Rauschpfeife
Encyclopedia
The rauschpfeife is a musical instrument
of the woodwind family, originally popular in Europe in the mid-16th Century. In common with the crumhorn
and cornamuse
, it is a wooden double-reed instrument with the reed enclosed in a windcap. The player blows into a slot in the top of the windcap to produce the sound.
Rauschpfeifes differ from crumhorns mainly in the shape of the body, which, like the shawm
, is conical. This design has the consequence that the instrument is exceedingly loud, which made it an appropriate tool for striking fear in the enemy during battle.
The word 'rauschpfeife', in addition to referring to a specific wind instrument, was sometimes used to denote woodwind instruments in general: for example an order placed for instruments by the Nuremberg town council in 1538 indicated a need for 'rauschpfeiffen', but when the order was filled, it included recorders, cornetts, shawms and other instruments, but none specifically named 'rauschpfeife' .
As with many instruments of this period and genre, the rauschpfeife has undergone something of a revival in recent decades; examples are currently being made and played by early music
enthusiasts worldwide.
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
of the woodwind family, originally popular in Europe in the mid-16th Century. In common with the crumhorn
Crumhorn
The crumhorn is a musical instrument of the woodwind family, most commonly used during the Renaissance period. In modern times, there has been a revival of interest in Early Music, and crumhorns are being played again....
and cornamuse
Cornamuse
The cornamuse is a double reed instrument dating from the Renaissance period. It is similar in many ways to the crumhorn and rauschpfeife, although unlike those instruments, the bell of the cornamuse is closed, resulting in a much quieter sound...
, it is a wooden double-reed instrument with the reed enclosed in a windcap. The player blows into a slot in the top of the windcap to produce the sound.
Rauschpfeifes differ from crumhorns mainly in the shape of the body, which, like the shawm
Shawm
The shawm was a medieval and Renaissance musical instrument of the woodwind family made in Europe from the 12th century until the 17th century. It was developed from the oriental zurna and is the predecessor of the modern oboe. The body of the shawm was usually turned from a single piece of wood,...
, is conical. This design has the consequence that the instrument is exceedingly loud, which made it an appropriate tool for striking fear in the enemy during battle.
The word 'rauschpfeife', in addition to referring to a specific wind instrument, was sometimes used to denote woodwind instruments in general: for example an order placed for instruments by the Nuremberg town council in 1538 indicated a need for 'rauschpfeiffen', but when the order was filled, it included recorders, cornetts, shawms and other instruments, but none specifically named 'rauschpfeife' .
As with many instruments of this period and genre, the rauschpfeife has undergone something of a revival in recent decades; examples are currently being made and played by early music
Early music
Early music is generally understood as comprising all music from the earliest times up to the Renaissance. However, today this term has come to include "any music for which a historically appropriate style of performance must be reconstructed on the basis of surviving scores, treatises,...
enthusiasts worldwide.
Modern Performance
- City of Lincoln Waites (The Mayor of Lincoln's own Band of Musick)