The Greatness of the Rhodope "Kaba" Bagpipe
The Rhodope Mountains are known for their mystique and legends, and the "kaba" bagpipe is an ancient musical instrument found only here. Its sound is unique and surely touches the soul and awakens feelings and memories of times and events long gone... The Rhodope "kaba" bagpipe is distinguished by its softness of sound and depth of tone. Technically, unlike the Djura bagpipe, the Rhodope bagpipe has a curved lower end, which is responsible for its low timbre. It is the lowest-sounding bagpipe in the world and is found in four basic modes - D, E, F and Sol, and in E flat and F sharp respectively. It is suitable for accompanying songs, as it allows the singer to develop the song without being drowned out by the sound of the instrument. Also, the Rhodope “choro” (traditional Bulgarian round dance) is obligatory played to the sound of the “kaba” bagpipe.
As they say - its sound tells the choro-players where to step. The harmony between two or more instruments creates a unique atmosphere that reminds of the beauty of the Rhodope Mountains. Rhodope musical folklore is extremely rich in songs, and as for instrumental melodies - they are fewer, and therefore the choirs are a motley series of songs arranged from minor to major tonality. The most widespread rhythm is 2/4, followed by the 7/8 “rachenitsa”, better known in the Rhodopes as the "pòsednitsa", and the 9/8 “svornato choro”. There are also songs in 5/8. And the moderate song patterns in 4/4 are like a combination between a slow and a fast song.
But the magic of Rhodope folk music lies precisely in the slow songs. They seem to pour between the “barchinas” (slopes) and show the grandeur of the mountain from which they were born and the soulfulness of the people who created them. Because every song is a story - true and unique.
Source: https://gaidari.com/bagpipe/
