Shawm

The shawm was a Renaissance musical instrument of the woodwind family, made in Europe from the late 13th century until the 17th century. It was developed from the oriental zurna. It is the ancestor of the modern oboe. The shawm was called Schalmei in German, and this word is believed to derive from the Latin calamus, meaning reed or stalk. It is, however, also possible that the name comes from the Arabic salamiya or salameya, a traditional oboe from Egypt, as the European shawm seems to have been developed from similar instruments brought to Europe from the Near East during the time of the Crusades. This is borne out by the very similar names of many folk shawms used as traditional instruments in various European nations, such as the Spanish xirimia, the Portuguese charamela, and the Italian ciaramella.

Related Topics:
Renaissance - Musical instrument - Woodwind - Europe - 13th century - 17th century - Zurna - Oboe - Arabic - Crusades

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The shawm had a long bore which started straight but widened into a conical end, and had a double reed. It produced a loud shrill tone, and was used by military bands during the Crusades, as well as in ordinary life for dancing.

Related Topics:
Conical - Double reed - Military band - Crusades - Dancing

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The rauschpfeife, a closely related instrument, is a capped reed instrument; like the reeds of a bagpipe or crumhorn, the instrument's double reed resides within a windcap and thus the player's mouth does not contact the reed.

Related Topics:
Rauschpfeife - Bagpipe - Crumhorn

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The oboe developed from the shawm in the mid-17th century when the French musicians Jean Hotteterre and Michel Danican Philidor modified it, producing an instrument with a narrower bore and a reed which is held by the player's lips near the end.

Related Topics:
French - Musician - Jean Hotteterre - Michel Danican Philidor

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