Rozhok
The rozhok is an ancient Russian wooden trumpet, a relative of the cornett, which has remained in continuous use until the present day.
Names
A rozhok can be called be various names: shepherd's horn, Russian horn, or song horn. A popular variant is, due to the success of a chorus of rozhok players under the leadership of Nikolai Vasilyevich Kondratyev from the Vladimir region.
Structure
A rozhok is a conical straight tube with the six playing holes: five on top and one underneath. The total length of a rozhok ranges from 320 to 830 mm. A mouthpiece is cut in the form of a small cup, and the lower end of the tube is shaped like a conical bell. A rozhok is usually made of birch, maple, or juniper. In the past they were made in two halves fastened together with birch bark; today they are turned. The sound of a rozhok is strong, but mellow, having a range of about an octave, or a little more. There are several types of rozhoks: the shortest one, having the highest sound is called vizgunok, typically in F# or G; the longest and thus the lowest one is called bas, in F# or G an octave below, while a mid-size instrument is called a polubasok, typically in C. It is polubasok instruments that are most frequently used for solo playing. Rozhok ensembles usually consist of just vizgunok and bas instruments in the ratio 2:1.
Varieties
As of 2015, rozhok ensembles exist in Moscow, Vladimir and Nerekhta, [Kostroma Oblast|Nerekhta].