Double clarinet

Zummara (Arabic زمارة, DMG zummara ) is used mainly in Egypt, North Africa and Iraq designation for a doubled tube pipe, which is one of the single-reed instruments. In the Levant appropriate instruments Midschwiz be called. The instrument is used in Arab folk music and music in the Islamic Middle East.

Design

The instrument is about 50 cm long and has two parallel pipes melody of bamboo or giant reed, which are connected to each other. In each tube six holes are drilled four to (frequent ) that are played in unison. The costs arising from slightly different pitches beats amplify the sound. In Egypt, one of the two sound tubes are used as Bordunrohr (without finger holes ).

Etymology and history

The name is derived from the Arabic root zmr consonants, as well as mizmar (also ZAMR, Pl zumūr ), an Arabian double reed instrument and originally a general term for wind instruments. Zummara al - qirba says a bagpipe with a leather hose. Zummara also means " throat ", " throat " or " windpipe", generally refers to the process of zmr inhalation and exhalation. About the earlier in time made ​​from donkey skin bellows bagpipe results in the association with the donkey cry when the instrument is blown. There is also a relationship from the Arabic zmr for Latin form summarius, " burro ", " beast of burden ". Presumably it came to the linguistic classification more on the function and not on the type of tone, because zmr can also designate stringed instruments. Been preserved here is the mental connection to the donkey in his role as " strings carrier " nor with the Turkish bowed instrument Kemençe, whose web esek ( for " donkey " Turkish ) is called.

Precursor of zummara are in Egypt since the third dynasty of ancient Egypt (2700 BC) occupied .. The history of this Memet mentioned instruments, see the article on the ancient reed instrument aulos. A similar instrument with two different lengths of pipes is the Egyptian Arghul.