Paint St James Church, early morning

Our Lady - New messages

Banner Hotel Pervan
Banner Restaurant Kulluk Mostar
Banner Psihološko savjetovalište Pro Mente, Sandra Jovanović
Banner Wizzard.TOP - Wizzard.Top - Room / Apartment / Villa / Pansion / Hotel / Motel booking
Banner Motel Villa Polonia

Sopila

Parent Category: Croatian national treasure   Category: Croatian musical instruments   Hits: 1911

User Rating: 5 / 5

Star ActiveStar ActiveStar ActiveStar ActiveStar Active
 

Sopila

The sopila (or roženica, as a similar instrument is called in Istria) is an old traditional instrument similar to today’s oboe. It has been preserved in the areas of Kvarner, Kastav, Vinodol, and on the island of Krk.

The sopila is a descendant of the old European shawm, an instrument that developed near the end of the Middle Ages and whose main characteristics were double reeds and a conical bore along the entire instrument. This primitive instrument disappeared completely from European music around 1700, when it was replaced by the much more refined oboe. The old shawm was still to be found here and there in Europe, but only as a folk instrument (e.g. in the Swiss Alps, in Abruzzi, Italy, where it is called the piffero, and, of course, in Istria and the Kvarner region of Croatia).

SOPILA THE SOPILA (OR ROŽENICA, AS A SIMILAR INSTRUMENT IS CALLED IN ISTRIA) IS AN OLD TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENT SIMILAR TO TODAY’S OBOE. IT HAS BEEN PRESERVED IN THE AREAS OF KVARNER, KASTAV, VINODOL, AND ON THE ISLAND OF KRK. THE SOPILA IS A DESCENDANT OF THE OLD EUROPEAN SHAWM, AN INSTRUMENT THAT DEVELOPED NEAR THE END OF THE MIDDLE AGES AND WHOSE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS WERE DOUBLE REEDS AND A CONICAL BORE ALONG THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT. THIS PRIMITIVE INSTRUMENT DISAPPEARED COMPLETELY FROM EUROPEAN MUSIC AROUND 1700, WHEN IT WAS REPLACED BY THE MUCH MORE REFINED OBOE. THE OLD SHAWM WAS STILL TO BE FOUND HERE AND THERE IN EUROPE, BUT ONLY AS A FOLK INSTRUMENT (E.G. IN THE SWISS ALPS, IN ABRUZZI, ITALY, WHERE IT IS CALLED THE PIFFERO, AND, OF COURSE, IN ISTRIA AND THE KVARNER REGION OF CROATIA).

Sopila


The characteristic features of the sopila are double reeds and a conical bore made of wood. The parts of sopila are: reed, the špulet, the pipe and the krilo (side). There are large and small, or thick and thin, sopilas. They are always played in pairs.

Sopila players play the instrument on three occasions. Its first and most significant role was to play it with the tanac on Sundays and holidays when young people gathered on the square or in front of the church after the evening mass. While playing, sopila players would stamp the ground with their feet, giving rhythm to themselves and the dancers. They sometimes put a wooden board under their feet, so that the sound would be stronger.

The second reason for playing the sopila was at weddings. The third one was playing in church. For this purpose the sopila was specially tuned for one-part playing. Sopila players would play during for the duration of the Mass and during processions (e.g. for Corpus Christi).

Sopila players were always highly respected and pairs of sopila players were often remembered for their virtuosity and style of playing.
Although it is a quite simple instrument, the sopila has interesting possibilities and a very powerful sound. The sopila is an instrument that is very much alive, even today in the folklore of the Kvarner region and on the island of Krk.
 

© 2014 Studio Leonardo. All Rights Reserved.

All prices are in USD.

S E A R C H

Loading

Donate to Medjugorje I would like to thank you sincerely for your trust and support on the past of 2015. I wish you and your family and friends a God bless You and a prosperous ,peaceful and most of all healthy all years . Please consider supporting our efforts in Medjugorje. Make your donation to Our Lady’s work. Thank You.

Amount:


2Checkout.com is a worldwide leader in online payment services

The_Medjugorje.pro and webMedjugorje.com with 2Checkout.com, Inc. is an authorized retailer of goods and services provided by Medjugorje.pro and webMedjugorje.com  & Studio Leonardo . ) accept Visa, MasterCard, JCB, Diners, American express, Discovery and PayPal. All information you submit is secure  (https: protocol) .