Instrument · Wind
Zurna
Turkish: zurna
A loud conical double-reed instrument with a piercing outdoor sound.
Turkey / broader Anatolia and neighboring regions
Origin
Zurna is part of a very old shawm family distributed across Anatolia, the Middle East, Central Asia and southeastern Europe. Related names occur from Iran to Greece and the Arab world. Museum collections document Turkish zurnas from at least the 19th century, although the tradition itself is considerably older.
Role in the dance
Zurna is especially important in Turkish, Kurdish and regional folk contexts and is normally paired with powerful drums. It is less typical of refined Egyptian Raqs Sharqi, so its appearance is a strong clue that the music belongs to a different regional tradition.
Music
Rhythms it plays
Chiftetelli
8/4Slow versions provide large spaces between accents and are ideal for expressive improvisation, veil, floor-level work and instrumental taqsim. Faster variants have a much lighter social-dance feeling. MaqamWorld identifies it as a Turkish usul that became established in Arabic music.
Malfuf
2/4A fast, rolling rhythm often heard at the beginning or end of an oriental routine. Excellent for travelling steps, entrances, exits, veil entrances and fast transitions. Its accent structure has a characteristic 3+3+2 feeling.