Rozhok
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The rozhok (Template:Langx) is an ancient Russian wooden trumpet, a relative of the cornett, which has remained in continuous use until the present day.<ref>Baines A. (1967) Woodwind Instruments and their History</ref>
Names
A rozhok can be called be various names: shepherd's horn (Template:Langx), Russian horn (Template:Langx), or song horn (Template:Langx). A popular variant is (Template:Langx, Vladimirskiy rozhok, "Vladimir horn"), due to the success of a chorus of rozhok players under the leadership of Nikolai Vasilyevich Kondratyev from the Vladimir region.<ref>Энциклопедия музыкальных инструментов - Владимирский Рожок Template:In lang</ref>
Structure
A rozhok is a conical straight tube with the six playing holes: five on top and one underneath. The total length of a rozhok ranges from 320 to 830 mm (13" to 33"). A mouthpiece is cut in the form of a small cup, and the lower end of the tube is shaped like a conical bell. A rozhok is usually made of birch (mostly birch bark), maple, or juniper. In the past they were made in two halves fastened together with birch bark; today they are turned.<ref>Владимирский Рожок на Spacenation.infoTemplate:Dead link Template:In lang</ref> The sound of a rozhok is strong, but mellow, having a range of about an octave, or a little more. There are several types of rozhoks: the shortest one, having the highest sound is called vizgunok (squeaker), typically in F# or G; the longest and thus the lowest one is called bas (bass), in F# or G an octave below, while a mid-size instrument is called a polubasok (half-bass), typically in C. It is polubasok instruments that are most frequently used for solo playing. Rozhok ensembles usually consist of just vizgunok and bas instruments in the ratio 2:1 (twice as many high-pitched horns).
Varieties
As of 2015, rozhok ensembles exist in Moscow,<ref>МОСКОВСКИЙ ХОР РОЖЕЧНИКОВ</ref> Vladimir<ref>Ансамбль "Владимирские рожечники"</ref> and Nerekhta.<ref>Народный коллектив фольклорный ансамбль "Нерехтские рожечники"</ref>
See also
References
External links
- Sound sample
- An article in Russian and photos
- A video documentary about Vladimirskiy Rozhok - from a series "Странствия музыканта" by Sergey Starostin Template:In lang