Curtal
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The Curtal, or dulzian, is a gentle-sounding woodwind instrument, which featured prominently in the development of the bassoon. It was at the height of its popularity in 17th-century Europe, and was played in early wind ensembles. The curtal is constructed in various sizes of which this, the bass curtal, is the most frequently played.
| Family |
| Woodwinds |
| Pitch range |
| One to two octaves. |
| Material |
| Wood. |
| Size |
| Variable : this example, a bass curtal, is 38 in (97 cm) long. |
| Origins |
| The curtal is the original form of the bassoon, and first appeared in mid-16th-century Germany and England. |
| Classification |
| Aerophone: an instrument that produces its sound by the vibration of a column of air. |
| And also... |
| The bass shawm could be up to 6 ft (1.80 m) long and was, therefore, very difficult to play in processions. "Folding it up" by drilling two parallel bores in one piece of wood, joined at the bottom, created the curtal, which was much more portable. |
