OK: maybe I d better explain....
In the opening trailer of the now-defunct series, for a few seconds, there is a folkwind in the soundtrack. I've never been able to completely identify it: could be a bagpipe, could be comething else, definitely a reedwind.
Not that Im a fan of the show or anything, but its just one o' those things thats been buggin me....
There's GOTTA be someone on this forum who has every episode on dvd... anyone got a clue as the mystery instrument's true identity-?
Xena, Warrior Princess
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"Be not deceived by the sweet words of proverbial philosophy. Sugar of lead is a poison."
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Sounds like penicillin is needed.CHasR wrote:yep!
Pretty sure its the Thracian Gaida.
Haven't had a TV in years, you are not making me want one.CHasR wrote:BTW the announcer is the same guy who' s doing those auto insurance commercials, you know, the ones with Little Richard in the kitchen+ the midget on the gas grille...
No problem. You had mentioned the theme so I looked up "Xena theme music" on Google and it reminded me of the music from Conan. I thought that the write up on the show's music was interesting, but then, I have always been a fan of Bruce Campbell and his work.CHasR wrote:THANKS
"Be not deceived by the sweet words of proverbial philosophy. Sugar of lead is a poison."
Ha... you got me.There's GOTTA be someone on this forum who has every episode on dvd... anyone got a clue as the mystery instrument's true identity-?
The bagpipe-like instrument is a gaida, as someone else mentioned. & any time you here a flute-like instrument (other than the usual orchestral flutes & piccolos), it's most likely a kaval. They also used bansuri sometimes as well, & the duduk also, which is a keyless double-reed woodwind. ...might have to get one of those one day!
I bought a kaval once to try to learn to play, but gave up... lack of time & patience, I suppose. It's not easy! It has no windway channel like a whistle does, & creating a sound is quite difficult... at least, it was difficult for me to create any sound for more than a few seconds!
I'm a fan of the film music for this series, especially with its use of instruments other than the usual orchestral ones.
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The gentleman's name that played the music for Xena that you are referring to is Dimiter (Mitko) Konstantinov. He was living in Southern California at the time ( I believe he is now playing music in Las Vegas).
The instruments were indeed the Bulgarian Thracian kaval and the Thracian bagpipes. The bagpipe is made of goatskin turned inside out. The mouthpiece is in the neck hole, the chanter and drone in the two fore-leg holes. The reeds are cane single reeds, one in the chanter and one in the drone. The kaval is an end-blown shephard's flute. The Bulgarian kaval is make in three pieces out of "Dree-yan" (phonetic spelling) wood (a type of cherry, with horn on the mouthpiece and around the sockets.
The kaval has a very weak low register and it is combined (by good players) with the middle register to get a powerful "reedy" low register sound called "kaba" ( ka-bah' ).
I play kaval and had the pleasure of taking some lessons from Mitko around that time.
I believe his wife (a gifted singer) also performed on some of the soundtracks.
...john
The instruments were indeed the Bulgarian Thracian kaval and the Thracian bagpipes. The bagpipe is made of goatskin turned inside out. The mouthpiece is in the neck hole, the chanter and drone in the two fore-leg holes. The reeds are cane single reeds, one in the chanter and one in the drone. The kaval is an end-blown shephard's flute. The Bulgarian kaval is make in three pieces out of "Dree-yan" (phonetic spelling) wood (a type of cherry, with horn on the mouthpiece and around the sockets.
The kaval has a very weak low register and it is combined (by good players) with the middle register to get a powerful "reedy" low register sound called "kaba" ( ka-bah' ).
I play kaval and had the pleasure of taking some lessons from Mitko around that time.
I believe his wife (a gifted singer) also performed on some of the soundtracks.
...john
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They're (famously) the saddest-sounding instrument of any.fluteress wrote:...& the duduk also, which is a keyless double-reed woodwind. ...might have to get one of those one day!
And now there was no doubt that the trees were really moving - moving in and out through one another as if in a complicated country dance. ('And I suppose,' thought Lucy, 'when trees dance, it must be a very, very country dance indeed.')
C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis