Sud ar su

Bagad (plural: bagadoù) is the modern Breton pipe-and-drum ensemble tradition from Brittany, France. A typical bagad combines Great Highland bagpipes (binioù braz), double-reed bombardes, and a Scottish-style drum corps (snares, tenors, and bass), performing arranged suites based on traditional Breton dance melodies. Unlike informal folk dance bands, bagadoù are staged ensembles with precise drill, competition-oriented arrangements, and a characteristic bright, martial sonority. Their repertoire draws on regional dance forms (gavotte, an dro, hanter-dro, plinn, ridée, laridé, and more), presented in multi-part suites that spotlight melodic variation, antiphony between bombarde and pipes, and intricate drum orchestrations. While rooted in Breton folk music, the bagad format was shaped by Scottish pipe band practice, resulting in a uniquely Breton yet pan-Celtic ensemble sound that has become a cultural emblem of Brittany and a centerpiece of the regional musical revival.