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58-759: Unlike the transverse flute , the kaval is fully open at both ends, and is played by blowing on the sharpened edge of one end. The kaval has eight playing holes (seven in front and one in the back for the thumb) and usually four more unfingered intonation holes near the bottom of the kaval. As a wooden rim-blown flute, kaval is similar to the kawala of the Arab world and ney of the Middle East . While typically made of wood ( cornel cherry , apricot , plum , boxwood , mountain ash , etc.), kavals are also made from water buffalo horn, Arundo donax Linnaeus 1753 (Persian reed), metal and plastic. A kaval made without joints

116-625: A heavy snow cover to be preserved for a long time, is an excellent example. Temperatures as low as −15 °C (5 °F) are common in winter, and due to this the Rhodopes are the southernmost place in the Balkans where tree species such as the Norway Spruce and the Silver Birch can be found. The mountains have abundant water reserves, with a dense network of mountain springs and rivers. Nearly 80% of

174-571: A mountain range in Southeastern Europe , and the largest by area in Bulgaria , with over 83% of its area in the southern part of the country and the remainder in Greece . Golyam Perelik is its highest peak at 2,191 meters (7,188 ft). The mountain range gives its name to the terrestrial ecoregion Rodope montane mixed forests that belongs in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome and

232-421: A single piece) and therefore each instrument is unique in its own way. The Romanian caval in A has a playing range of two octaves (which lacks certain sounds). The first five sounds belong to a minor scale with stage IV ascending chromatically. Grouped in this way they represent the low register of the instrument. These five sounds reappear one octave higher, complemented with the sounds F#, G and A, which complete

290-720: A true bastion of freedom of the Thracians and last refuge of resistance against the Romans. This explains the fact that Thrace became a Roman province about 200 years after Macedonia. In 2005, German scholars from the University of Heidelberg confirmed that the two rather small fragments discovered by archaeologist Nikolay Ovcharov in the Eastern Rhodopes mountains are written in the Minoan Linear A script from about 15th century BC. In

348-450: Is a 70 cm-wide, smooth, hollow pipe made of an umbel (hollow stem of a big, parasol-like umbellifer) or wood, with 3 or sometimes 6 finger-holes. Nowadays, it is also made of plastic. Transverse flute A transverse flute or side-blown flute is a flute which is held horizontally when played. The player blows across the embouchure hole, in a direction perpendicular to the flute's body length. Transverse flutes include

406-551: Is a Bulgarian shepherd's flute, consisting of one wooden tube 25 to 50 cm long with six or seven holes for fingers, and a bone lip where it is endblown. It is played much like the kaval. The blul  [ hy ] ( Armenian : բլուլ ) is an open end-blown shepherd's flute traditionally played in Armenia and similar in structure to the kaval. It is made of either reed or apricot wood and has eight playing holes, including seven finger holes and one thumb hole. The resulting sound

464-630: Is developed mainly in the western parts where there are some of the most important forest massifs in the Balkan Peninsula. The Rhodopes are one of the main hydro-power generation regions of Bulgaria with a number of major hydroelectric power plants such as Batak, Peshtera, Aleko, Studen Kladenets, Kardzhali, Vacha and Thisavros and Platanovrysi in Greece. Tourism is an important industry with growing significance. Pamporovo and Chepelare are major winter resorts. There are many resorts, camp sites and refuges on

522-509: Is diatonic, the timbre is described as soft and velvety. The blul is associated with the sring flute and occasionally equated with it, which is also a common term for Armenian end-blown flutes in general. An open end-blown flute similar to the kaval is used by the Bashkirs and the Caucasians ; it is called by such terms as khobyrakh , Quray and choor or shoor . A typical khobyrakh

580-455: Is interpreted as the first name of a river, meaning "rusty/reddish river", where Rhod- has the same Indo-European root as the Bulgarian "руда" (ore, "ruda"), "ръжда" (rust, "rǎžda"), "риж" (red-haired, "riž"), Latin "rufus" (red), German "rot" (red), English "red", Greek ροδ- (rhod). In Greek mythology , Queen Rhodope of Thrace , the wife of King Haemus of Thrace, offended the gods, and

638-546: Is obtained just when the kaval is being stuck to the lips semi-horizontally, or under the angle of 45 degrees, as the player blows straight. The Moldovan caval has five and sometimes six holes and it is frequently used in traditional folk music both in Romania and Moldova. The Albanian kavall is typically used by the Gheg Albanians of northern Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, and North Macedonia and by Tosks south of Albania. A kavall

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696-405: Is sharp and shrill. The kaval ( cevara ) is widely used in the musical traditions of Southern, Southeastern and Eastern Serbia. Presentations of musicians on frescoes of medieval monasteries and churches of this side of the Balkans say that the kaval dates back to the medieval ages. On the side where it is being played, there is a sharp bird which enables the easier obtaining of the tone. The tone

754-455: Is the diversity of sound shades and techniques. According to the pitch there are four different registers that can be achieved with the Bulgarian kaval. What controls which register the performer works in is mostly the air flow and to some extent the position of the mouth and the lips on the end of the kaval. A very characteristic sound of kaval is achieved in the lowest register. It could sound very mild and gentle if blown lightly while by changing

812-414: Is traditionally made of wood. Lately, copper or even bronze has been employed. In Albania, it is called a "Fyell". Most of the melodies are called "Kaba" and "Vaj" which are melancholy, but considered beautiful. It has been said that shepherds sent messages with a kavall when threatened by thieves or in order to send romantic signals to their beloved. The svirka (or tsafara , svorche , or little kaval )

870-512: Is usually mounted on a wooden holder, which protects it from warping and helps keep the interior walls oiled. According to the key, the kaval can be in the high register (C, C#)???, middle (D, H) or low (A, B). The kaval plays two octaves and a fifth, in the chromatic scale . Its sound is warm, melancholic and pleasant. The kaval is primarily associated with mountain shepherds throughout the Balkans and Anatolia . Musician Pat MacSwyney suggests that

928-513: Is well-developed. One of the largest industries in the area is mining. There are around 80 mines for lead and zinc whose reserves are among the largest in Europe. They are situated mainly in central parts of the mountain and along the border with Greece as well as to the east. Kardzhali Province is rich in non-metalliferous minerals and gold . There are also small reserves of chromite and iron ore as well as significant impurities of rare metals in

986-472: The Middle Ages the mountain was part of the Bulgarian and Byzantine Empires and often changed hands between the two countries. There was a dense network of castles which guarded the trade routes and the strategic heights. The largest and most important castles include Lyutitsa , Ustra , Tsepina , Mezek , Asenova krepost and many others. Between 1371 and 1375 the Rhodopes fell under Ottoman occupation in

1044-540: The Palearctic realm . The region is particularly notable for its karst areas with their deep river gorges, large caves and specific sculptured forms, such as the Trigrad Gorge . A significant part of Bulgaria's hydropower resources are located in the western areas of the range. There are a number of hydro-cascades and dams used for electricity production, irrigation, and as tourist destinations. In Greece, there are also

1102-756: The Western concert flute , the Irish flute , the Indian classical flutes (the bansuri and the venu ), the Chinese dizi , the Western fife , a number of Japanese fue , and Korean flutes such as daegeum , junggeum and sogeum . This article relating to flutes is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Rhodope mountains The Rhodopes ( / ˈ r ɒ d ə p iː z / ; Bulgarian : Родопи , Rodopi ; Greek : Ροδόπη , Rodopi ; Turkish : Rodoplar ) are

1160-474: The hydroelectric power plants of Thisavros and Platanovrysi. The Rhodopes have a rich cultural heritage including ancient Thracian sites such as Perperikon , Tatul and Belintash , and medieval castles, churches, monasteries , and picturesque villages with traditional Bulgarian architecture from the 18th and 19th centuries. The name of the Rhodope Mountains is of Thracian origin . Rhod-ope (Род-oпа)

1218-508: The 38 species of birds of prey of Europe, like the rare Eastern imperial eagle and Lesser spotted eagle . The Rhodopes have been inhabited since the Prehistoric age. There have been many archaeological finds of ancient tools in some of the caves. The first known human inhabitants in the mountains were the Thracians . They built many temples, cities and fortresses. The most famous town in

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1276-674: The Bulgarian instrument. In Thrace and some of the Aegean Islands the term 'kavali' refers to an end-blown flute of the flogera family. It has seven finger-holes and sometimes an additional thumb-hole. In Greece's Macedonia the term kavali is also used to denote the souravli . In Epirus the end-blown kaval is known as dzhamara . There are five types of kavals in North Macedonia , according to their length and register: The most used in North Macedonia's musical traditions are

1334-578: The Eastern Rhodopes is 13 °C (55 °F), the maximum precipitation is in December, the minimum in August. In the Western Rhodopes, the temperature varies from 5 to 9 °C (41 to 48 °F) and in the summer rainfalls prevail. The mild climate, combined with some other factors, works in favour of the development of recreation and tourist activities. The Pamporovo resort, where the microclimate permits

1392-501: The Eastern Rhodopes. The mountains are also one of the regions associated with the Sarakatsani , a nomadic Greek people who traditionally roamed between Northern Thrace and the Aegean coast . Aromanians , a Romance -speaking ethnic group, also live in the Rhodopes. and Agupti who are a blend of Turks, Roma and Pomaks and don’t associate themselves with other Roma groups. The economy of

1450-704: The Ottomans. The northern Rhodopes were ceded in 1878 to an autonomous province of Eastern Rumelia until its unification with the Principality of Bulgaria . The other part of the Rhodopes was annexed as a result of the First Balkan War (1912–1913) but after the Second Balkan War (1913) and the First World War (1914–1918) the southern slopes of the mountain was occupied by Greece and the Bulgarian population of

1508-666: The Rhodopes are part of the Rila -Rhodope massif , which is the oldest landmass on the Balkan peninsula . The Rhodopes are spread over 14,735 square kilometers (5,689 sq mi), of which 12,233 square kilometers (4,723 sq mi) are on Bulgarian territory. They have the greatest extent of any single mountain range in Bulgaria. The mountains are about 240 kilometers (149 mi) long and about 100 to 120 kilometres (62 to 75 mi) wide, with an average altitude of 785 meters (2,575 ft). To

1566-430: The Rhodopes region is dominated by services, tourism, industry and agriculture. Livestock breeding, forestry and tobacco are the most important agricultural activities. Due to the large Muslim population the number of pigs is relatively low but there are many sheep which are traditional for the Rhodopes. Tobacco is grown in the Eastern Rhodopes and forms a large part of the total national production. The industrial sector

1624-531: The Southern Rhodopes is an area almost deserted. After World War II and the Greek Civil War most villages depopulated permanently and their inhabitants never returned. Even the Sarakatsani stockbreeders abandoned the difficult life of the Rhodopes. The depopulation of the region, that has not been grazed for more than 50 years, combined with high rainfall and its geographical location, has contributed to

1682-610: The addition of a qualification: dilsiz kaval ('kaval without a tongue'), dilli kaval ('kaval with a tongue'). Other qualifications may be added to describe materials, size or constructional features: kamiş kavalı ('reed kaval'), çam kavalı ('pine kaval'), madenı kavalı (' metal kaval'); cura kavalı ('small kaval'), çoban kavalı ('shepherd's kaval', i.e. long kaval); üç parçalı kavalı ('kaval with three parts'). The Turkish kaval can be made of wood, cane , bone or metal (usually brass ) and has five or more finger-holes, one thumb-hole and sometimes additional unfingered holes like

1740-461: The air column. The last four sounds also require more pressure. In the middle of the higher octave, the E2 sound can be obtained by two different pressure techniques, resulting in specific timbral effects. In Turkey the term 'kaval' is used generally to refer to all shepherd's pipes and more particularly (though not invariably) to ductless flutes . The presence or absence of a duct is sometimes specified by

1798-400: The air stream a deeper (flageolet like) sound is achieved. This sound is so outstanding that some consider it another register that they call - kaba . It is also very interesting to notice that the technique of circular breathing is successfully utilized while playing the kaval. This technique lets the performer play without interrupting the air flow, while taking a breath through the nose. In

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1856-462: The area are Haskovo and Kardzhali , as well as the smaller Momchilgrad , Krumovgrad , Zlatograd and Kirkovo . The Eastern Rhodopes, being significantly lower, are also more populated than the western part. Almost every species of the European birds of prey nest in the rocks and forests of the Eastern Rhodopes including the rare black vulture and Egyptian vulture . The Southern Rhodopes are

1914-524: The area is the sacred city of Perperikon located 15 km northeast of Kardzhali . One of the most important Thracian temples was Tatul near the village of the same name. Additionally, there are archeological sites throughout the region related to the cult of Dionysus , such as the ancient Thracian city of Perperikon . The frequent mention of the Rhodope in Ancient Greek and Latin sources indicates that

1972-548: The area was forced to flee to Bulgaria. The sparsely populated area of the Rhodopes has been a place of ethnic and religious diversity for hundreds of years. Apart from the Eastern Orthodox Bulgarians and Greeks , the mountains are also home to a number of Muslim communities, including the Pomaks , that predominate in the western parts and a large concentration of Bulgarian Turks and Greek Turks , particularly in

2030-477: The area. The Eastern Rhodopes are spread over a territory of about 34% of the mountains' area in Bulgaria, constituting a much lower part. The large artificial dams Kardzhali and Studen Kladenets are located in this part of the mountains. The region is rich in thermal mineral springs. The waters around Dzhebel have national reputation for healing various diseases. Belite Brezi is an important healing centre for respiratory and other ailments. Major cities in

2088-401: The back for the thumb) and usually four more near the bottom of the kaval. These holes are not used for playing the instrument, but determine the lowest tone's pitch and timbre and are supposed to improve tone and intonation . In Bulgaria they are known as "devil's holes", based on a folk tale in which the devil tries to out-play a shepherd in a musical duel. While the shepherd is sleeping,

2146-408: The central section, while the lower (shorter) section has four additional holes called dushnitsi or dyavolski dupki (‘devil’s holes’); these are not covered in performance. In the south-west Rhodope mountains , two kavals in the same tuning (called chifte kavali ) are played together, one performing the melody, the other a drone. This type of kaval is made from one piece of wood. A similar use of

2204-730: The course of the Bulgarian–Ottoman wars . During the 16th and 17th centuries the Ottoman authorities began a process of Islamisation of the region. The towns and the villages in the Western Rhodopes took active part in the April Uprising in 1876. When the uprising was crushed the Ottomans slaughtered around 5,000 people in Batak alone . Thousands more perished in Bratsigovo, Perushtitsa and other rebel villages which were also burnt and looted by

2262-434: The creation and maintenance of a biological paradise. There grow coniferous trees, such as the Norway Spruce and the Silver Birch , that cannot be found elsewhere in Greece. In the forest of Frakto there are 300-year-old trees, more than 50 metres high, and the endangered wild goat . In the eastern part of the region there is the well known nature reserve of Dadia Forest , an ideal habitat for birds of prey , with 36 of

2320-568: The dams of Thisavros and Platanovrysi. They are used mainly for hydro-electric power generation and for irrigation. There are many mineral water springs, the most famous being in Velingrad , Narechen , Devin , Beden , Mihalkovo and others. In Greece there are mineral water springs in Thermes, 40 km. north of ( Xanthi ) and in Thermia, 60 km. north of Drama , at 620 m. The Western Rhodopes are

2378-517: The deepest river gorges in the Rhodopes are located in the western parts, as well as the rock phenomenon Wonderful Bridges . Significant bodies of water include the Chaira lakes and the Dospat , Batak , Shiroka Polyana , Golyam Beglik and Tsigov Chark dams. The town of Batak is also located in this part of the mountains, as well as the popular tourist centres Smolyan , Velingrad , Devin , Chepelare ,

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2436-415: The devil drilled holes in the shepherd's kaval but instead of ruining the kaval, this only served to enhance the shepherd's kaval playing thus thwarting the devil. In North Macedonia they are known as "glasnici" (гласници) meaning "giving voice to/of". When played, the kaval is held with both hands, at an angle of approximately 45° to the side, with the four fingers of the one hand covering the lower holes;

2494-629: The kaval is also known in Macedonia and Kosovo , where one kaval of the pair (usually a lower one of a same key) is ‘male’, the other ‘female’. In Romania and Moldova there are three types of cavals: cavals from Moldova (with 6 holes), cavals from Oltenia (with 5 holes) and cavals from Dobrogea (similar with Bulgarian cavals). Their fundamental sound may be A, but for some instruments the lowest sound they can perform may vary between G and C. The Romanian cavals are ethnic instruments built by artisans (usually using two pieces, but there are older models made from

2552-567: The kaval spread with the Yoruks from the Taurus mountains of southern Anatolia into the southern Balkans of southeast Europe. While in the past it was almost entirely a shepherd's instrument, today it is widely used in folk songs and dances as part of ensembles or solo. Unlike the transverse flute , the kaval is fully open at both ends, and is played by blowing on the sharpened edge of one end. The kaval has eight playing holes (seven in front and one in

2610-565: The largest coniferous woods in the Balkans, their mild relief and the lush vegetation in the western parts as well as the abundance of birds of prey in the eastern areas. The location of the Rhodopes in the southeastern part of the Balkan Peninsula largely determines the climate in the region. It is influenced both by the colder air coming from the north and by the warmer breeze from the Mediterranean . The average annual temperature in

2668-626: The largest (66% of the area of the Rhodopes in Bulgaria), higher, most infrastructurally developed, and most visited part of the mountains. The highest and best known peaks are located in the region (more than 10 are over 2,000 meters (6,562 ft) high) including the highest one, Golyam Perelik (2,191 meters (7,188 ft)). Among the other popular peaks are Shirokolashki Snezhnik (2,188 meters (7,178 ft)), Golyam Persenk (2,091 meters (6,860 ft)), Batashki Snezhnik (2,082 meters (6,831 ft)), Turla (1,800 meters (5,906 ft)). Some of

2726-576: The lead and zinc ores. There are several flotation factories which enrich the ores before it is sent to the large lead and zinc refineries in Kardzhali and Plovdiv . The machine-building industry is developed in Smolyan, Kardzhali, Devin, Bratsigovo, Ivailovgrad and others; there is a pharmaceutical plant in Pestera. Some of the centers of textile industry include Zlatograd, Smolyan, Madan, Laki. The timber industry

2784-588: The mountain had played an important role in the political and religious life of the Thracian tribes that lived on it. On the tops of the mountain there was a famous oracle, which they had visited to consult Alexander the Great and later the father of Octavian Augustus . On the mountain were also sanctuaries of various other deities, as was Apollo , Zeus , the Thracian Horseman, Mithras , etc. Finally, Rhodope served as

2842-553: The mountain's territory falls within the drainage of the river Maritsa . The natural lakes are few, the most renown of these being the Smolyan lakes situated at several kilometers from the town of the same name. Some of the largest dams in the country are located in the Rhodopes including the Dospat Dam , Batak Dam , Golyam Beglik , Kardzhali Dam , Studen Kladenets , Vacha Dam , Shiroka Polyana and many others, while in Greece there are

2900-612: The north the mountain slopes descend steeply towards the Upper Thracian Plain . To the west, the Rhodopes reach the Avram saddle, Yundola and the valley of the Mesta River . To the south and east they extend to the coastal plains of Greek Thrace . The Rhodopes are a complex system of ridges and deep river valleys. Fifteen reserves have been established in the region, some of which are under UNESCO protection. The mountains are famous for

2958-547: The part of the mountain range that is located in Greece . The Rhodope regional unit in the northern part of the country is named after the region. This area includes the Rodopi Mountain Range National Park . The Southern Rhodopes are characterized by numerous peaks of relatively low altitude. Their highest peak is Delimposka (1,953m) in the mountain of Frakto, near the Greek-Bulgarian border. Nowadays

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3016-428: The past it has been considered an extraordinary skill while nowadays it is used by more and more young performers. The Bulgarian kaval, once made of a single piece of wood, is now constructed of three separate sections (of cornel, walnut, plum or boxwood), with a total length of 60 to 90 cm. Bone rings cover the joints, to prevent the wood from cracking. Metal decoration is also found. The finger-holes are located in

3074-529: The shores of the dams or in the green valleys, which can be visited in the summer. The caves along the Greek border such as Yagodinska , Uhlovitsa , Devil's Throat Cave , Snezhanka (near Peshtera) and others are popular among speleologists with their spectacular forms and underground lakes and rivers. The ruins of castles, Thracian sites such as Perperikon and Tatul , the villages in National Revival style and

3132-414: The smallest and nondescript kavals. The North Macedonia's šupelka is similar to the kaval (open on both ends), except that it is shorter (240–350 mm). It can be made of either walnut, barberry, ash wood, maple or other wood. The šupelka plays the chromatic scale (two octaves), except the first note of the lower octave. In the low register, its sound is soft and pleasant, while in the upper register it

3190-450: The upper side of a mode of minor-melodic origin on A. The low pitched sounds between E and A cannot be obtained on the Romanian caval in A, which confers the instrument the special individualization of an “elliptic ambitus”. The last and most used octave is obtained without using the lip to cover the orifice by the head. The upper part of the playing range requires an increase in the pressure of

3248-410: The upper three holes and the thumbhole are covered with the other hand. The mouth covers approximately three quarters of the end. Change of the breath air pressure also changes the pitch . The kaval that is most common in Bulgaria is the one in middle (D) register. The kaval in lower (C) register is also not uncommon for this country. What is characteristic for the Bulgarian style of kaval performance

3306-591: The winter resort Pamporovo , the Eastern Orthodox Bachkovo Monastery , the ruins of the Asen dynasty 's fortress, and the Devil's Throat, Yagodinska, and Uhlovitsa caves. The highest village in Bulgaria, Manastir (over 1,500 meters (4,921 ft)), is crouched in the northern foot of Prespa Peak. A number of architectural reserves, such as Shiroka Laka, Kovachevitsa, Momchilovtsi, Kosovo , are also located in

3364-586: Was changed into a mountain by Zeus and Hera as a punishment along with her husband. The mountains are also associated with the mythic figure of Orpheus . In the Middle Ages , the mountains were known as the Slavey Mountains (Slaveyev Mountains), and under Ottoman rule were known as the Dospatsky Mountains, after the Dospat Municipality and Dospat River . In geomorphological terms,

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