Kaval

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Category: Instruments

Written by Pan

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The kaval is primarily associated with mountain shepherds throughout the Balkans and Anatolia and in the book "KAVAL: Traditional Folk Melodies for Balkan & Anatolian Folk Flute", author Pat MacSwyney suggest that the kaval spread with the Yoruks from the Taurus mountains of southern Turkey into the southern Balkans of South-East Europe.

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 8 playing holes (7 in front and 1 in the back for the thumb) and usually 4 "devil's holes" down near the bottom of the kaval. The devil's holes are supposed to improve tone and intonation. There is a Bulgarian folk tale in which the devil tries to out-play a shepherd in a musical duel. While the shepherd is sleeping, 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. While typically made of wood (cornel cherry, apricot, plum, boxwood, mountain ash, etc.), kavals are also made from water buffalo horn, metal and plastic.