Gralla (instrument)

Gralla
Woodwind instrument
A gralla with a detached reed
Other names	Grall de pastor, xaramita, xirimita
Classification	Wind Woodwind Double reed
Hornbostel–Sachs classification	422.12 (Double-reeded aerophone with conical tube.)
Related instruments
Dolçaina Xeremia

The gralla (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈɡɾaʎə]), also known as grall de pastor, xaramita o xirimita, is a traditional Catalan double reed instrument in the shawm family. Like the dolçaina from Valencia - a very similar instrument which many experts consider a variety of the gralla - the gralla comes from the ancient xeremies a medieval instrument largely used until the Baroque. Probably, the name of the instrument comes from its strident sound similar to the sound of a native bird of Catalonia and the north of Spain called gralla too.

The gralla is also very popular because it is the traditional instrument used during the ascencion and descencion of human towers or castells and other traditional festivities. Usually it is played with the timbal, a percussion instrument similar to a drum.

The gralla player is called graller o grallaire

A gralla player or grallaire.

Types

La gralla seca ("dry gralla"): the most simple type without any metallic keys and produces a more hard or strident sound. It is also the more typical type.
La gralla dolça ("sweet gralla"): longer than the others, can have from one to many metallic keys that are used to produce lower and higher notes that the gralla seca can't produce and have also a less strident and more "sweeter" sound.

Components

Closeup of the reeds used in gralles

Cap: in the top of the instrument is where the tudell is inserted with the canya.
Tub: the part between the tudell and the canya or inxa.
Tudell: a conic tube made of metal where the canya is inserted.
Canya o inxa: Formed by two identical reeds made of wood but independent, tied together by a wire.
Cos: the central part of the instrument. A conical wood tube with six gaps in the front side and one in the back.
Campana: the final part that act like an amplifier of the sound and has two gaps in the sides. It is usually covered with metal.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gralles.

Double reed instruments

(also includes those with quadruple and sextuple reeds; does not include bagpipes)

European classical (modern)	Piccolo oboe Piccolo heckelphone Oboe Oboe d'amore Cor anglais (English horn) Bass oboe Heckelphone Lupophon Contrabass oboe Tenoroon Bassoon Semi contrabassoon Contrabassoon Contraforte Contrabassophone Reed contrabass Sarrusophone Rothphone Tromboon

European classical (historical)	Aulos Baroque oboe Bassanello Cornamuse Cromorne Crumhorn Dulcian Hirtenschalmei Kortholt Oboe da caccia Pommer Rackett Rauschpfeife Shawm

African traditional	Algaita Rhaita Zukra

Asian traditional	Balaban Duduk Guan Gyaling Hichiriki Hne Kèn Kèn bầu Kèn đám ma Kuzhal Mizmar Nadaswaram Ottu Pi Piri Shehnai Sundari Sorna Sralai Suona Taepyeongso Tangmuri Zurna/Surnai

European traditional	Aulos Bifora Birbynė Bombard Catalan shawm Dulzaina Graïle Gralla Musette Piffero Sopila Tárogató Zurla Surma-horn

American traditional	Chirimía Trompeta china

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, March 14, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.