Mechanised Shawms: The Case of the Chinese Suona

Abstract

The shawm originates in the Middle East but can be found in folk traditions of European, Asian, American and African cultures. In the Mediterranean, the shawm is ubiquitous in popular music through multiple declinations: piffero (Italy), gralla, xirimia, dulzaina (Spain), ghaita (North Africa), zurna (Turkey), and so on. Its spread to the Far East, including Nepal, China and Korea is attributed mostly to the Silk Road route and resulting trade. The dissemination of double reed instruments is often linked to the expansion of Arab cultures to areas including the Mediterranean and East Asia.