Suona

The Suona originates in Persia and Arabia, where it is known as the Surna. It was introduced into China somewhere between the twelth and fourteenth century. Soon after that, it spread quickly across the country. At first, its loud, strident tone made it extremely effective in inspiring soldiers during battles. Now, the Suona is among the most commonly-used traditional instrument in China. The Suona has a smal double reed of straw, a conical body of wood and a pirouette. It is capable of producing gentle and even human-like sounds. It is also widely used in theatrical music, folk singing and folk dancing. It is sometimes used in wedding and funeral ceremonies. There are 3 different kinds of Suona: the Gaoyin Suona, the Zhongyin Suona and the Cizhongyin Suona

The Gaoyin Suona is the highest pitch Suona. It is also know as "Haidi". It can produced a sharp and clear notes, and is normally used for playing triumphal or joyful melodies in Orchestral Works.

The Zhongyin Suona is the medium pitch Suona. It can produced a sharp and clear notes, and is normally used for playing melodies an octave lower than Gao Yin Suona in Orchestra Works to produce impressive music. It has a similar structure as Gaoyin Suona, except that it is slightly longer.

Cizhongyin Suona is the bass pitch Suona. It can produced a mellow and clear notes. Its is very long, and has keys added to help covering and uncovering the fingering holes, like the flute's Boehm system. Thus, it is also known as the "Jiajian Suona".

Famous pieces for the Suona includes Birds Adoring the Phoenix.

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