The tárogató, also called the töröksíp or Turkish pipe, is a type of wind instrument often played in Hungarian folk music. The modern version of the tárogató was created to resemble the original instrument, but the two are believed to share few similarities.

History

The tárogató is mentioned in Hungarian writings from as early as the 15th century. It is unclear if the Hungarians first brought the instrument to Europe when they moved west in the 9th century. However, it is certain that similar instruments, which came from the Middle Eastern zurna, were introduced to Eastern Europe by the Turks during the Middle Ages. This connection is shown by the name "töröksip," meaning "Turkish pipe," which was used to describe the tárogató. It is possible that instruments from both the Hungarian and Turkish traditions were combined into one type. Up to about the 18th century, the tárogató was a type of shawm, with a double reed, cone-shaped body, and no keys.

Because the tárogató was very loud and noisy, it was used as a signaling instrument in battles, like a bugle or a bagpipe. However, depending on the reed used, it could also produce a soft, deep, and mellow sound when played slowly. The instrument became a symbol of the Rákóczi's War for Independence (1703–1711), which led the Habsburg monarchy to ban its use in the 18th century. It was later abandoned because it was considered too loud for concert halls.

In the 1890s, a modern version of the tárogató was created by Vencel József Schunda, a Budapest instrument maker. This version uses a single reed, like a clarinet or saxophone, and has a cone-shaped body, similar to a saxophone. It is usually made of black grenadilla wood, like a clarinet or oboe. The most common size, the soprano tárogató in B♭, is about 29 inches (74 cm) long and produces a sad, deep sound similar to a mix between an English horn and a soprano saxophone. Other sizes exist, including a contrabass tárogató in E♭. The modern tárogató looks very different from the historical version, and the two should not be confused. Some people suggest the name "schundaphone" would be more accurate, but "tárogató" was chosen because of its connection to Hungarian history.

The tárogató was a symbol of Hungarian aristocracy and was the favorite woodwind instrument of Governor Miklós Horthy. Manufacturing in Hungary stopped after World War II, though the instrument was still made in Romania and other countries. In the 1990s, several Hungarian makers began producing the tárogató again.

A modern tárogató may sometimes be heard in Act 3 of Tristan und Isolde by Richard Wagner. It has become traditional in some opera houses, such as the Royal Opera House in London, to use the tárogató instead of the off-stage cor anglais for the final part of the Shepherd's air. However, Wagner did not specify this in the score, only suggesting "a specially built simple natural instrument."

In the 1920s, Luță Ioviță, who played the instrument during World War I, brought it to Banat, Romania, where it became popular under the name "taragot." In 1928, the British music journal Melody Maker reported that Frank Dyer, a clarinetist from Oxford, used a "taragossa," a term that does not refer to a real instrument. The description in the journal matches the tárogató.

Dumitru Fărcaș, born in Maramureș, made the tárogató famous worldwide and was considered the most skilled player. German saxophonist Peter Brötzmann has used the tárogató in free jazz and improvisation. American reed players Charles Lloyd, Scott Robinson, and Michael Marcus have occasionally played the instrument. Joe Lovano has also used the tárogató in his music, including on his albums Trio Tapestry and Roma. In 2015, Romanian singer Irina Ross released a song called "Taragot," which features the tárogató in a dance-pop style.