According to Sobieski "it appears that in 1558 poet Mikołaj Rej (1505-1569) mentions the Dudy as a general instrument in Poland, also played by nobles at the court"; In Wielkopolska [Greater Poland] the bagpipe is dispersed in the southern and central counties, between the pre-World War II state border [i.e. Międzychód (German: Birnbaum) - Zbąszyń (Bentschen) - Rawicz (Rawitsch); ws] and the Warta [Warthe] river; The northernmost counties are Nowy Tomyśl, Szamotuły, and Poznań, the easternmost are Środa, Śrem, and Jarocin, and the southernmost are Krotoszyn and Ostrów; Thus, the main centres of Polish bagpipe culture are concentrated left of the Warta River (that runs through Poznań and ends, near Kostrzyn, in the Odra [Oder] River), whereas on its right bank the bagpipe only occurs in some districts of the counties Śrem and Środa; Pipers themselves say that "there was no piping fashion anywhere beyond the Ruthenian [i.e. Ukrainian; ws] border"; Sobieska informs us that "Polish piping goes towards the German side*, because there is a Polish piper (Stanisław Bzdęga) in Śmiłowo (county Gostyń)" and that, according to piper Nepomucen Żok in Kaszczor (county Wolsztyn), "The pitch of his [i.e. Bzdęga’s; ws] bagpipe is supposedly like that of entire Wolsztyn, and the repertoire is identical to that of our pipers"; The price of a Dudy was [in the 1930s or 1950s?; ws] between 70 and 100 złoty [today’s rate?; ws]; Recognised masters asked not less than 100 zł.; A Przebierka 12-15 zł., reeds 2-3 zł.; *NB: Because Gostyń has always (excepting 1939-1945, of course) been Polish, it is an enigma to me what Sobieska meant by "German side".

Dudy wielkopolskie

Bas, Jabłko, Koziołek, Mieszek, Pokrowiec, Przebierka, Stroik, Trestka, Wór, ·? (stock: drone [Term not mentioned in available sources])

Dudy bukowsko-kościańskie, Dudy gostyńskie (or gostyńsko-rawickie / rawicko-gostyńskie)