in Green" procession of his childhood may have played the panpipes too. source |
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one-man-band fashion plate 1815 | in a band for dancing 1814 | in street band 1820-30 | |||||||||||||||
street entertainer 1820-30 | for Jack in the Green 1820-30 |
tavern entertainment 1821 | |||||||||||||||
with fantoccini 1825 |
for Jack in the Green 1825 | with Punch and Judy no date |
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for Jack in the Green 1826 | with marionettes 1827 original | with marionettes 1829-31 engraving | |||||||||||||||
with marionettes 1830 | with Punch and Judy 1830 10207159 |
at a fair 1830 | |||||||||||||||
with Jack in the Green 1831 | at a fair 1832 | ||||||||||||||||
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