"That's a great deal to make one word mean," Alice said in a thoughtful tone. "When I make a word do a lot of work like that," said Humpty Dumpty, "I always pay it extra."

Wednesday, 7 March 2012

Shawm

 


The shawm is a forerunner of the modern oboe and originated in the Middle East. It is of a similar construction to the oboe with a long, thin body and a bell. Shawms come in a variety of sizes and pitches, from the small soprano to the large bass. Made from wood and played with a double reed, the shawm makes a distinctively bright, nasal sound. The collective noun is a consort of shawms.

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