Doncaster Waites

The Doncaster Waites perform music which would have been heard in the ale houses, streets and homes in the England in the first half of the 17th century.

above left to right - curtal, and 3 shawms

 They take their name from groups of musicians who would play in the town, employed by the local corporation.

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.