The Armenian duduk (pronounced "doo-DOOK") is also called tsiranapogh, which means "apricot-made wind instrument" in Armenian. It is a double reed woodwind instrument made from apricot wood and comes from Armenia. Similar versions of the duduk are found in the Caucasus, the Balkans, and the Middle East. The duduk, balaban, and mey are very similar, but they differ based on their history and location.

The duduk is often played by two musicians. One plays the melody, while the other plays a steady background sound called a "dum." Together, their music creates a fuller and more emotional sound. The duduk has a large reed and a round body, which makes its sound more like an English horn than an oboe or bassoon. Unlike the oboe or shawm, the duduk has a reed that is much larger compared to the size of the instrument.

In 2005, UNESCO declared the Armenian duduk and its music a Masterpiece of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity. It was officially added to the list in 2008. Music played on the duduk has been used in several Hollywood films.

Etymology

The word "duduk" is usually thought to come from the Turkish word "düdük," which means "reed pipe." Scholars like Yaşar Çağbayır and Gerard Clauson say that "düdük" comes from the Old Turkic word "tütek." This word originally meant "something that steams or smokes," and it also came to mean "a spout," "a tube," "a pipe used as a musical instrument," or "a water-pipe." In Turkish, "düdük" can also mean "whistle."

Other sources, such as the Russian book Musical Instruments Encyclopedia and the American book Musical Instruments, A Comprehensive Dictionary, suggest that "duduk" comes from the Persian word "tutak." Mahmut Gazimihal explains that "tutak" is a newer and less common term in Persian and might have been borrowed from Turkish.

In Armenia, the instrument is also called "tsiranapogh" (ծիրանափող [hy]).

This instrument should not be confused with a similar-sounding instrument from northwestern Bulgaria (see below, "Balkan duduk").

Overview

The duduk is a double reed instrument with a long history, having been used since at least the fifth century. Some Armenian scholars believe it existed more than 1,500 years before that. Early versions of the instrument were made from bone or cane. Today, the duduk is made from aged apricot wood and has a large double reed.

The way the duduk is tuned depends on the region where it is played. An eight-hole duduk (not counting the thumb hole) can play ten notes in a diatonic scale with simple finger movements, or sixteen notes in a chromatic scale by partially covering the holes. For example, an A duduk can play notes from F♯ up to an octave higher than A. (Another source provides different details.) Players can change the pitch by using their lips to "bend" notes and by partially covering holes, which is needed for Oriental music. The length of the duduk’s body varies depending on the instrument’s range and the region. The reed (Armenian: եղեգն, eġegn) is made from one or two pieces of cane joined together like a duck’s bill. Unlike other double-reed instruments, the duduk’s reed is wide, which helps create its unique, sad sound and requires special breathing techniques. The person who plays the duduk is called a dudukahar (դուդուկահար) in Armenian.

Players use air stored in their cheeks to continue playing while they breathe in. This "circular" breathing method is common among double-reed instruments in the Middle East.

The duduk is often played with another instrument called a "dum duduk," which adds energy and a balanced sound to the music, adjusting the scale to match the main duduk.

History

Armenian music experts say there is proof that the duduk was used as early as 1200 BC. Some Western scholars believe it is about 1,500 years old. Different versions of the duduk are found in Armenia and the Caucasus region. The history of Armenian duduk music is connected to the time when King Tigran the Great ruled from 95 to 55 BC. According to Dr. Jonathan McCollum, a music expert, the duduk is shown in many Armenian manuscripts from the Middle Ages. He says the duduk is "the only truly Armenian instrument that has survived through history" and that it represents Armenian national identity. The most important feature of the duduk is its ability to express the sounds and emotions of the Armenian language, which is often difficult for duduk players to achieve.

Balkan duduk

The word "duduk" usually describes a musical instrument with two reeds, as explained here. However, a similar instrument called a kaval is played in northwestern Bulgaria. This instrument, which has a closed end, is also known as a frula in Serbia or kavalče in parts of North Macedonia, and as duduk in northwest Bulgaria. Made from maple or other types of wood, the kaval comes in two sizes: 700–780 millimetres (28–31 inches) and 240–400 millimetres (9.4–15.7 inches), sometimes called duduce. The closed end of the instrument is flat.

In popular culture

The duduk is a musical instrument that has become well-known because it is used in many popular movies. It was first widely heard in Peter Gabriel's music for the movie The Last Temptation of Christ by Martin Scorsese. The duduk's old and sad sound has been used in many different types of movies to show feelings like loneliness, sadness, or to create a Middle Eastern or Central Asian atmosphere. Djivan Gasparyan played the duduk in movies such as Gladiator, Syriana, and Blood Diamond. The duduk was also used a lot in the TV show Battlestar Galactica. In the TV series Avatar: The Last Airbender, the duduk's sound was mixed with the sound of a trombone bell to create the imaginary Tsungi horn, which was played by the character Iroh. The duduk appears in the soundtrack of The Dragon Prince because many people who worked on Avatar: The Last Airbender are now working on this show. The duduk was also used in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe for a lullaby played by Mr. Tumnus on a made-up double flute, and in the theme song for the Dothraki clan in the TV version of Game of Thrones.

In 2010, Armenia's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest, "Apricot Stone," featured Armenian musician Djivan Gasparyan playing the duduk.

The Armenian duduk has been used in many films, especially to show feelings like loneliness, sadness, or to create a Middle Eastern or Central Asian atmosphere.

Films featuring the duduk:
• Ararat (2002) by Mychael Danna
• Avatar (2009) by Nacer Khemir, in the track Shutting Down Grace's Lab
• Bab'Aziz: le prince qui contemplait son âme (2005) by Nacer Khemir
• Bedtime Stories (2008) by Rupert Gregson-Williams
• Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001) by Joseph LoDuca
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) by Harry Gregson-Williams, in the track A Narnia Lullaby
• Constantine (2005) by Brian Tyler and Klaus Badelt, in the track Circle of Hell
• The Crow (1994) by Graeme Revell, featuring Djivan Gasparyan
• Dead Man Walking (1995) by David Robbins
• Dune (2021) by Hans Zimmer, duduk by Pedro Eustache
• Dune: Part Two (2024) by Hans Zimmer, duduk by Pedro Eustache
• Elektra (2005) by Christophe Beck
• Gladiator (2000) by Djivan Gasparyan, in the track Duduk of the North
• Hotel Rwanda (2004) main theme
• Hulk (2003) duduk by Pedro Eustache, by Danny Elfman
• The Island (2005) by Steve Jablonsky
• The Kite Runner (2007) by Alberto Iglesias
• Munich (2005) duduk by Pedro Eustache, by John Williams
• Mayrig (1991) by Omar Al Sharif
• Next (2007) by Mark Isham
• The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) by Peter Gabriel, featuring Vatche Hovsepian
• The Passion of The Christ (2004) by John Debney, duduk by Pedro Eustache and Chris Bleth
• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) by Hans Zimmer
• Rendition (2007) by Paul Hepker and Mark Kilian, duduk by Pedro Eustache
• Ronin (1998) by Elia Cmiral, duduk by Albert Vardanyan
• Syriana (2005) by Alexandre Desplat, duduk by Djivan Gasparyan and Pedro Eustache
• The Russia House (1990) by Jerry Goldsmith
• The Siege (1998) by Graeme Revell, in the track Torture
• Vantage Point (2008) by Atli Orvarsson
• Wanted (2008) by Danny Elfman
• Warriors of Heaven and Earth (2003) by A. R. Rahman
• You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008) by Rupert Gregson-Williams

TV shows and music featuring the duduk:
• Angel by Rob Kral
• Avatar: The Last Airbender by Jeremy Zuckerman, featuring the duduk in tracks like Iroh's Song
• Battlestar Galactica
• The Dragon Prince
• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
• Game of Thrones

Video games and other media:
• Arrietty by Cécile Corbel, in the track Sho's Song – Instrumental Version
• Tales from Earthsea by Tamiya Terashima, in tracks like The Trip and The Spider

Music featuring the duduk:
• Meeting album by A.G.A. Trio with Arsen Petrosyan on Duduk (2020 by NAXOS WORLD)
• Come Along by Cosmo Sheldrake (2017)
• Qélé, Qélé by Sirusho (2008 Eurovision Song Contest)
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