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- The lumzdelis is a xood-wind instrument widely spread in lithuania. Most often it was made and played by shepherds at a night watch of horses at grass. On festive occasions and other folk entertainments even elderly people blew the lumzdelis.
The lumzdelis was made of broom or willow bark and wood. The bark lumzdelis was usually made in spring from broom. Due to the natural shrinkage of bark they were short-lived. The wooden lumzdelis was made of a trunk of ash-tree burning out or boring an oblong hole of 1.5 cm. In diameter. The length of the lumzdelis varies from 20 to 30 cm.
In the upper side of the lumzdelis from 3 to 8 holes are burned out or cut. While playing they are covered and uncovered with the fingers of both hands. The timbre of the lumzdelis is soft reminding that of the piccolo. The low tones sound sonewhat faint, the high ones are loud and sharp. Each hole of the lumzdelis produces two tones ? a ground tone and its octave ehat is produced by overblowing. The compass of the instrument is from c1 to f 4.
The folk melodies of the lumzdelis players abound in various adornments and embelishments.
- Vilnius, Lithuania
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