Balingen (dpa/lsw) - Musicians from Germany and six other countries took part in the 9th international bagpipe festival "Sackpfeifen in Schwaben" in Balingen (Zollernalbkreis) at the weekend. The main theme this year was the Plater game. The musicians use a pig's or beef bladder as an air reservoir. "This allows you to play a continuous tone," said Manfred Stingel, director of the House of Folk Art in Balingen. The musicians from Italy (Sicily and Sardinia), Poland, France, Slovakia and Spain played traditional music.
The bagpipes were said to be popular with minstrels. Above all, however, shepherds used the bagpipes as a signaling instrument for their flocks and as a means of communicating with one another. The bagpipe has its own history in each region, and the musicians represent a cross-section in the concerts.
The "Sackpfeifen in Schwaben" festival has been held every three years since 1997. In 2023, the 10th "Sackpfeifen in Schwaben" festival will be held in Balingen for the garden show from August 24th to 28th.
