Graïle

Graile ( mask, Graile with article lo, even graulhe ) is the Occitan name for the area of the Monts de Lacaune ( Tarn ) spread shawm.

Description

The double reed instrument is between 47-53 cm long. The sound tube usually consists of three parts. It is turned out of the book and has a conical inner bore. The ends of the sections are edged with characteristic reinforcements made ​​of horn. The upper end of the instrument terminates in a plate-shaped Pirouette. Therein, the caramela is attached called reed. The connection between the middle piece and the bell is much thickened, the horn is wide open. The Graile has seven finger holes on the front. The bottom may be offset to the right or left in order to be more easily palpable.

History

The instrument is close to the shawm, from which in the Baroque period, the oboe has developed. Written records for " Hautbois " instruments referred to are in the area of ​​distribution of the Graile from the 18th century. Received copies date from the second half of the 19th and early 20th century. Until the beginning of the First World War, the instrument for accompaniment of dance and weddings in the mentioned region was highly valued, but afterwards supplanted by other wind instruments and the accordion. Since the 1980s, it was revived.

Terminology

The word Graile is related to the Catalan Gralla. Both probably goes on late Latin Gracula back that originates from the Latin graculus " Jackdaw ," and would thus " croaking " refer to the sound of the double-reed instruments.

Graile called the chanter of the spread in the Montagne Noire bagpipe, the bodega or craba is called.

Related instruments

The Graile is related to traditional shawm in adjacent areas of distribution: the Hautbois du Languedoc ( Autbòi or Aboès ) and the Tarota, just as there are similarities with Bombard and Ciaramella and the Oriental cone oboes. Another Occitan shawm is the Clarin.

Swell

• Daniel LODDO: Lo Graile e los grailaires: Hautbois et joueurs de haut bois des montagnes du Tarn, de l' Herault et du Sud - Aveyron. In: Luc CHARLES - DOMINIQUE & Pierre LAURENCE (eds. ): Les bois skin populaires: anches doubles, enjeux multiple. Edition modal, Saint- Jouin -de- Milly 2002, ISBN 2-910432-32-7, pp. 76-91.

• Sonaires d ' Oc. Retrieved on 19 April 2010.

• Francesc Rius: The Gralla and its origin. Accessed on April 19, 2010 (PDF, 1.0 MB, English).