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Some 104 horns still survive from the Irish Bronze Age. Until recently, nobody tried to play them because their mouthpieces were too strange. Then ethnomusicologists studied similar instruments that are still being played, got some idea of how to blow them, and brought some musicians in on the deal. As it says in the section on the Silver Pipes of Ur:
They produce a gentle mellow sound with surprising volume from such narrow tubes. The pipe with four finger holes will play five notes and the other with three holes will play four notes. The overall sound is quite similar to much of the music that is played in the Middle Eastern region. It is possible to circular breath while playing to maintain a continuous sound. This technique is used today by exponents of the triple mouth pipes of Sardinia. Adept players are able to produce intricate traditional tunes while also holding a smooth drone. Though the research into playing the Silver Pipes of Ur is in its infancy, in the first months they have proven to be a delicate tuneful instrument.If you go here, you can download samples of the horns being played. The last two tracks, where they’re played together (accompanied by a traditional drum, on the last track), are mournful and cool.On a recent visit to Edinburgh Simon asked the eminent piper Ian McDonald to try the silver pipes. Almost immediately he discovered that by inserting the reed into the other end of one of the pipes he was able to play at least eight notes. This was an excellent example of how important discoveries can be made with prehistoric instruments by giving access of perfect reproductions to professional players of modern equivalents.