- Kurai (flute)
Infobox Instrument
name=Kurai
names=Kurai,Kuray,Koray
classification=
*woodwind instrument
range=
related=
*Ney - a similar Persian instrument
*Flute
*Jedinka
* Dilli Kaval
*Shvi
*Frula
*Murgu
*Kurai
*Kawala The "kurai" (koray,kuray) is a long open endblown flute with five fingerholes, and is the
national instrument of theBashkirs .The kurai is the best known and most popular musical instrument of the Bashkir people. The Bashkir folk tune "The singing cranes", performed only with the kurai, has more than one thousand years of history.
The most wide spread kind of kurai is a kurai made from the stem of the umbelliferous plant, called kurai. The stem of a kurai is 2-3 meters long. It flowers in July, then dries out in August-September. It is cut in September and kept it in a dry and dark place. Tje lenth is found by measuring 8-10 times the width of a palm encompassing the stem of a plant. The first hole must be done at four fingers distance from the top of the plant, the next three holes at two fingers distance from each other, the fifth at the back at three fingers distance from the fourth hole.
The length of a kurai is about 510-810 millimeters. The diapason of a kurai consists of three octaves. The kurai is used as a solo as well as an ensemble instrument. Now, a kurai can be made from veneer. It is more stable and its sound is similar to the natural kurai's sound.
In addition to a grass kurai some other types of kurai are known:
*sor-kurai - a sort of kurai made by the Bashkirs who lived in the steppe where the natural kurai does not grow. It is made of steppe grass and its length is not more than one meter, but it is wider in its diameter. The specialists say it was used for calling signals.
*copper kurai - a kurai made from copper. However, specialists disapprove of using this kind of kurai, because it is harmful for the health.The names of outstanding kurai-players-improvisers include Kubagush-sasan, Baik-sasan, I. Murzakaev, G. Arginbaev, Y. Icyanbaev, I. Dilmukhametov, G. Suleymanov, K. Diyarov, R. Rakhimov, Y. Gaynetdinov and A. Aitkulov.
There are many kurai performers: laureates and diploma-winners of International Musical Folk Festivals, International Students' and Youth Festivals and all-Russian contests of performers of rare musical instruments.
There is a picture of a kurai flower on the national flag and
Bashkortostan state emblem.See also
*
Kaval
*Ney
*Duduk
*Flute
*Jedinka
* Dilli Kaval
*Shvi
*Frula
*Murgu References
*cite web|first=Olesya|last=Seryogina|url=http://eng.bashvest.ru/showinf.php?id=2431|accessdate=December 26|accessyear=2007|quote=Music performed on this wonderful Bashkir national instrument is understandable and dear to all.|date=October 24, 2007|publisher=BASHvest|work=Culture|title=Musician's Seven Kurais
*cite journal|title=The Formation of Folk Modal Systems|first=Victor|last=Belaiev|journal=Journal of the International Folk Music Council|volume=15|year=1963|page=4-9|accessdate=February 17|accessyear=2008|url=http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0950-7922%281963%2915%3C4%3ATFOFMS%3E2.0.CO%3B2-M|pages=4|doi=10.2307/836227
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