Hulusi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The hulusi (traditional: 葫盧絲; simplified: 葫芦丝; pinyin: húlúsī) is a free reed wind instrument from China. It is held vertically and has three bamboo pipes which pass through a gourd wind chest; one pipe has finger holes and the other two are drone pipes.
The hulusi was originally used primarily in the Yunnan province by the Dai and other non-Han ethnic groups but is now played throughout China, and hulusi are manufactured in such northern cities as Tianjin. Like the related free reed pipe called bawu, the hulusi has a very pure, clarinet-like sound.
Although the hulusi is still predominantly performed in China, it has in recent years been adopted by European composers and performers. Rohan Leach from England; Rapheal De Cock from Belgium and Herman Witkam from the Netherlands have all taken the instrument in new directions.[citation needed]
A similar instrument called hulusheng is a mouth organ with a gourd wind chest.
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[edit] Etymology
The instrument's name comes from the Chinese words hulu, meaning "gourd," and si, meaning "silk" (referring to the instrument's smooth tone).[1] The instrument is called bilangdao in the Dai language.[2]
[edit] External links
- Hulusi page from Pat Missin site
- Hulusi page from ASZA.com site
- Hulusi page from Melody of China site
[edit] Video
- Hulusi video from The Musical Instruments E-book
[edit] Listening
[edit] See also
Traditional Chinese musical instruments | ||
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█ Silk (string): Plucked: Guqin • Se • Guzheng • Konghou • Pipa • Sanxian • Ruan • Liuqin • Yueqin • Qinqin • Duxianqin █ Bowed: Erhu • Zhonghu • Gaohu • Banhu • Erxian • Tiqin • Yehu • Tuhu • Jiaohu • Sihu • Sanhu • Zhuihu • Zhuiqin • Leiqin • Dihu • (Xiaodihu • Zhongdih • Dadihu) • Gehu • Diyingehu • Laruan • Matouqin • Yazheng • Aijieke █ Struck: Yangqin • Zhu | ||
█ Bamboo (woodwind): Flutes: Dizi • Xiao • Paixiao • Koudi █ Oboes: Guan • Suona █ Free-reed pipes: Bawu • Mangtong | ||
█ Gourd (woodwind): Sheng • Yu • Lusheng • Hulusi • Hulusheng | ||
█ Percussion: Wood: Muyu • Guban █ Metal: Bianzhong • Fangxiang • Luo • Yunluo █ Clay: Xun █ Hide: Daigu • Bangu • Paigu • Tanggu |