The molisean zampogna
The
molisean zampogna is made in narrow and poor artisan laboratories of Scapoli, a small village in the province of Isernia. The instrument is composed as follows:
- Two divergent and cone-shaped reeds of unequal lenght. The right one is called "ritta" while the left one is called "manca". The "ritta" has five digital holes; the "manca" has four, the last one of which has got a mechanical key which must be operated by the little finger.
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Two reeds called "bordoni" of which one produces a fixed and costant sound and the other one, shorter, is generally mute.
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Mouth feeding through a small reed which sends the air into the leather bottle (bag).
- Double "ances" put on the sounding reeds.
Several models of the Molisean zampogna are existent. they are identified by numbers. the most common of them is defined "25", generally tuned in LAb. the types of wood used to make a zampogna are in the environment: olive-trees, plum-trees, apricot-trees, sorb-trees, cherry-trees, maples.
At Scapoli, besides the zampogna, they make also the "ciaramella" also called "biffera". The "ciaramella" is utilised together with the zampogna for the executions of the soloist parts. The tools used for the structure of the zampogna are essentially tools carried out by the same craftsmen such as reamers, gouges, poited spoons. The old pedal treadle is nowadays electric.
In Molise in addition to the construction of the zampogna, there is also the tradition of the players of the zampogna (called "zampognari"). Several virtuous players can be seen in villages such as Scapoli, S.Polo Matese, Castelnuovo, Bojano
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