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The Tsabouna (sometimes spelled Tsampouna
or Tsambouna) is a Greek wind instrument over 2000 years old, made
of goatskin. It is inflated from one end, and while the musician
blows from the mouthpiece, he plays the flute located at the other
end of the instrument. While resembling a bagpipe with a single
reed, it cannot be classified among either bagpipes with a fixed
drone nor those which are solely melodic.
Given its restrictive
characteristics, the Tsampouna is a difficult instrument to master,
requiring considerable skill to make it musically interesting, as
only 6 notes can be played. Today, it is still played on the many
islands of Greece, and always elicits singing and dancing. |
