The cornemuse du centre is one of the bagpipes from central France. It is similar, in general, to the sac de gemecs and, therefore, to other bagpipes. It’s unique characteristic is the distribution of the drones: it has a tonic drone (G), which rests on the shoulder –a typical position in the world of bagpipes and which associates it with the generic type of bagpipes from the north of Europe–, and a second drone on the octave of the first one which comes out parallel to the chanter.
The type used by Els Berros de la Cort is the so-called 16-inch (G), but there are also 18, 20 and even 30 inch examples of this instrument where the tonics of the chanter are increasingly low. In central France bands usually comprise various cornemuse du centre of different tonalities.
Other peculiarities of the instrument include the double reed on the chanter, which is adjusted to lower the volume to give it a softer, gentler, more encompassing sound, and the semi- closed fingering, which makes a characteristic sound when ornamenting the melodies. This makes it an ideal instrument to offer the counterpoint voice to the rest of the bagpipes –the sac de gemecs and the Breton biniou, both of which have a much sharper sound– that we use in the Els Berros de la Cort. Our cornemuse du centre is a model made by the Frisian luthier Frans Hattink (http://www.doedelzak.com).
