Hornpipe (instrument)

The horn whistle (after English Hornpipe ) in the narrower sense of a historical woodwind, which was spread from the Middle Ages to the 18th century in the British Isles. His tone was generated by a ideoglottes single-reed. The Hornpipe had a cylindrical acoustic tube made ​​of wood, giant reed or bone, were drilled in the handle holes. At the lower end of the sound tube, a resonance funnel made ​​of animal horn was attached, after which the instrument takes its name. The tube sheet at the upper end could be covered by a wind-cap horn (or wood). The sound was powerful and slightly rounder than single-reed instruments without a bell.

After the instrument of dance hornpipe is named, probably because it was originally accompanied by hornpipes.

In a broader sense, all single-reed instruments are designated with a horn horn horn as a whistle. This type was common not only in Britain but throughout Europe. Since the Early Modern Period the distribution area fell sharply.

Dissemination

As received from the British hornpipes the instruments in Scotland and Wales have the longest (see Pibgorn ), the Hornpipe many to be typical Celtic. In fact, were and are horn pipes used in many regions and cultures. Up to the present, the following instruments have received:

• Albogue (Spain)
• Alboka ( Basque Country )
• Bena cun Corru ( Sardinia)
• Caramèra / Caramère ( Gascony)
• Gajdica (Slovakia )
• Magruna / Zam ( a) r (North Africa)
• Pku (Armenia )
• Ragelis (Lithuania )
• Rischok (Ukraine )
• Schaleika (Russia)

The Welsh Pibgorn was revived in the 20th century, the Lithuanian Birbynė is an evolution of traditional Ragelis.

History

The horn pipes belong to the single-reed instrument, whose history can be traced back to ancient Egypt.

The oldest representation of a horn whistle comes from the Minoan period ( mid- 2nd millennium BC) of Crete. On a sarcophagus of Hagia Triada, a player is shown with a double aulos, where one of the pipes game has a horn flare. The two about arm-length tubes are kept at the same level, almost horizontally.

A representation of the Hallstatt period comes from Százhalombatta (Hungary ), part of the eastern Hallstatt circle. A Figurine ( 6th century BC ) is a person who plays two horn pipes in V- position. Again, the game tubes are held almost horizontally. The left tube play this " Hallstatt Aulos " is about a quarter longer than the right. The right tube has at least arm's length. The game tubes are inserted into the hollow curvature of the horns, about one-third of the horn length in front of the horn tip.

In the Greek and Etruscan reed instruments of the classical period no horn essays are known. In the Roman Empire, the tibia is elaborately developed (including with silver rings for opening and closing finger holes, sound tubes of metal or ivory). In the Phrygian tibia both match tubes are of different lengths and have different numbers of finger holes. One of the tubes (usually the left ) is provided with a elymos mentioned horn flare. Sometimes also the pipe end is bent upwards and runs into a small wooden funnel.

From the early Middle Ages are missing, but since the high Middle Ages are preforming the still preserved horn pipes tangible. The earliest literary mention of Pibgorns can be found in the laws of Howell the Good, which were written 940-950 AD. The term was first used in Albogue Libro de Alexandre from the 13th century.

In the archaeological finds only play pipes or fragments thereof are often obtained. The demarcation of simple Chalumeaux (without horn flare ) or bagpipes ( with horn -whistle game tube) is often not to meet with security. It is also not obtained reed or visible on a map, so that the single reeds are deduced from the comparison to recent instruments and from game experiments on reconstructed instruments.

Specifically, nearly a dozen finds of game tubes with flattened or rectangular cross-section from the North and Baltic Seas to call ( the 11th century to the early 13th century ). You have three to seven finger holes, which are often placed in square holes. In between, there produce webs or square faces, which are decorated with notches (crossed or parallel patterns ). At three finds horn flare are obtained. Most of the finds at one or both ends of pins, what horn and wind capsules could be fixed ( made ​​of horn / wood, possibly as a connector to air bag a bagpipe ).

Best known are finds from Achlum (undated ), Lund (undated ) and Falster (2nd half of the 11th century - " Falsterpiben "). Was widespread that the type also in southern Europe, are illustrations in the Spanish Cantigas de Santa Maria ( around 1300 AD), a mural in Pouzauges from the 12th century, as well as a sculpture double instrument Jugazan (12th century). These instruments have a strong resemblance to the Caremera from Gascony and the Pibgorn. Mentioned are also representations with a wind-cap of horn and no horn ( Champvoux, 12th century; Sainte- Engrace, 12th century).

In the early modern period, the single reed instruments were not initially included in the upcoming court orchestras or orchestras ( Chalumeau and clarinet only since 18-19. Century). This was their spread in most parts of Europe back strong. The Scottish national poet Robert Burns (1759-1796) had to search long for a copy of the Scottish horn whistle. This " Stock and Horn " said instrument was played with a loose reed that was held with the lips inside the sound tube. see Chifla de Campoo. The Pibgorn was played at the beginning of the 19th century, only on the Welsh island of Anglesey and became extinct in the late 19th century.

Today, the horn pipes, where they were maintained or revived, become ( Basque Country, Wales, Lithuania) to sign regional awareness. In the course of experimental archeology also acquires the music on reconstructed ancient instruments meaning.