Biniou

Binioù means bagpipe in the Breton language.

There are two kinds of Binioù found in Brittany: the binioù kozh ('kozh' means 'old' in Breton language) and the binioù bras ('bras' means 'big'), sometimes also called pib-veur.

The 'binioù bras' is the same as the Great Highland Bagpipe, sets are manufactured by Breton makers or imported from Scotland or elsewhere.

The 'binioù kozh' has a one octave scale, and is very high-pitched; its lowest note is the same pitch as the highest on the Great Highland Bagpipe. It has a single drone two octaves below the tonic.

Traditionally it is played in duet with the bombard(e), a shawm which sounds an octave below the binioù chanter, for Breton folk dancing. The 'binioù bras' is the one heard as part of a bagad.

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