Written by Petrit Latifi
The leaf melody is part of the rich family of Albanian aerophone instruments. The leaf produces the melody from the vibration of the breath. This type of instrument for creating melodies is sometimes called a “picanga”. Picangas can be made from thick grass fibers, with sharp blades of fresh grass, which are placed vertically between the two thumbs. By blowing on the tip of the “picanga”, the sound is produced.
The leaves of various trees are also used for picanga. Some villagers fold the leaf in half, put it in their mouth and use their tongues to produce all kinds of chirping sounds. Some folk craftsmen know how to produce all kinds of sounds from the leaves of various trees such as beech, hornbeam, and willow by holding the leaf corner by corner and holding it horizontally taut, blowing on the tip.
The pitch of the sound varies according to the tension of the leaf and the pressure of the breath. The shermashek leaf was once part of the instrumental instruments of the Shkodran aheng. Now the leaf is mainly used in the highlands of the north and northeast.
In the Dukagjin area, the tree leaf or lepushtra has been used as a traditional instrument since ancient times, accompanying pastoral songs, mountain songs, solo dances with its sounds, accompanied by fiddle, lute or zymare. This instrument, in music, is classified as a wind instrument.
The walnut or beech leaf is usually chosen as an instrument, a leaf or leaf that has no serrations around it, is straight and regular. A special characteristic of this natural instrument is the sound that cannot be imitated by any other instrument. By playing with the leaves, in addition to the motifs of the songs, the various chirping of birds has also been imitated. Another characteristic is that it does not have a specific register like other instruments such as the zither, fiddle, or lute, so you can play in any musical register.
Melody with the Albanian leaf
References
Balkan Academia 