The Trembita: Watch the Revival of Ukraine's Carpathian Mountain Horn

In the Ukrainian Carpathians, a deep, long-drawn note echoing across the valleys was once as good as a message. It came from the trembita, a wooden horn so long that it often stands taller than the musician who plays it.

The voice of the mountains

The trembita is a traditional instrument of the Hutsuls, the highland people of the Ukrainian Carpathians. It belongs to the family of alpine horns and has no finger holes or valves; the player changes notes only with the lips and breath. The instrument is commonly about three metres long or more.

Making and using a trembita involved deep tradition:

• it was usually made from spruce, ideally from a tree struck by lightning, which was believed to give the instrument a special voice;
• the wooden tube was traditionally wrapped in birch bark;
• shepherds used it to signal to each other and to villages below the high pastures;
• its sound announced important events, such as births, weddings, deaths and festivals.

As telephones and roads reached the mountain villages, the practical role of the trembita declined. Yet it survived as a musical and ceremonial instrument, and it is often heard at folk festivals, in ethno-music projects and at celebrations in the Carpathian region.

Playing the instrument takes strong lungs and practice, and masters who can make and play a trembita are respected figures in their communities.

What to expect from the video

The Revival Of Ukraine's Mountain Horn -- The Trembita was published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the international broadcaster known for reporting on Central and Eastern Europe. As the title indicates, the film focuses on how this ancient instrument is being brought back to life, so viewers can expect to see and hear the trembita in its Carpathian setting.

The video is short and atmospheric, ideal for anyone curious about Hutsul culture or planning a trip to the Carpathians. Listen carefully: few sounds capture the spirit of the Ukrainian mountains as well as this long wooden horn.

Video: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty / YouTube