|
|
| The Macedonian "Stradivarius" of Traditional Folk Instruments
(Dnevnik, 7.02.2002) - When a man works on fulfilling his dream, the results are inevitable. Stojance Kostovski from the village of Vinice near Skopje, dreamt of becoming a creator of traditional musical instruments since he was 13 years old. Today, the musicians and instrumentalists call him "the Macedonian Stradivarius", a master with golden hands. For more than 20 years he has been making kavals, bag-pipes, zurlas, shupelkas, duduks, drums and recently he created a new instrument called "kavaloduduk". He plays virtuously on all wind folk instruments, drum and tarabuka in the ensemble for folk songs and dances "Tanec".
- I come from a musical family where playing traditional Macedonian instruments is a tradition. It was a challenge for me to start making these instruments. I often went to see Pance at the old bazaar in Skopje and I used to watch him work. I started "exploring" the instruments and I began working on my first instrument - the kaval. Even though I taught myself, I exceeded all of the old masters who divide the instruments into small, medium and large.
Kostovski is unique in his profession - he makes the instruments according to the tune. He says that traditional instruments should not be made by a pattern.
- The length and key of my instruments is never the same. It all depends on the wood they are made of - how tall the tree is and how bid its pores are. I make the kavals of ash in several keys - D, C sharp, C, B and now I an working on a tune in A. The kaval is played with eight melodic (resonant) openings and four vocals that are very important for determining the key. The pipe is made of holly and the leather of lamb, goat or sheep, in all keys. The drum is best made of walnut or chestnut tree and the zurlas, shupelkas and dudks are made of different kinds of wood. All of the instruments are hand-made and for each of them I use special tools and a different drill.
Kostovski is the only instrument maker who boils the tree before he starts working in order to destroy the bacteria in it. After that procedure the instrument doesn't react to temperature changes and you get a better sound. He is especially proud of his new instrument - the "kavaloduduk".
- I experimented and I created a masterpiece - I put a mouthpiece on the kaval. The new instrument is held straight (the kaval is held under an angle of 45 degrees) and the places of the melodic openings are the same - says Kostovski. According to him, anyone who wants to learn how to play traditional instruments, has to buy a tuned instrument in order to "master" the instrument better and accustom the ear to the correct sound. Kostovski makes instruments by order for the Macedonian and the world market. The interested can see and order his instruments on the web-site MacedoniaDirect. He says that the interest for traditional folk instruments is increasing. The Americans and the Japanese are especially fond of the instruments and according to Kostovski, they appreciate traditional music much more than we do. He carries his instruments on every tour with "Tanec".
He has composed some music for the ensemble "Tanec" - for the mixed dances from Pirin Macedonia, "The Pirin Spring Flower" and "The Plague". Igor Ivanov - Izi made a documentary about him called "Kaval", produced by "Third Ear" production. The documentary describes the traditional making of the kaval. Every year, Kostovski is a guest at the audio and video fair and he exhibits his instruments at the Macedonian stand. In 1999 he received a golden plaque for his participation from the Skopje fair. He wishes to open a store soon where he will exhibit his instruments.
|
| |
|
|
|
