Vienna Symphonic Library has introduced a free ethnic wind instrument library featuring the sounds of a Fujara Flute played by Slovakia-born multi-instrumentalist Veronika Vitazkova.
The library contains performances of a wide variety of short notes, long notes, crescendos, flutter tongues, trills, repetitions, as well as a series of unique effect techniques.
The fujara is an overtone flute from central Slovakia originally played by shepherds. Living in mountain huts in remote regions far from human settlements south of the Low Tatras, they played these instruments to cope with their solitude, to guide and signal their sheep, and to communicate with each other across the alpine slopes. Their tradition and very special form of shepherd’s music was handed down through generations for hundreds of years. During that time, the fujara grew in length, like a child over time, with the sound becoming richer and deeper.
In the 17th and 18th century the fujara and its sound became a symbol of resistance against the foreign rule of the nobility, and many songs depicted the fight of the serfs against their oppressors.
The specific construction of the fujara enables the player to create various overtones by altering the blowing pressure, and to play notes using the three tone holes. The sound of the fujara ranges from low, soft bass tones through sharp, high-intensity notes in the upper register.
Fujara Flute runs in the free Synchron Player software for Windows and Mac (VST/VST3, AU, AAX and standalone).
More information: Vienna Symphonic Library
