Panpipes (also known as pan flutes or syrinx) are a group of musical instruments based on the principle of the closed tube, consisting of multiple pipes of gradually increasing length (and occasionally girth). Multiple varieties of panflutes have long been popular as folk instruments. The pipes are typically made from bamboo, giant cane, or local reeds. Other materials include wood, plastic, metal and ivory. They are named after Pan, the Greek god of nature and shepherds often depicted with such an instrument.
The curved-style pan flute was popularized by the Romanian musician Gheorghe Zamfir, who toured extensively and recorded many albums of pan flute music in the 1970’s, and by several other artists who began recording at the same time.
Paddy Bush played panpipes on Kate’s song Kashka From Baghdad.
References
- Pan flute. Wikipedia, retrieved 17 September 2017.
