The fujara(foo-YAH-rah) is a three-holed, double-tubed Slovakian flute of elder wood nearly six feet in length. This elaborately decorated instrument has a fipple similar to a bassrecorder and a bocal like a bassoon, but the sound is amazingly distinct to Western ears. Played standing by shepherds, it is held with one hand using the finger pads for the top hole while covering the remaining two tone holes with the main joint of the finger and thumb of the other. Some of its traditional ornaments in folk music make use of a stuttering descending overtone series that rallentandos to begin or swooshing ascending series to end the music. A YouTube video with Peter Siandor displays both. Extended techniques on the modern orchestral flute or some of the sounds produced by the Australian didjeridu exhibit the closest relationship to the typical tones of the fujara.

You can see or hear more about the fujara through these online resources:

PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW.WULFLUND.COM