My Trumpet Collection

Ólafur Arason lives in Iceland

A short note about my Tibetian instruments:

Dung Chen is straight metal trumpet and can be 3 m long, played in Buddhist monasteries The Dung Chen produces a deep and powerful sound that is sometimes difficult to control. Trumpets of this kind are heard mainly in Buddhist rituals, paritcularily in temple orchestras. They are made in identical pairs, out of copper, brass, or silver. Dung chen are always played in pairs. In temple orchestras they play long, low notes, known as pedal notes.

The Rkang-gling is a short metal trumpet, usually copper. The Rkang-gling is used as well in Buddishist ritual in temples. It is usually played as one of a pair. Rkang-glings were originally made from the human thigh (femur) bones. Once the bone has dried out, the natural canal of the bone forms a wind tube. It was made from femur bone because Buddhists believe that once dead, your body is no more use to you and, like old clothes, can be used by anyone else. The word “rkang” means femur, while “gling” means flute.

The Norwegian (Scandinavian) Bark horn (Lur) is wooden horn made from Birch bark.