ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses one form of artistic musical expression, the Bulgarian bagpipe. It belongs to a large family of European folk instruments that consist of an animal-skin bag that functions as an air reservoir; some number of single-reed or double-reed pipes that produce melodies, drones, and accompaniments; and either a blowpipe or bellows to feed air into the bag. The chapter presents the methodology of study of the evaluation of musical artistry on the Bulgarian gaida and is based on the opinions of two well-educated folk musicians. Gaidari and other Bulgarian instrumentalists play the melodies of nonmetrical slow songs either as instrumental solos preceding the playing of metrical dance melodies or as interludes between verses of a singer's rendition of the song. Kostadin's playing, represents a regional style based in Strandzha and Thrace. Kiril finds Kostadin's regional style limiting at the same time that he values the traditional quality of Kostadin's repertoire.
