The Picture
The picture above is a Bulgarian kaval in the key of D made by the
late master maker Slavi Ivanov, Kameno, Bulgaria. It is made of Cornelian
Cherry, or Dryan in Bulgarian, which is a very hard, dark, and increasingly
rare wood. It comes apart into three pieces at the enlarged black sockets.
The mouthpiece (the left end) is made of cow horn, as are the other black
reinforcements. The metal inlay is pewter, in a traditional pattern.
Sound Samples
What does a kaval sound like? Here are a few samples of kaval music. These
links are in MP3 format, which can be automatically played in Internet Explorer
and other browsers.
Trite
Puti
Master Bulgarian
kavalist Stoyan Velichkov plays sections from a dance tune. The first section of this sample is played in kaba (see Musical
Range below).
Marashkinata
Master Stoyan Chobanov plays a tuneful Bulgarian pravo
horo dance.
Ovcharska Melodiya
Stoyan Chobanov plays a slow melody showing the large tonal range and
expressiveness of the kaval.
Fingering
The left thumb covers a hole on the back side of the kaval, and the
first three fingers cover the top three holes (leftmost in the picture),
and the right four fingers cover the lower four holes, with the right thumb
supporting the instrument. There are also four holes beyond the last finger
hole which are never covered, but serve acoustic purposes. Unlike Western
flutes where the tips of the fingers close the holes, the kavalist uses
the flat middle parts of some fingers to close holes 2, 3 5, 6, and 7.
This facilitates a characteristic of kaval playing style where the fingers
are used to make various rapid chirping and popping sounds.
More about kaval fingering and charts
Musical Range
The instrument has a range of about two and one half octaves, with
only a couple of notes missing from the full chromatic scale. For a kaval
pitched in D (or Re in Bulgarian), the notes corresponding to the
tones from the bottom to the top are D (D# missing) E F F# G G# A A# and
B. By overblowing, the kaval will jump up a fifth to the next register,
A B C C# D D# E F and F#. Further overblowing allows another register with
F# G G# A A# (B missing) and C, although the notes above A are difficult
to get to speak. A characteristic of the kaval is a special multiphonic
mode called kaba which is the D-B register sounding an octave
below. It is difficult to play in this mode, which has a reedy clarinet-like
quality.
Construction
Bulgarian kavals are usually made of hardwood in three pieces, which
fit together using tenon and socket joints. This allows some tuning of
the instrument by pulling the top joint out a bit. Macedonian kavals are
typically made of a single piece of ash wood, and are smaller in diameter,
very light, and with very thin walls.
A Manual for Beginning Kaval Players
In this manual, I have attempted to describe the very basics of playing
the kaval. It is by no means a good substitute for a personal teacher, but many
people ask me for tips, so here they are. This manual was originally distributed
with the plastic kavals I used to sell. This text has been translated
into Bulgarian by
(10/13/01). Thanks, Anton!
Lyuben
Dossev's book on Thracian Kaval Ornamentation
Mastering Thracian Kaval Ornamentation: A Handbook
This
detailed work covers the basic elements of style for playing kaval in the Thracian
style. Included topics are Vibrato, Sechene, Glissando,
Accent Notes, and Short Trills. The book comes with a companion
audio CD of Dr. Dossev playing all the examples in the book. Although this
manual is not a substitute for personal instruction on the instrument, it is
an important reference and handbook for kaval players, from beginner to advanced.
Included are 221 musical examples, 4 charts, and 10 songs which are
notated and played both solo and with singer Tanya Dosseva. Published by Izvor
Music.
Purchasing a Kaval
Kavals are available from Bulgaria, Macedonia (FYR) and Turkey. I sell
inexpensive plastic kavals, which play very well and are maintenance-free. I
also can help you obtain wooden kavals from Bulgaria, from student models to
professional instruments.
for more
information.
Here is a list of dealers who have sold kavals in the past. I make no claims to
the quality nor availability of their instruments.
Maintenance for kaval owners
If you own a wooden kaval, it will need some care. Here are tips on keeping
your instrument in the best condition.
Other sites of interest
Alexander Eppler makes fine kavals, including a new system kaval. See the Eppler Flute Company and Alexander Eppler's Bulgarian kaval website.
Last updated July 28, 2010 (revised links)