The Doncaster Waites play on a large
selection of reproduction instruments. These include the
shawm which has a double reed and is quite loud. It is the
precursor of the oboe, and produces a loud nasal tone. Then
there is a pipe and tabor used especially for dance music.
Flutes and recorders produce a pleasant, quieter music for
indoor occasions. The crumhorn is curved and always arouses
curiosity.
The Hurdy Gurdy created a sound by turning a
handle which rotates a wheel against strings. Keys produce
notes and chords.
Other instruments we saw included the
tambourin de Bearn, rackett, curtal and cornamuse.
The cornamuse is like a crumhorn but without
the roiunded end. It has a stopped end, so the sound
escapes through the sounds holes drilled in the end. It
produces a quiet sound.
The rackett has 9 bores passing through a
piece of wood and is bit like a bassoon, (but a lot
smaller). It is a double reed instrument.
The instruments played by the Doncaster
Waites have been made especially for the group by one of the
players.
