Beschrijving

Bagpipes – An Infinite Soundscape
by Jean-Pierre Van Hees

Discover the most comprehensive exploration of the bagpipe ever published.

Written by internationally renowned piper, researcher, and composer Jean-Pierre Van Hees, Bagpipes – An Infinite Soundscape is the English translation and expanded edition of the acclaimed French work Cornemuses, un infini sonore, which has already sold nearly 2,000 copies.

This monumental volume reveals the extraordinary diversity of one of the world’s oldest and most fascinating musical instruments. Across 415 richly illustrated pages, readers are guided through the history, construction, music, and cultural significance of bagpipes from antiquity to the 21st century.

The book combines rigorous scholarship with visual discovery. Its twelve thematic chapters explore topics such as:

• the terminology and cultural diversity of bagpipe names
• organology and classification of instruments
• a photographic catalogue of bagpipes from around the world
• geographical distribution and historical evolution
• musical techniques, scales, and repertoire
• the instrument’s place in Western music and visual art
• myths, symbols, and cultural perceptions surrounding the bagpipe

To enrich the reading experience, the book also includes over 5½ hours of video content accessible via QR codes, featuring playing techniques, historical repertoire, and a gallery of bagpipe traditions.

Praised by musicians, musicologists, teachers, and museum specialists, this unique work has already been described by many as “the Bagpipe Bible.”

Whether you are a musician, researcher, instrument maker, or simply fascinated by musical culture, Bagpipes – An Infinite Soundscape opens the door to the vast and vibrant universe of the bagpipe.

>>>>>>>>>>>> AVAILABLE DECEMBER 2026 <<<<<<<<<<<<

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jean-Pierre Van Hees is a Belgian musician, composer, researcher, and teacher specializing in the bagpipe. Originally from Liège, he has played bagpipes as a self-taught musician since 1965 and has been active internationally for more than six decades.

He has performed in a wide range of musical contexts—including traditional music, early music, Argentine tango, and contemporary repertoire—and has appeared as a soloist with ensembles such as Het Orkest van de Achttiende Eeuw. He was also a member of the influential folk group Rum.

Van Hees has taught and lectured widely, notably at the Centre de Musique Médiévale de Paris and the Musikhochschule Köln, and has led numerous workshops and courses devoted to traditional music and bagpipe traditions. He has also played an important role in introducing traditional music and dance into formal music education in Belgium.

Holding a PhD in Musical Arts, his work combines artistic practice with scholarly research on the history, organology, and cultural significance of bagpipes.

• Discover the music of Jean-Pierre Van Hees