Gralla (instrument)
The Gralla is a traditional Catalan double reed instrument in the oboe family. In the clasification of the Hornbostel-Sachs its in the 422.12 group, with the wind instruments with double reed and conical tube. Like the dolçaina from Valencia -a very similar instrument which many experts consider a variety of the Gralla- the Gralla comes from the ancient xeremies a medieval instrument largely used till the baroque. It's also called grall de pastor, xaramita o xirimita. Probably, the name of the instrument comes from its strident sound similar to the sound of a native bird of Catalonia and the north of Spain called Gralla too.
The Gralla its also very popular because it's the traditional intrument used during the ascencion and descencion of human towers or castells and other traditional festivities. Usually its played with the tabal, a percussion instrument similar to a drum.
The Gralla player its named graller o grallaire
Types of gralles
- La gralla seca " Dry gralla". Its the most simple type without any metalical keys and produces a more hard or strident sound. Its also the more typical type.
- La gralla dolça "Sweet gralla". Longer than the others, can have from one to many metalical keys that are used to produce lower and higher notes that the gralla seca can't produce and have also a less strident and more "sweeter" sound.
Gralla parts
- Cap: in the top of the instrument is where the tudell is inserted with the canya.
- Tub: the part between the tudell and the canya or inxa.
- Tudell: a conic tube made of metal where the canya is inserted.
- Canya o inxa: Formed by two identical reeds made of wood but independent,tied toghether by a wire.
- Cos: the central part of the instrument. A conical wood tube with six gaps in the front side and one in the back.
- Campana: the final part that act like an amplifier of the sound and has two gaps in the sides. Its usually covered with metal.
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