Flutes From Greece

Souravli

Flute of Greek traditional music, it is found on the islands (and in Northern Greece) with various names: : "souravli",  "thiampoli", "bampioli", "padafli", "pinaflika", etc.

It usually has 6 holes in the front and one at the back for the thumb. It is tuned in a diatonic scale. I make them in C major, as it fits with many of the island “Nisiotika” songs or Cretan “Madinades” and it is compact, easy to have it with you in a small bag.

It is also easier to blow as you don’t need a lot of air to produce sound, which makes it also an ideal flute for older people.

I make it  with Aroundo  Donax, and the wooden mouthpiece with oleander or fig tree wood using the traditional materials for this instrument. It is tuned with an electronic tuner for a accuracy during construction. Externally and internally it is treated with shellac for greater resistance to moisture. 

Pan flute

Pan was tracking the beautiful nymph Syrinx in his attempt to conquer her, stroke by her beauty. As she was trying to escape him she found herself in front of the river Ladonas. Syrinx begged the river god to save her and he pitied her. At the moment when Pan reached to grab her he found himself, instead of holding the beautiful nymph, holding a bunch of reeds. 

As he started to sob disappointed by the disappearance of Syrinx he heard the sounds the reeds made from his heavy breathing. He decided then to tie them together and make a musical instrument and play with it to soothe his pain.