The ''naqareh'', ''naqqāra'', ''nagara'' or ''nagada'' is a Middle Eastern drum with a rounded back and a hide head, usually played in pairs. It is thus a

membranophone A membranophone is any musical instrument which produces sound primarily by way of a acoustic membrane, vibrating stretched membrane. It is one of the four main divisions of instruments in the original Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument ...

of the

kettle drum Timpani (; ) or kettledrums (also informally called timps) are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a membrane called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally ...

variety. The term ''naqqāra'' (), also ''naqqarat'', ''naqqarah'', ''naqqåre'', ''nakkare'', ''nagora'' comes from the Arabic verb ''naqr-'' that means "to strike, beat". The instrument was also adopted in Europe following the Crusades, and known as the naccaire or naker.

Construction

The rounded section of a naqqara is made of baked clay, while the flat side consists of treated skin fastened around the rim with string which is tightened over the back of the bow.

Playing

This percussion instrument is often played in pairs, where one ''naqqara'' will produce low pitch beats called ''nar'' and the other for the high pitch beats. The instruments are beaten with short wooden sticks bent outward at the upper ends called ''damka''.

Varieties

Iraq and the other Arab countries

''Naqqārāt'' is the name of kettledrums in Arabic countries. Naqqārāt, hemispherical with the skin stretched over the top, come in pairs. Naqqarat is one of the percussion instruments used in

Maqam al-Iraqi Iraqi Maqam () is a genre of Arabic maqam music found in Iraq. The roots of modern Iraqi maqam can be traced as far back as the Abbasid Caliphate (8th–13th centuries AD), when that large empire was controlled from Baghdad. The ensemble of in ...

chalghi ensembles. Under the late

Abbasids The Abbasid Caliphate or Abbasid Empire (; ) was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (566–653 CE), from whom the dynasty takes i ...

and the

Fatimid Caliphate The Fatimid Caliphate (; ), also known as the Fatimid Empire, was a caliphate extant from the tenth to the twelfth centuries CE under the rule of the Fatimids, an Isma'ili Shi'a dynasty. Spanning a large area of North Africa and West Asia, i ...

, kettledrums were beaten before the five daily prayers; small ones form part of present-day orchestral ensembles.

Iran

Naqqåre can be found in different sizes in different regions of Iran: *''Naqåre-ye Shomal'' "northern naqqåre": played in northern Iran. Its native name in Mazandaran Province is ''desarkutan''. ''Desarkutan'' is in fact a pair of small drums whose bodies are made of clay. Their structure is like that of a bowl. One is larger than the other; the larger is called ''bam'' and the smaller one is called ''zil''. which respectively mean "bass" and "treble". The diameter of the ''bam'' is about 22 cm and the diameter of the ''zil'' is about 16 cm. Two drums are covered by cowhide, though in the past boarhide was used. The skin is tightened on the drums by bands made of cow tendon. *''Desarkutan'': played with two wooden drumsticks. The length of the drumsticks is 25-27 cm. The thicker drumstick is used to play on the larger drum. The diameter of the drumsticks is 1-1.5 cm. ''Serna'', the Mazandarani oboe, (Dari Persian ''sorna'') is accompanied by one or two sets of ''desarkutan''. These instruments are played in festive ceremonies such as wedding ceremonies, sport ceremonies and so on. Desarkutan is not used as a solo instrument. *''Fars naqqåre'': played in the Fars province of Iran is a little larger than ordinary ''naqqåre''. *''Sanandaji naqqåre'': played in the Sanandaj city of Kurdistan province of Iran is a little larger than ordinary ''naqqåre''. *''Naqqårekhån'': ''Khåne'' literally means "house, home, room, place" and in Iran, there were different kinds of ''naqqårekhåne'' and there were places for announcing important news by playing on the kettledrums such as rising and setting of the sun, victory, mourning, birth of a male baby etc. These were also called ''Kuskhåne or, in Indian languages, ''naubat-khāna''.

Indian subcontinent

Naqqara are also found in India, where the word is pronounced ''nagara'' or ''nagada''. They are paired kettledrums traditionally used in the ''naubat'' "Nine Things", a traditional ensemble of nine instruments. Nagara are also played with sticks. Today, this instrument is usually used to accompany the ''shehnai'' or "Indian oboe", an indispensable component of any North Indian wedding. It was also used during Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s time as a war drum (first mentioned in the Battle of Banghani). This was to infuse pride into the Sikh armies while charging. It can be seen now usually at a Sikh martial art display (Gatka display) playing in the background. Rebecca Stewart's unpublished thesis, ''The Tabla in Perspective'' (UCLA, 1974) has suggested ''

tabla A ''tabla'' is a pair of hand drums from the Indian subcontinent. Since the 18th century, it has been the principal percussion instrument in Hindustani classical music, where it may be played solo, as an accompaniment with other instruments a ...

'' was most likely a hybrid resulting from experiments with existing drums such as ''

pakhawaj The ''pakhavaj'' is a barrel-shaped, two-headed drum, originating from the Indian subcontinent, kendang of Maritime Southeast Asia and other South Asian double-headed drums. Its older forms were made with clay. It is the percussion instrumen ...

'', ''

dholak The ''dholak'' is a two-headed hand drum, a folk percussion instrument. The dholak is most commonly recognised in countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, but can also be found amongst the Indo-Diaspora in countries s ...

'', and ''naqqara''.

Azerbaijan

In Azerbaijan there is a kind of kettledrum that is called ghosha-

naqara The ''naqareh'', ''naqqāra'', ''nagara'' or ''nagada'' is a Middle Eastern drum with a rounded back and a hide head, usually played in pairs. It is thus a membranophone of the kettle drum variety. The term ''naqqāra'' (), also ''naqqarat'', ...

. Ghosha means "pair".Гоша-нагар

Turkey

In Turkey, this word is pronounced ''nakkare'' and refers to small kettledrums beaten with the hands or two sticks. ''Kös'', or giant kettledrums played on horseback, are a separate instrument. These drums and the ''davul'' or ''cylindrical drum'' were used in Ottoman ''mehter'' music.

Uzbekistan

In Uzbekistan the kettledrum is called ''naqara'' or ''nagora''. ''Dulnaqara'': a large kettledrum that gives a low and loud sound (i.e. "tum"). ''Reznaqara'' is a small kettledrum that gives a high and loud sound (i.e. "tak"). ''Koshnaqara'' is a small-paired kettledrum, a pair of clay pots with goatskin tops.

Europe

Kettledrums were adopted in Europe during the 13th century Crusades, following contact with

Saracen upright 1.5, Late 15th-century German woodcut depicting Saracens ''Saracen'' ( ) was a term used both in Greek and Latin writings between the 5th and 15th centuries to refer to the people who lived in and near what was designated by the Rom ...

musicians who played the drums;The Arabic term ''naqqara'' became French ''nacaires'', the Italian ''naccheroni'' and the English nakers. The instrument spread rapidly, reaching England in the 14th century. The instrument is very visible in European artwork and iconography of the period, before fading from view in the 17th century. As the

Grove Dictionary of Music ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' is an encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians. Along with the German-language '' Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart'', it is one of the largest reference works on the history and th ...

describes them:

They were more or less hemispherical, 15-25cm in diameter, frequently with snares and usually played in pairs, suspended in front of the player. They were usually played with drumsticks, mainly for martial purposes but also in chamber music, dance and processional music and probably for accompanying songs.

Kettledrums in Europe today are called ''tympani'' or ''

timpani Timpani (; ) or kettledrums (also informally called timps) are musical instruments in the percussion instrument, percussion family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a Membranophone, membrane called a drumhead, ...

'', descended from the imported naqareh.

Georgia

Diplipito is a widespread percussion instrument all over Georgia. It comprises two small cone-shaped clay pots (jars) of the same height, but different width, which are covered with leather. One of the clay pots is smaller than the other. A cord ties the two jars together. The height of the jars is 200-250 mm, and their diameters are 90mm and 170mm. The ''diplipito'' is played with two small sticks called "goat legs." The instrument is used to provide rhythms for vocal music and dance music. It is often combined with instruments such as

duduki The duduk ( ; ) or tsiranapogh (, meaning "apricot-made wind instrument"), is a double reed woodwind instrument made of apricot wood originating from Armenia. Variations of the Armenian duduk appear throughout the Caucasus, the Balkans, and the ...

, buzika

panduri The panduri ( ka, ფანდური) is a Music of Georgia (country)#Folk music, traditional Georgian three-string plucked string instrument, plucked instrument common in all regions of Eastern Georgia (country), Eastern Georgia: such as Psha ...

, and

salamuri The salamuri ( ka, სალამური) is a Georgian wind instrument which resembles a recorder. It is a staple part of Georgian folk music, and is ancient in origin, with early examples being in bone. Modern salamuris are made from woo ...

. The diplipito is generally played by males, and plays an important role in Georgian folk ensembles.

References

External links