NEY

The ney is a middle eastern flute made of reed cane.  It is of great antiquity, dating back to ancient Egypt. The word 'ney' is Farsi and means 'cane'. Iranian neys are beautifully decorated, with metal ferrules at either end; near eastern neys are of simpler design. Iranian playing technique is different from that of the Turks, Arabs and Egyptians, with a loud, breathy sound in the lower octave and a weaker more plaintive sound in the upper registers.

    I first learned to play kaval, the European sister instrument of the ney. Having mastered the kaval it was no difficult task to play the near eastern ney. Iranian technique is quite different. I learned it from its only traditional exponent in Britain, the film maker Dr Iraj Emami, who I am fortunate enough to include among my friends.

An improvisation on Iraqi ney, from the Bruton CD Middle East. With Arab frame drum (daf) and strings

An improvisation on Iranian ney from Middle East, accompanied by Iranian and Turkish frame drums

Modern Egyptian ney player AJ Racy, above

Ancient Egyptian ney player, left