The caval is a musical instrument from the group of the woodwinds tools. He is an inseparable companion of the Bulgarian shepherds. It is found in almost all folklore areas, being the most characteristic in Thrace, Ludogorie and Dobruja. It is used as a solo instrument and in folk orchestras and ensembles. It has a soft and pleasant tone.
Origin. Prototypes of the kavala existed before the new era. In ancient times, shepherds used hollow wooden sticks with which they reproduced sound to influence their flocks. It is probably the most primitive wind instrument in the world. Excavations along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers have found similar tools. The difference between the found tools and their modern "fellows" is in the length of the tube and the holes. And the word Kaval is of Turkish origin and means "Long wooden shepherd's whistle for blowing".
More about our folk folklore in the link below:
Folklore collection "Once upon a time - manners and worldview of the Bulgarians"
Kinds. Today we know several types of kaval: RE kaval, DO kaval, B flat kaval, A kaval and MI kaval. The LA kaval is extremely difficult to play because the instrument is much larger than the other types. With him, the starting tone is LA on a major octave. The most commonly used keys are PE, C and B flat.
Device. The caval has a very simple device. It is a long, hollow tube with holes. The upper part has a rounded edge and serves as a mouthpiece. In the middle part there are eight holes, and in the lower part the holes serve as windpipes.
The modern version of the kavala consists of three parts that are assembled. For a better assembly, the lower end of the first and second parts have coils that serve for a good seal. Kaval is most often made from dogwood, boxwood, almond, apricot.
Sound retrieval. To reproduce a sound, the kaval is blown sideways into the mouthpiece. Extraction is extremely difficult and requires very good technique. A vortex should be created in the pipe at an angle of 30 degrees from the mouth and the required tone should be obtained from this. The technique of the so-called chain breathing is also used, where the air circulates freely from the nose in front of the lungs and mouth and creates a feeling of continuous whistling and gurgling of a river. Beginners often need months of hard work to produce a good tone, and in schools teaching kaval it is desirable that students are at least 14 years old. It is believed that for younger children, playing this instrument will cost a lot of effort.
© 2023 Iliana Dechkova