Meet The Instruments #5: Shawm

[@davelovesdrums]

So, my dad is Catholic and every Christmas we used to go to church and sing Christmas carols and there was this guy who used to SHRED the Shawm during Hark The Herald Angels Sing and it was just such a fantastic sound. Heard so many performances of that carol but nothing beats my dad's church and that dude with the Shawm. More choirs should have Shawms! Fact!

[@blazeelvirafirehoof7844]

I would love to see a video of the Shawm man.

[@davelovesdrums]

@@blazeelvirafirehoof7844 I wish I had one!

[@macbird-lt8de]

what kind of loser doesn’t own two shawms minimum are you guys poor or just broke?

[@visayanmissnanny2.076]

@@macbird-lt8desorry, your Grace, we are but mere peasants and low class city dwellers and can’t afford such luxuries that you have from thine parents

[@rickwilliams967]

Isn't it messed up how if you hear children and Catholic in the same sentence, it's completely terrifying?

[@A.Person.Who.Exists]

Oldboe.

[@greghenrikson952]

The shawm isn't just the ancestor of the oboe--it's the demon heart of bagpipes! Once unleashed it feeds on the souls of the unworthy and cracks the very earth. It shreds eardrums with decibel levels on par with Manowar.

[@LesNouvelle-Angleterreur]

Now I believe you're deeply wrong, the Bagpipe, is deeply a harmonious example of the humans need to always evolve. It's an attempt at the one man band, the solo act, the most cost efficient way to lead your army! Beautiful green rolling hills of Ireland is where Uillean pipes echo softly with the company of banjo reels and fiddled jigs inside packed pubs. The highest reaches of Britannia cry with the spirit of the Great Highland pipes, the staple image of the Scottish culture. The most famous of the subset of woodwinds- it has the loudest drones and chanter and takes years of just chanter practice before many even get bagpipes themselves. Irish War pipes, which we sadly have no surviving physical version, it can be seen presented in early 15th century artworks accompanying Irish Kerns into battle. Somewhat reminiscent of the following. German Medieval bagpipes, really only as old as the 60s or 70s, these beautiful wood carved works of art are used in most fantasy films. Greece and Bulgaria have their own more raw looking and ancient version of the bagpipe, usually associated with the countryman or farmer. This beautiful buzzing instrument has a more beautiful and vocal quality to it and truly keeps a room in a solom attentive trance. Bagpipes are very much prone to sounding like the cries of the banshee who's turn led to the sea, but wasn't everyone with their first plastic recorder, or their hand me down acoustic guitar?

[@Tassie-Devil]

I (think I) hear what you're really saying ;-) Bagpipes (in the many forms) are what they are, and we lovers... love them. I'm partial to the Uilleann Pipes myself, but enjoy them all, even back to the ancient Macedonian pipes played by sheep-herds. The original Scottish bagpipes were arguably designed as a weapon of war... but like so many things can be used for peaceful purposes and enjoyed. The shawm has a delightful sound, especially in multi-part as this lady demonstrates. I can see myself dancing to this sound, as a predecessor to the Bush Dance.

[@hansmemling2311]

@padraigmaclochlainn8866 Even Spain and Italy have historically used bagpipes in some folk music.

[@SirDamned]

It's a good feeling when you finally find what that particular instrument is that has haunted me in Renaissance and medieval period music. Especially adding in all those different sizes and lengths it all made sense.

[@icegoddess1308]

This and the crumhorn

[@fishgarden7784]

What a gorgeous and haunting instrument!!!!

[@GreenMatthews]

Thank you so much. xx

[@ythenamezezima]

Very cool, playing a Bard in DND and this is an instrument choice that I had no idea about.

[@jacksonsherrill9484]

Yo same

[@ythenamezezima]

@@jacksonsherrill9484 Haha, sweet.

[@rebaa2175]

I'm also here as a warlock with a musical instrument proficiency

[@jamiebrown1821]

lol same here. I'm trying to find the most ridiculous looking instrument.

[@turtlemop8712]

Lmao that’s why we’re all here

[@admiralsananda]

I've had this song stuck in my head for at least 20 years.

[@philipgregorysougles1744]

I can't describe the emotions this music creates on me, I love travelling but the travels of soul are the sweetest.

[@samwhary5498]

Not only did I get to learn what this was, but you even played such a beautiful song for me with it. For that you have my thanks. :)

[@PaisleyPatchouli]

Fantastic playing. There is nothing quite as moving as the skirl of a full consort of shawms blasting out the sounds you might have heard at a Renaissance tourney or wedding. In fact, my brother and I used to play for Renaissance themed weddings (it was a thing briefly back in the 70s). I had a budding personal collection of krummhorns, shawms, recorders (of course), a bass rackett, a cornemuse, rauschpfeife, a couple sets of bagpipes including a lovely set of gaita gallega (Spain), and several gemshorns, which latter I actually learned to make very good quality examples of, using steer horn, and I used to trade them to local music shops to fund my various acquisitions of other instruments. I had a 7 course renaissance lute custom built, also a very nice Wittmayer harpsichord, and then of course all my modern instruments like classical guitar, Fender bass, Strats, Spanish guitar, all kinds of drums and percussion, a 16 track home recording studio (tape of course), and on and on. In the 70s there were several 'prog' bands that used various early music instruments such as krummhorns, lutes, harpsichord, rebec, bassoon, recorders, bagpipes, hurdy gurdy, mixed with modern instruments. Some of these bands were Amazing Blondel, Gryphon, and Gentle Giant. (You can find their stuff here on YT.) I played in groups like this that mixed electric instruments with all manner of historic and ethnic instruments. You would not believe how difficult it was to get a live mix onstage with all of these disparate sound sources... Also you wouldn't believe how difficult it was just to find many of these instruments to buy. No internet, so you basically had to travel or know people that travelled a lot, attend workshops, not to mention have the funds at hand... ;) I've been involved in early music and ethno music since around 1972, over 50 years! It never gets old!

[@simplykatebush]

I’m working on bringing back that Renaissance prog rock band with new songs beyond my Kate Busb tribute . Having worked as an early music soprano I went rogue over to tbe dark side 😂Can’t beat prog rock with period instruments and a clear soprano voice that can also belt out a rock scream. 😉

[@gregmonks]

Why do I keep expecting the barkeep from the Green Dragon to pop out with a tray o' ale and serve Frodo and his friends?

[@DDickinson458]

That was great. I always wondered what instrument made that sound in Medieval English music and now I know! I need one!

[@kavikv.d.hexenholtz3474]

Add a bag and some drones and you have a bagpipe. A lot of medieval style German pipes you can get today will have an extra piece that allows you to attach the blowpipe to the chanter to make a shawm.

[@ThatRandomFastingGuy]

Incredible instrument. What a beautiful sound

[@julianpetkov8320]

This instrument is so funny but you made it so pleasant to the ear. To me it sounds like a duck call trying to be a bagpipe. Maybe it is just me. I enjoyed it so much. Thank you. ❤😀

[@maxbrunette1737]

wow i just found this channel how is that possible!!!!

[@JuliaGarbe1]

Love this sound! Thanks for sharing! Such a high quality video

[@Cognosapien]

I expected this to sound more like an oboe, but I'm really hearing more resemblance to the saxophone!

[@grafdp]

Now that you say it! wow

[@camthesaxman3387]

It sounds somewhere between an oboe and a saxophone.

[@patrickcannady2066]

Stick a wind cap on that shawm, tie it into a bag with a blow stick and one or more drone pipes and you have a bagpipe.

[@looeyt4767]

That was soooo cool - thanx a lot for popping this bit on

[@greasylimpet3323]

Fascinating instruments and you play them very well.

[@josecidbalcazar7865]

Bravoo !!!😍🎶

[@soldier660]

This is become one of my favorites Instruments ^^ !!! Thank you : ) !!!

[@noobcuber2911]

Strange coincidence - I came here after listening to Blackmore's Night, wanting to find out more about the shawm. And what do I hear but the tune that their song "Play Minstrel Play" is based on? Excellent video

[@steventama9552]

I was searching for musical instruments used in renaissance era and glad I found this video. Thanks!

[@Fellow_Traveller1985]

Check out the Crumhorn, it's my favorite consort instrument.

[@QJSquall]

Mine as well, man! :D

[@michaelhalsall5684]

I assume there are people who are now making these instruments nowadays. Strangely in an attempt to create new musical sounds musicians are experimenting with medieval instrument in modern music. There is now a musical genre called Bardcore where modern rock songs are re-interpreted on medieval instruments.

[@felixmarques]

The sound is gorgeous, and your playing of those harmonizing parts is beautiful!

[@felixbd4402]

Just discovered this channel. Wonderful stuff :)

[@waldenhouse]

Loved playing the Shawm and Crumhorn when at Music College. Super instruments!

[@ElaineSmith-h9o]

Lovely piece of music! Thank you so much.

[@stephielulu9096]

Gosh, that's a massive alto! 🫢 Love it!

[@macbird-lt8de]

scared to see the contrabass version like a full grown redwood

[@jcook2258]

Wow! I started off doing a little enquiry into military music - pipes and drums. Not that I'm into it at all, but who'd have thought while you were putting the video together "two years ago|" it says, that we, the world would find ourselves where we currently are. - Oct 9, 2023. The enquiry evolved out of my perception that a fellow guitar jammer was in effect, weaponizing his instrument by playing so "freakin' loud" no one else can hear themselves. He happens to have his musical beginnings and is still largely involved in Drum 'n Bugle Corps along with being a Bagpiper. I have evolved from a "music is the universal language" orientation, a bit of a peace-nik hippy child -Let the love flow and grow soul. This had me in tears. Thanksgiving Day in Canada. I am so grateful we are still in control of how we use our instruments, resources, gifts and abilities to the degree that we are. Thanks for sharing yours - even to the commenters . . shredding the Shawm, I'll not forget . . .in a Catholic churc. These are the cool things about tolerance, diversity and inclusion. We all come from someplace "different," and its such a gift to see and hear things differently. No money needed to exchange hands to make this any richer an experience than its been. Groovy man!

[@Stunningpromotions]

Amazing love it

[@andreamonk3464]

Beautiful playing in a buoyant compound time Signature...fantastic. thank you

[@Supersly666]

That was awesome, thank you!

[@ShawnTheBriggs]

Fantastic instrument

[@georgechatzitakis-yf4my]

Ι am once more impressed and actually I know this song! I sang it as a member of my primary school choir in Greece. ..and I didn't know French, so it was all about learning the words by heart

[@gaius_enceladus]

Wonderful! Very warm and rich sound!

[@modusx1]

It's wonderful, it's like being transported back to the Middle Ages.

[@xmateosx]

Beautiful! Thanks for the demonstration

[@fattguy21]

Delightful. Thanks!

[@m34nb34n]

I love this

[@Moonrakers1]

Fabulous! I was in the middle of working an arrangement of Tourdion for our Folk Orchestra courses. You've given me further ideas! Very nicely played, thank you.

[@clauded3220]

Magnifique ! 💚

[@TalkingWeirdStuff24]

Beautiful beautiful beautiful! Lovely instrument, lovely piece of music, and that key mechanism is fascinating and, yes, also lovely! Thanks so much for making this video: as a historical fiction author, videos like this are invaluable. I'm also grateful you explained what a consort means in reference to instruments: that's one of those things I didn't realize I needed to know until I knew it and now I think I'm putting a consort in a future story and I'll be using the term accurately thanks to you! Thanks to every musician out there who makes this type of video.

[@michalkant]

Thank you! Wonderful!

[@wilsonMelo6]

Bloody brillant

[@rebeccalane1421]

This type of music played on these traditional instruments is beautiful -but for some reason it also gives me the creeps. The sound of the horn makes chills go up my spine 🙁

[@TERRYBIGGENDEN]

Fantastic series you have made. :-)

[@GreenMatthews]

Thank you so much.

[@dwudcuqoyl1465]

If any of you are interested in making your own there are 3d printer models for it and it sounds similar. Being a double reed instrument you dont really have to worry about the wood harmonics. It takes about 6 hrs of 3d printing and you can use just like the oboe a reed made of plastic straw( ever since I figured out how to make one I never buy oboe reeds( they can get very very expensive seen as not many people play double reed instruments( just to give an idea a clarinet plastic reed coats about $30 for a pack of five v.s a single oboe reed made from cheap splint wood( lasts about 2 weeks with light play) costs anywhere from $80 to a whoping $120. And the straw reed you dont have to worry about the moisture retention. 3d printed shawm costs about $10 for the print. So I have seen a comeback since these started to be 3d printed ( though mainly the sprano and alto( the one you have is a base alto those likely and sadly never will make a comeback as it difficult to make them)

[@kasperchristensen8416]

Excellent music!!!

[@jacktar9567]

fantastic...I love it❤

[@julienlecetre459]

Saisissant ! Cet instrument me parle tout simplement

[@StevenSanchez-ct4yc]

I liked . Excelent

[@heatherduthie9609]

Wonderful! ❤

[@davideddy2672]

Superb!

[@pumpkinstar8]

What a treat to hear these instruments. It must be so amazing to play them! Thank you

[@kryark]

Thanks for the intro and beautiful play. I'm curious as to why I found it so enjoyable.

[@faramund9865]

Oh my this is bad-ass!

[@haeleth7218]

I never knew the name of that instrument but now I do. Have always loved the sound of the shawm. Great video.

[@dsbgrace]

Magnificent

[@vitaliidominichenko24]

This is very beautiful!

[@sstritmatter2158]

Wow excellent

[@matthiasvalletdrummerpercu7451]

Wunderbar ☺️.

[@marcknight4568]

Limited set or not, if you put a good pair of beaters on that thing, it should be humming some tunes

[@tusabrosura9319]

You’d very much enjoy “Vino Tinto” by Tuna Bardos Universidad de Puerto Rico

[@citrusblast4372]

i wonder if the smaller ones influenced or were inspired from instruments from the east. it kinda reminds me of a chinese instrument ive heard

[@piequals314]

which Chinese instrument?

[@macbird-lt8de]

China copied white people not the other way around as usual

[@andreafalconiero9089]

One hypothesis is that an early ancestor of the shawm travelled from the East via the silk road, and then evolved into the European medieval and renaissance shawm. So yes, it is possible that its progenitor came from China or other points east. No one knows for certain, though.

[@aaronjaben7913]

this woman 😍

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

It's essentially a 12th Century Oboe w/ a Folksy sound.

[@jakubhladik5898]

Where I can buy the little one? What’s it called?

[@GreenMatthews]

The smallest in the consort is called the sopranino. Its lowest note is F and easily plays to the B over the octave note, which is G. It's made by Eric Moulder and he will be trading at the London International Festival of Early Music in November in London - lifem.org

[@KrishanBhattacharya]

Apparently this is also sometimes called a SHALM

[@sammicopor]

I can practically taste the mead & roast mutton hearing this.

[@hillfamily3198]

Love it! My school orchestra has been learning this. Where do you buy these fabulous instruments from? As an oboeist I’d love to play one of these, along with a crumhorn and a racket!!

[@GreenMatthews]

Assuming that you're in the UK, a good place to start would be The London International Festival of Early Music. There's a market which has instrument makers from across the world and you can try all of the instruments. lifem.org The other event worth checking out is Medieval Music in the Dales which also has a makers' market - www.medievalmusicinthedales.co.uk If you fancied something residential then this is also worth a look. It's run by our friends Piva and Eric Moulder who is musical director is also the best maker of historical woodwinds in the country. halswaymanor.org.uk/event/piva-real-roots-3/

[@latenightdiy1496]

Would that first one be like a Bass shawm? I used to build baroque oboe instruments and would love to build one of those.

[@GreenMatthews]

That one is an alto in F - 7 fingers down sounds the note of F. The others are a soprano in C and a sopranino in F (an octave above the alto).

[@macbird-lt8de]

lol she said at the beginning it’s an alto the bass is two stories tall

[@georgeknight2229]

I just saw this video; I don't know how I missed it earlier. A couple of quick comments: 1- I've heard the shawm before, and it always sounded loud and obnoxious; these were quite sweet. Was it the musicians, do you suppose, or was I confusing the shawm with something else? 2- "Fontanelle" is my new favorite word, just for the sound of it. Thank you!

[@GreenMatthews]

Really glad you like the sound of them. It might be the different way different musicians play, they might sound louder and harsher if the players are outside and want to make more of a fanfare sound. Outdoor bands also play alongside brass instruments so the sounds blend. And you're right...fontanelle is a great word. 🙂

[@Android_Warrior]

That Alto Shawn sounds like a English Horn.

[@alextoevs_9386]

what is the piece of music played ? :)

[@GreenMatthews]

It's a French tune called Tourdion.

[@cactusjuice2557]

Help i cant decide if i want to become an astronaut or spend my whole life mastering almost all double reed instruments

[@macbird-lt8de]

either way leads to the same space

[@jopanth]

It looks like bombard

[@bernarddaigle2830]

Were these transposing instruments back then ? Did the players use the same fingerings on each, or were the parts written out in concert key and the players had to adapt to each voice of the shawm ?

[@GreenMatthews]

Repertoire from this time rarely dictates specifically which instrument to play and the manuscripts usually has the whole piece with all the parts in concert pitch, so yes, each player changes the fingering for each instrument. As is still the case.

[@macbird-lt8de]

so is it equal temperament?

[@fatalis7147]

MORDHAU HALLOWEEN UPDATE!

[@shaggycan]

So what was the shorter, but similar instrument you used at the end called?

[@GreenMatthews]

They're all shawms. I have three sizes here with the smallest used twice. The smallest is called a sopranino, then there's the soprano and the one with the key is the alto.

[@elephantgrass631]

Thumbs up if you’re here because David Munrow slayed it in a polyester suit and a white afro

[@اسعدنعيم-و8م]

very well

[@TheBoglodite]

Are they all Shawms? Just in different ranges?

[@GreenMatthews]

Yes they're all shawms at different pitches. The sopranino and alto (or treble) are pitched in F an octave apart and the soprano (or descant) is in C.

[@wagnergitirana]

Meet my Dudu… Ki😂

[@GMBethHarmon]

SCANLAN vs the zombie giant!

[@1earflapping]

Is there a specific relationship or ratio between the length and the spacing of the holes?

[@sophiematthews2644]

Yes there is - each hole needs to be in the right place along the length of the instrument and the right size to make each note in tune.

[@1earflapping]

@@sophiematthews2644 Thank you.

[@nullifye7816]

Apparently, from this recorder dude who appeared on the "Team Recorder" channel (Sarah Jeffery's) the distance along doesn't, for the most part, matter at all, rather the size of the hole relative to where it sits in the sequence does. I'm guessing the last hole is an exception, and very larger instruments would be an exception. Frankly the physics of tone production in these instruments is beyond me, much more complicated than one would think.

[@francoisvillon1300]

Все четверо очень похожи!

[@aromafromheaven]

It looks like zurna

[@GreenMatthews]

It is exactly the same principle - it is essentially a chanter and a reed. There are other similar instruments around the world, such as the bombarde in Brittany and the Armenian duduk.

[@pirrildio4465]

Can someone say me Where i can get that instrument?

[@GreenMatthews]

earlymusicshop.com/collections/instruments-by-eric-moulder

[@SaxJockey]

@@GreenMatthews I thought they looked like Eric's Renaissance Shawms very nice and well played!

[@linachen8475]

10kth view!

[@buddy.boyo88]

feeling a sudden urge to raise the tribute tax on these peasants

[@barbaracampbell8751]

I just discovered your channel when I wanted to find out what a shawm was. It's mentioned in this tutorial Wolfshäger Hexenbrut - Witches Dance "Schüttel deine Speck" (kzbin.info/www/bejne/rH7WdohuhZmZgdU). When the SHAWM is heard the dancers start the tap dance. I used to want to be an ethnomusicologist. Alas, it was the 70s and the US went into recession and there were no jobs to be had. But, your video has my mind blown for another reason. HOW HOW did you slice four videos into one. I've never seen this done before. You framed yourself in the exact same spot and as each instrument of the ensemble was introduced you did this seamlessly like a professional studio. I'm in awe! Can't wait to watch all your videos.

[@HeiressEllie]

Shout-out to obad-hai

[@donbaurichter9498]

0:14 did she said it right?

[@SaxJockey]

Yes, the English pronunciation.

[@lopenash]

This is just manual bagpipes

[@donbaurichter9498]

YTP

[@shmackydoodRon]

It’s like Kenny G. reproducing asexually.

[@rickwilliams967]

I'm sorry your parents named you Green...