Scarier than bagpipes?

[zalena]

I just blasted through Islands of the Blessed Nancy Farmer's final book in the Sea of Trolls trilogy. I enjoyed it, the beginning especially brought back that sense of joie de libre, but it didn't touch my heart in quite the same way as Trolls, which has the honor of being the right book at the right time---a reminder of the reasons we keep going when the will to live has abandoned one---and the impetus behind my Viking obsession.

Weirdly, the aspect that I found most fascinating in this book (along with the ongoing characterizations of conflicts of faith) was the carnyx, an iron age instrument the Roman's encountered in their attempt to conquer Britain.

Here is a youtube clip of John Kenny who was the trombonist part of the recreation project in the early 90s. I love how its little tongue waggles! Farmer recommends the Smoo Cave recordings in her book, but I haven't been able to play them from the listed source online.

Now here's the question: is it scarier than bagpipes?

Comments

[ashfae.livejournal.com]

Walked past a bagpiper yesterday. After a few confused moments I realized he was playing the Star Wars theme. Best bagpiper ever. =)

But in general, bagpipes are considered weapons of war for damn good reasons!!

But which is scarier?

[zalena.livejournal.com]

Choose one. Bagpipes are weapons of war because they are:

a. loud
b. annoying
c. embarrassing
d. scary
e. all of the above

Personally, I like bagpipes, but I'm used to them. I can't decide if the carnyx is cute or scary. I suppose it matters how many of them there are and who is playing them.

Re: But which is scarier?

[ashfae.livejournal.com]

Well, traditionally they're weapons of war because they're so damn loud, they were meant to cause so much omnipresent noise that enemies wouldn't be able to tell from which direction your warriors were approaching.

But for me, because they're loud and annoying and most of the players have no sense of rhythm. Good bagpipers are great, but they're few.