- Conch (musical instrument)
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For other uses, see Conch (disambiguation).
Hindu priest blowing a Turbinella pyrum conch during punja
Korean military procession with Charonia tritonis trumpets
Steve Turre playing conch in 1976Conch, or conque, is a musical instrument, a wind instrument that is made from a seashell, the shell of one of several different kinds of very large sea snail. These instruments are sometimes referred to as "shell trumpets".
The shells of large marine gastropods are prepared by cutting a hole in the spire of the shell near the apex, and then blowing into the shell as if it were a trumpet, as in blowing horn. Sometimes a mouthpiece is used, but some shell trumpets are blown without one.
Various species of large marine gastropod shells can be turned into "blowing shells", but some of the best-known species are: the sacred chank or shankha Turbinella pyrum, the "Triton's trumpet" Charonia tritonis, and the Queen Conch Strombus gigas.
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India and Tibet
The sacred chank, Turbinella pyrum is known in India as the shankha. In Tibet it is known as "dung-dkar". [1] For the Hindu context, see the article shankha.
The Pacific Ocean area
The Triton shell, also known as "Triton's trumpet" Charonia tritonis, is used as a trumpet in Melanesian and Polynesian culture, and also in Korea and Japan. In Japan this kind of trumpet is known as the horagai. In Korea it is known as the nagak. In some Polynesian islands it is known as "pu". [1]
Conch shell trumpets were historically used throughout the South Pacific, in countries such as Fiji. In resorts in Fiji they still blow the shell as a performance for the tourists. The Fijians also used the conch shell when the chief died: the chief's body would be brought down a special path and the conch would be played until the chief's body reached the end of the path.
The Caribbean
The Queen Conch Strombus gigas was, and sometimes still is, used as a trumpet in the West Indies and other parts of the Caribbean.
Modern use
The American jazz trombonist Steve Turre also plays conches, notably with his group Sanctified Shells.[2]
A partially echoplexed Indian conch was featured prominently as the primary instrument depicting the extraterrestrial environment of the derelict spaceship in Jerry Goldsmith's score for the film Alien. Director Ridley Scott was so impressed by the eerie effect that he requested its use throughout the rest of the score, including the Main Title.[3]
Media
References
- ^ a b Shell Trumpets- Experimental Musical Instruments
- ^ Steve Turre's Sanctified Shells Band, from allaboutjazz.com, 2003-04-10
- ^ Mike Matessino, CD-booklet Alien: Complete Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Intrada (MAF 7102), 2007
External links
Categories:- Natural horns
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