Fujara
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The fujara is a large folk shepherd's fipple flute of unique design, originating from Slovakia. It is technically a contrabass version in the Tabor pipe class, see Pipe and Tabor or Picco pipe. Typically it is 150-170 cm long, tuned in G (A and F are other possible variations). It has three tone holes located on the lower part of the main body. Even though on almost all fujaras the fundamental frequency can be played,[1] the normal playing technique is based on overblowing the instrument, and because of its size the overtones enable the ability to play a diatonic scale using only three tone holes. The sound is produced by a fipple on the upper end of the main body of the fujara. The air is led to the fipple by a smaller parallel pipe, called a "vzduchovod" (Slovak for "air channel"), mounted on the main body of the instrument. This smaller parallel pipe enables the player to reach the three tone holes. The fujara is played standing, with the instrument held vertically, usually braced against the right thigh.
The atypical design provides for a deep, meditative timbre. Ornaments are traditionally added to the base melodies, which usually occur in the mixolydian mode. Two common types of ornaments are prefuk (a rapid overblow of one note, from the Slovak: prefukovať, to overblow) and rozfuk (a descending cascade of overtones, from the Slovak: rozfúkať, "to scatter").
Traditionally, the fujara was played for recreation, usually by shepherds. Today though, the fujara has moved from the fields to the stage at folklore festivals in Východná and Detva, both towns in Slovakia. The instrument has also left Slovakia and is played all over the world, especially in Western Europe and North America. Despite this, the fujara has yet to gain popularity or become well-known outside of Slovakia. It is known in North America and Western Europe among esoteric groups of "native flute" players. Most often the fujara is a solo instrument, but ensembles of two or three fujaras have been known to exist, such as the famous Kubinec Family (Juraj, Martin, and František) or the "Javorová húzva" Fujara Trio: Michal Fiľo, Daniel Mudrák, and Ján Kulfas.
The fujara was included in the UNESCO list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2005.[2]
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[edit] See also
- Tabor pipe for other 3-hole folk flutes
- Willow flute for another overtone-based folk flute
- Koncovka, another Slovakian overtone flute
- Kalyuka, Russian overtone flute
[edit] References
- ^ "Fujara fingering technique". http://www.fujara.sk/play/fingering_technique.htm. Retrieved on 2006-09-28.
- ^ Smeets, Rieks (2006). "The Fujara and its Music". Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. UNESCO. p. 86. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001473/147344e.pdf. Retrieved on 2008-07-01.
UNESCO has also provided a web page showing information about the fujara, but it "has no official status":- Minasyan, Anahit (2006-03-24). "Proclamation 2005: "The Fujara and its Music"". Slovakia - Information related to Intangible Cultural Heritage. UNESCO. http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php?cp=SK. Retrieved on 2008-07-01.
[edit] Further reading
- Eischek, Oskár (2006). Fujara: The Slovak Queen of European Flutes. Bratislava: Hudobné centrum. ISBN 978-80-88884-91-0.
[edit] External links
- www.fujara.sk, also contains samples
- www.fujara.ch, also contains samples
- www.fujara.name, also contains samples
- www.fujara.ru, contains video and audio
- ASZA.com: Fujara - Photo and description
- Gateway to Fujara Groups - Audio, Photo, Drawings, Links
- Fujara page
- Fujara Players at The Craftmen's Days by ULUV
- Modern PVC Fujara
