Shawm

What it means

The shawm is a historical double-reed instrument with a conical bore, widespread in many sizes during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Unlike the later oboe, its reed sits freely inside the player's mouth rather than being enclosed and damped by the lips, giving it a noticeably louder, sharper sound.

In German the same name, Schalmei, also survives in an entirely different instrument: the modern shawm of German marching bands is a valveless brass instrument with a cup mouthpiece, sharing only its name with the historical instrument.

Musical use

Historical shawms were used mainly outdoors, for processions, tournaments, and dance music, often in ensembles of several sizes ranging from a high descant to a low bass shawm. Their piercing sound made them the favored instrument of town waits and courtly wind ensembles before the Baroque era's quieter, lip-controlled oboe took over that role.

The modern German brass 'Schalmei' arose only in the twentieth century for marching bands and shares nothing with the medieval instrument beyond the name, since it is sounded through a cup mouthpiece rather than a reed.

The historical shawm should be distinguished from the crumhorn, which also has a capped double reed but is curved and produces a softer, more nasal sound, and from the bombarde, a larger, lower-pitched form often used alongside the shawm.

Performance practice

Because the historical shawm's reed sits freely in the mouth, pitch can barely be corrected by lip pressure; rely instead on precise fingering and steady breath pressure. Its loud sound suits outdoor or ensemble playing far better than quiet, intimate settings.