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Tulum
(leather)
Maker
- L.Guliyev.
Babek district
(Nahchivan).
1983 |
The
tulum is a leather wind instrument that used to be
quite widespread in Azerbaijan, mainly in Karabakh,
Lachin, Gazakh, Tovuz and Nakhchivan. Now it can be
found mainly in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
Just like the other wind instruments, the tulum dates
to ancient times. Scholars attribute the tulum's appearance
to the beginning of class society. A number of versions
of this instrument were widely used under various
names by the peoples of the Caucasus and by some nations
in the West. The tulum was especially popular among
nomadic tribes engaged in cattle and sheep-herding.
Since
the instrument has a timbre that is similar to that
of the zurna, it is also called a "tulum zurna".
The tulum is made of goatskin or sheepskin that has
been tanned and softened in a special way. The skin
is stripped from the animal as a whole piece. The
skin of two legs is tied together. One of the other
two leg parts is used for filling the instrument with
air by means of an attached pipe, made of bone or
reed, with a plug in the mouth. A pair of tubes are
attached to the other leg part.
The
tubes, which are used for playing the instrument,
are 260-280 mm and have seven apertures. The player
holds the instrument under the left elbow, then slightly
presses the bag filled with air and forces the air
to pass through the tubes. By opening and closing
the apertures with the fingers of both hands, he produces
sounds of the desired pitch. The first tube is used
for producing the melody, and the second one is for
holding the tonic (keynote).
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Tulum
covered with fabric
Maker - A.Kerimov.
Western Azerbaijan Daraleyiz.
1990 |
Since
the instrument has a timbre that is similar to that
of the zurna, it is also called a "tulum zurna".
The tulum is made of goatskin or sheepskin that has
been tanned and softened in a special way. The skin
is stripped from the animal as a whole piece. The
skin of two legs is tied together. One of the other
two leg parts is used for filling the instrument with
air by means of an attached pipe, made of bone or
reed, with a plug in the mouth. A pair of tubes are
attached to the other leg part.
The
tubes, which are used for playing the instrument,
are 260-280 mm and have seven apertures. The player
holds the instrument under the left elbow, then slightly
presses the bag filled with air and forces the air
to pass through the tubes. By opening and closing
the apertures with the fingers of both hands, he produces
sounds of the desired pitch. The first tube is used
for producing the melody, and the second one is for
holding the tonic (keynote).
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