New Stamps on Music

 

 Date of Issue : 3 May 2014

Lithuania Post will release tomorrow  2 new postage stamps from the series Europe.  The Lithuanian stamps will be issued to commemorate wooden bells skrabalai, reed-pipe birbynė, goat-horn ožragis, and plucked string musical instrument kanklės.

One of the two stamps features the goat-horn and wooden bells,  and the other depicts the reed-pipe and the Lithuanian plucked string musical instrument.  The goat-horn ožragis is a Lithuanian folk instrument made of the goat’s horn with sound holes and wooden mouthpiece. The traditional goat-horn has 2-6 sound holes. Much strength is required to tootle the goat-horn,

The wooden bells skrabalai are made of wood in the shape of trapezium and hanging in a small trapezium shape wooden box. In remote times the wooden bells were common among shepherds – they used to hang them on the cow’s neck in order to locate their place following the bells’ sounds.  The wooden bells produce a muted but very well heard sound. Presently they are used by the ensembles of orchestras to have playful tunes shading the whole orchestra.

The reed-pipe birbynė is a folk wind-instrument usually made of goose feather, straw, wood cortex, wood, or beast horn. The reed-pipes are used to imitate sounds, give shepherds’ signals, or play the polyphonic music sutartinės. Present-day reed-pipes are used in the programmes of the ensembles of orchestras and solo performances.

The plucked string musical instrument kanklės has a body made from wood of a deciduous tree, and the cover is made of fir. This instrument has 5-12 strings. The instrument is used to play polyphonic melodies, songs, and dances. Since the 20^th century, public concerts performed by kanklės are given. Nowadays the sounds produced by kanklės can be heard at international song festivals and in the programmes of the ensembles of orchestras. As a rule, the instrument is used to maintain harmony and rhythm.

From Our Readers…

Stamp used on speed Post before official release

India Post released a Stamp on Chattampi Swamikal. Official Releasing function held by Governor of Kerala at 5 pm. But the stamps were well available since morning 10 am onwards all over India.

The speed post label time could be clearly seen here. It shows 11.38. When will India Post take a standard decision for sale of commemorative stamp after its official release. So many pre-matured releases reported since last few years. The same is being repeated again and again. When the Postal authorities  would check this irregularity.

- Sreejesh Krishnan : email :  sreejesh.nt@gmail.com