I've just come back from a week-long folk camp at Karád in Hungary, mainly learning the tárogató. The camp is run by the long-established folk group Méta, directed by the musicologist Beata Salomon. This was the 25th one so as you can imagine they've had long enough to get it right: very well organized.

This year they specialized in tunes from Bodrogköz, in the north-east corner of Hungary on the border with Slovakia. A small place with a small repertoire of distinctive tunes that are quite widely played in Hungary today. Most of them were limited-range modal dance tunes that obviously fit the ocarina (search "Bodrogközi táncok" on YouTube). This one was different. Limited range but very chromatic; I'd guess it was a military band tune from the latter days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire that went feral in the folk repertoire. I've found a couple of versions of it on YouTube, significantly different from this and from each other. It's a "verbunk", a recruiting sergeant's dance: lots of macho stamps, leaps and thigh-slapping. I can't imagine any instrument that would make it easy - it isn't on either the tárogató or the ocarina. Makes for a nice exercise in chromatic playing.

Jack, do tell this naive guy the main differences in timbre between the tarogato and the soprano sax. Does metal make the main difference?

There are quite a few YouTube videos. The timbre of a tárogató is somewhere in between that of a sax and an oboe. The tárogató seems to be easier to play accurately in tune than a soprano sax - at least, as a relative beginner, I'm doing better in that department than soprano sax players I've met in person who've been at it for years.

They vary quite a lot in timbre. Mine is a Gregus, which tends to a dark, vocal sound. The other extreme is the Toth, cool and oboe-like.

thanks for the clarification.

now back to ocarina...will be opening the kiln tomorrow morn. The small kiln was packed with many forms of xuns to Italian style ocarinas being fired. Made another ocarina tonight while watching the political convention speakers. Dropped it and ruined the voicing area. Never had to replace the complete window/voicing area on a leather hard ocarina, but it has worked. The highest note isn't as good as it was but I've nothing but time to see if I can improve it.

Still thinking about making one with paper clay. I have used newspaper and clay mixtures for sculptural objects before but now I think I shall try toilet paper in the mix to make an ocarina. Any ideas on this subject? I read that paper clay was popular in Finnish art schools during the'90's. Anyone out there reading this willing to help?

let's see.

Sarebbe interessante fare qualche prova con argilla con carta igienica al 20 %, per cercare di alleggerire le C7 contrabbasso, anche se l'ultimo stampo riesco a scendere sotto i 700 grammi con tutta argilla bianca. Mi scoraggia il tempo supplementare necessario per la lavorazione/miscelazione eccetera.

Giorgio, One formula mix was made today. This test clay will be ready to be wedged tomorrow. Unfortunately for us both, I did not take measurements--filled a container half of water, stirred the toilet paper until the water was an opaque cream. added dry clay. Slaked the mix and then used an electric drill mixer to stir the mix until smooth. I suppose three ocarinas can be made, two for certain plus a density/absorption/shrinkage slab too.

may be a waste of time, but here goes!

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