Middle-East Instrument

[Matheous-2]

Can anyone name this haunting wind instrument which is slightly similar to our clarinet, though much more soulful and expressive. Often heard in documentaries and some films....
Thank you

[Peter Pedant]

middle eastern instrument.....

you mean in songs like Dusty's memorable

Bang ! Bang! they shot me dead......

and Boom Banga Bang ! which wasnt dusty but is still nevertheless memorable.

[Frank97]

A Zurna, perhaps.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zurna

[Octavius]

......

"Flutes have been played for thousands of years in the Middle Eastern countries. The ancient shepherd's pastoral calling instrument was the high pitched Kavala (Arabic) or Kawala (Turkish). It is a reed pipe played like a flute.

The nay (ney), its close cousin, another reed instrument, has a breathy, haunting quality often used for the spiritual music of the whirling derwish or mervlana. The two often exchange in call-and-response interplay in the orchestra.

The arghool is a double reed pipe and is much louder. The mizmar is a wooden horn capable of producing incredibly loud folkoric 'calling' sounds, and is often accompanied by the tabul drum in processions, as both are easy to walk with. weddings, festivals and feasts are heralded with the mizmar."

[Matheous-2]

From your description Octavius -sounds like it could be the 'Nay'......Maybe a link to a sound byte or sample would clarify and be conclusive.
I will google that,-thanks

[Octavius]

There are youtube clips for 'ney' the alt spealling.

[Aquariel]

Octavius may be right, but you might also want to check out the shakuhachi instrument as well, although it is Japanese and I've heard it on many TV soundtracks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakuhachi

[Matheous-2]

Just checked YTube- using the word 'ney' and that's not the one! The ney is more akin to the whistle. What I heard is closer to our clarinet- with more 'soul'.

[jno]

maybe?

[Octavius]

Do you have any clips of the tune you are thinking of? It could just be a clarinet in a different key e.g. Turkish, Arabian, Persian, Klezmer, Gipsy........

[Matheous-2]

Jno- I'm afraid no.....and for the benefit of all who have tried to help- In the morning I will use Shazam app on my iPad to see if it recognises the instrument in question. The reason for doing this in the morning is when I have a quiet house to do so- the app doesn't work if there is any extraneous sounds going on at the same time.

[Gromit]

Lira.

[Matheous-2]

Found it!


Absolutely beautiful piece of music! -The instrument is apparently Armenian!!

[Matheous-2]

Forgot to add- the instrument is a DUDUK....

[Matheous-2]

This particular piece is from the documentary "Samsara" which is well worth watching although some scenes might be considered disturbing for young children. Some stunning time-lapse scenes in it too and good background music.
A very thought provoking well made film. The above music is titled "Sayat Nova" by Djivan Gasparyan (available in iTunes)