Launeddas
Sardinian woodwind instrument made of three pipes
title: "Launeddas" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["sardinian-musical-instruments", "single-reed-instruments", "early-musical-instruments", "italian-musical-instruments", "circular-breathing"] description: "Sardinian woodwind instrument made of three pipes" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Launeddas" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Sardinian woodwind instrument made of three pipes ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox instrument"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Launeddas |
| image | Launeddas.jpg |
| background | woodwind |
| classification | Single-reed aerophone |
| hornbostel_sachs | 422.211.2 |
| hornbostel_sachs_desc | single reed instrument with cylindrical bore and fingerholes |
| related | Arghul, bülban, clarinet, diplica, dili tuiduk, dozaleh, cifte, mijwiz, pilili, sipsi, triple pipes, zammara, zummara |
| :: |
| name = Launeddas | names = | image = Launeddas.jpg | image_capt = | background = woodwind | classification = Single-reed aerophone | hornbostel_sachs = 422.211.2 | hornbostel_sachs_desc = single reed instrument with cylindrical bore and fingerholes | inventors = | developed = | range = | related = Arghul, bülban, clarinet, diplica, dili tuiduk, dozaleh, cifte, mijwiz, pilili, sipsi, triple pipes, zammara, zummara | musicians = | builders = | articles =
The launeddas (also called Sardinian triple clarinet) are a traditional Sardinian woodwind instrument made of three pipes, each of which has an idioglot single reed. They are a polyphonic instrument, with one of the pipes functioning as a drone and the other two playing the melody in thirds and sixths.
Predecessors of the launeddas are found throughout Northern Africa and the Middle East. In 2700 BCE, the Egyptian reed pipes were originally called "memet";
The Sardinian launeddas themselves are an ancient instrument, being traced back to at least the eighth century BCE, as is testified during the Nuragic civilization by an ithyphallic bronze statuette found in Ittiri. The launeddas are still played today during religious ceremonies and dances (su ballu in Sardinian language). Distinctively, they are played using extensive variations on a few melodic phrases, and a single piece can last over an hour, producing some of the "most elemental and resonant (sounds) in European music".
File:Launeddas llengüeta.JPG|Closeup of the reeds of the launeddas File:Launeddas.JPG|Laundedas separated for the left and right hands File:Launeddas3.jpg|A variety of launeddas File:Launeddas Player.jpg|A Sardinian man in traditional clothing playing the launeddas File:Civilt%C3%A0_nuragica,_prima_et%C3%A0_del_ferro,_suonatore_di_launeddas_itifallico,_da_ittiri.jpg|Ancient launeddas player from Ittiri
Description
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Map_Folklore_I_1990_-Strumenti_musicali_tradizionali-_Touring_Club_Italiano_CART-TEM-096.jpg" caption="Map folk musical instruments in Italy"] ::
Launeddas are used to play a complex style of music by circular breathing that has achieved some international attention, especially Efisio Melis, Antonio Lara, Dionigi Burranca, and Luigi Lai. Melis and Lara were the biggest stars of the 1930s golden age of launeddas, and each taught their style to apprentices such as Lara's Aureliu Porcu.
Launeddas consist of three reed pipes, two five-holed chanters of different lengths and one drone. They are played using circular breathing.
References
Listening
References
- Kroll, O.. (1968). "The Clarinet". Taplinger Publishing Company.
- Rice, A.R.. (1992). "The Baroque Clarinet". Oxford University Press.
- Surian, Alesso. "Tenores and Tarantellas". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), ''World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East'', pg. 189–201. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. {{ISBN. 1-85828-636-0. Surian calls the launeddas ''very ancient, appearing on votive statues from the 8th century BC.''
- Surian, pg. 190
- "Franco Melis". Musical Traditions Internet Magazine. URL accessed on 26 August 2005.
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::