BAGPIPE The gaita, or Spanish medieval bagpipe, is a simple bagpipe with one drone and a chanter. This instrument is based upon an illuminated manuscript of Spanish medieval songs called the Cantigas de Santa Maria, (Alfonso X el Sabio, 13th century). As depicted in the manuscript, the gaita is adorned with pieces of animal horn. A similar instrument can be seen in the 14th century Barcelona Hagaddah, which depicts four musicians with a rebec like instrument, an 'ud and a double naqqara.

KAMANJA A three stringed folk fiddle from the Black Sea region of Turkey, the kamanja is distinguished by its rectangular cross section (unlike many other bowl-like fiddles of the region) and its metal strings. Fiddles are essentially lutes which are bowed, a practice which began in the East about one thousand years ago.

CORNETTINO The smallest member of a family of lip reed instruments combining the properties of a horn with those of a woodwind. Known from as early as the middle ages, the cornetti were used to accompany singers as late as the Baroque era at which time they fell into disuse, supplanted largely by the violin. The larger members of the family bore such colorful names as lizard and serpent, and were used into the 19th century.

CHALUMEAU A single reed woodwind instrument, the chalumeau is the earliest European form of the clarinet. By some accounts it was transformed into the clarinet around 1700 by J.C. Denner, the principal difference being that the chalumeau (of which no known examples seem to exist) had a range of a 12th, whereas the clarinet was capable of overblowing, thus producing a much larger range for which it is celebrated. Voice of the Turtle uses soprano, alto and tenor chalumeaux in concert.

DUMBEK A goblet shaped drum found throughout the Middle East. It is also known as the zarb (Iran), darabuka or tabl, and is made from metal, ceramic or wood.

RIQQ A small Middle Eastern, circular frame drum with cymbals inserted in the rim. Also known as a def or duff, this tambourine typically has 5 pairs of cymbals and is played with the fingers of both hands.

SHAWM The earliest European form of the oboe, the shawm is a conical bore, double reed woodwind instrument believed to have migrated from the East in the 12th century. By the time of the Renaissance the shawm was found in many sizes, from soprano to great bass. The largest size was known as the bombard, which ironically is the same name used for the tiny Breton folk instrument still in use today. Many countries in Asia have double reed instruments in the shawm family, such as the zurna (Iraq), ghaita (Morocco), shahnay (India), sona (China) and mey (Turkey).

BOMBARD A small Breton instrument of the double reed shawm family, possessing one key. The bombard plays in a very high tessitura and is frequently paired with the equally high Breton bagpipe known as a biniou. Both instruments are quite loud, possibly accounting for the former's warlike name.

'UD The 'ud is the classical Arabic lute, believed to have its origin in ancient Persia. This member of the family of short-necked lutes is found throughout the Levant, North Africa and the Middle East. The fretless 'ud, or oud, has 6 courses of strings made of nylon and metal. The body is comprised of staves. In Europe, it was transformed by the addition of frets into the lute during the middle ages, and it remained popular through the Baroque period.

SAZ This member of the long-necked lute family comes from Turkey where several similar instruments are played including the larger baglama. The family is distinguished by its single piece carved body, a long neck to which frets are tied, and three pairs of wire strings.

NAY The nay is a simple, end blown flute made from a reed or cane. It is used throughout the Middle East. Despite its utter simplicity, the nay is the hardest of the flute family to play and is usually played using circular breathing. A similar turned wood instrument called the kaval is played in Bulgaria.