Trembita
Encyclopedia
The trembita is a Ukrainian alpine horn made of wood.
Used primarily by mountain dwellers known as Hutsuls
in the Carpathians. It was used as a signaling device to announce deaths, funerals, weddings.
The tube is made from a long straight piece of pine or spruce
(preferably one that has been struck by lightning). This is split in two in order to carve out the core section. The sections are once again joined together and then wrapped in lime
bark. It is also used by shepherds for signaling and communication in the forested mountains, and for guiding sheep and dogs. The trembita produces sounds altogether different from those of the Alpenhorn.
The trembita has no lateral openings and therefore gives the pure natural harmonic series
of the open pipe. The harmonics are the more readily obtained by reason of the small diameter of the bore in relation to the length.
The notes of the natural harmonic series overlap, but do not exactly correspond, to notes found in the familiar chromatic scale in standard Western equal temperament
. Most prominently within the trembita's range, the 7th and 11th harmonics are particularly noticeable, because they fall between adjacent notes in the chromatic scale.
In the hands of a skilled composer or arranger, the natural harmonics can be used to haunting melancholy effect or, by contrast, to create a charming pastoral flavor.
Trembita showed in 2004 Eurovision Song Contest by the Ukrainian
winner of contest Ruslana Lyzhichko during the performance of song
Wild Dances
.
Today it is often used in Ukrainian ethnographic ensembles and as an episodic instrument in the Ukrainian folk instrument orchestra.
Used primarily by mountain dwellers known as Hutsuls
Hutsuls
Hutsuls are an ethno-cultural group of Ukrainian highlanders who for centuries have inhabited the Carpathian mountains, mainly in Ukraine, the northern extremity of Romania .-Etymology:...
in the Carpathians. It was used as a signaling device to announce deaths, funerals, weddings.
The tube is made from a long straight piece of pine or spruce
Spruce
A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea , a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal regions of the earth. Spruces are large trees, from tall when mature, and can be distinguished by their whorled branches and conical...
(preferably one that has been struck by lightning). This is split in two in order to carve out the core section. The sections are once again joined together and then wrapped in lime
Lime (fruit)
Lime is a term referring to a number of different citrus fruits, both species and hybrids, which are typically round, green to yellow in color, 3–6 cm in diameter, and containing sour and acidic pulp. Limes are a good source of vitamin C. Limes are often used to accent the flavors of foods and...
bark. It is also used by shepherds for signaling and communication in the forested mountains, and for guiding sheep and dogs. The trembita produces sounds altogether different from those of the Alpenhorn.
The trembita has no lateral openings and therefore gives the pure natural harmonic series
Harmonic series (music)
Pitched musical instruments are often based on an approximate harmonic oscillator such as a string or a column of air, which oscillates at numerous frequencies simultaneously. At these resonant frequencies, waves travel in both directions along the string or air column, reinforcing and canceling...
of the open pipe. The harmonics are the more readily obtained by reason of the small diameter of the bore in relation to the length.
The notes of the natural harmonic series overlap, but do not exactly correspond, to notes found in the familiar chromatic scale in standard Western equal temperament
Equal temperament
An equal temperament is a musical temperament, or a system of tuning, in which every pair of adjacent notes has an identical frequency ratio. As pitch is perceived roughly as the logarithm of frequency, this means that the perceived "distance" from every note to its nearest neighbor is the same for...
. Most prominently within the trembita's range, the 7th and 11th harmonics are particularly noticeable, because they fall between adjacent notes in the chromatic scale.
In the hands of a skilled composer or arranger, the natural harmonics can be used to haunting melancholy effect or, by contrast, to create a charming pastoral flavor.
Trembita showed in 2004 Eurovision Song Contest by the Ukrainian
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
winner of contest Ruslana Lyzhichko during the performance of song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
Wild Dances
Wild Dances
Wild Dances is a 2004 studio album by the Ukrainian singer and winner of the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest Ruslana. The album has been certified 7x platinum in Ukraine, selling 700,000+ copies.-Track listing:Basic album...
.
Today it is often used in Ukrainian ethnographic ensembles and as an episodic instrument in the Ukrainian folk instrument orchestra.
Similar instruments
- AlphornAlphornThe alphorn or alpenhorn or alpine horn is a labrophone, consisting of a natural wooden horn of conical bore, having a wooden cup-shaped mouthpiece, used by mountain dwellers in Switzerland and elsewhere...
, used by mountain dwellers in SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and elsewhere. - BuciumBuciumThe bucium is a type of alphorn used by mountain dwellers in Romania. Of Dacian origin, it was used in the principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia as signaling devices in military conflicts. The word is derived from Latin bucinum, originally meaning "curved horn", an instrument used by the Romans...
, a type of alphornAlphornThe alphorn or alpenhorn or alpine horn is a labrophone, consisting of a natural wooden horn of conical bore, having a wooden cup-shaped mouthpiece, used by mountain dwellers in Switzerland and elsewhere...
used by mountain dwellers in RomaniaRomaniaRomania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.