Bifora

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For the plant genus, see Bifora (plant).

The bifora or pifara was a Sicilian double reed instrument of the oboe family, related to the ancient shawm and particularly to the piffero of the northern Italian Apennines. Much larger than the piffero, and made in one piece, it was employed together with drums in ceremonial processions, particularly in the town of San Marco d'Alunzio in the province of Messina. Its use seems to have died out during the twentieth century.

[edit] References

Mario Sarica, Strumenti Musicali Popolari in Sicilia, Assessorato alla cultura, Provincia di Messina 1994. Excerpted in Il Flauto in Sicilia (Italian)
Percorsi Guidati: Piffero (Italian), from AESS: Archivio di Etnografia e Storia Sociale, RegioneLombardia

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Double reed instruments (also includes those with quadruple and sextuple reeds)

European classical (modern):	Piccolo oboe • Piccolo heckelphone • Oboe • Oboe d'amore • Cor anglais (English horn) • Bass oboe • Heckelphone • Contrabass oboe • Tenoroon • Bassoon • Contrabassoon • Contraforte • Sarrusophone • Alto sarrusophone • Tenor sarrusophone • Baritone sarrusophone • Bass sarrusophone • Contrabass sarrusophone • Rothphone • Contrabassophone • Reed contrabass • Tromboon
European classical (historical):	Aulos • Baroque oboe • Bassanelli • Cornamuse • Cromorne • Crumhorn • Dulcian • Hirtenschalmei • Kortholt • Oboe da caccia • Pommer • Rackett • Rauschpfeife • Shawm
African traditional:	Alghaita • Rhaita
Asian traditional:	Duduk • Guan • Gyaling • Hichiriki • Hne • Kèn bầu • Kuzhal • Mizmar • Nadaswaram • Pi • Piri • Shehnai • Sorna • Sralai • Suona • Taepyeongso • Zurna
European traditional:	Aulos • Bifora • Bombarde • Catalan shawm • Dulzaina • Musette • Piffero • Sopila • Tárogató • Zurla
North American traditional:	Trompeta china