Shofar

A shofar [ʃoˈfaʁ, Hebrew שׁוֹפָר] is a musical instrument of ancient origin, made of a horn, traditionally that of a ram, most commonly used for Jewish religious purposes (shofar-blowing is incorporated in synagogue services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur). Like the modern bugle, the shofar lacks pitch-altering devices. All pitch control is done by varying the player's embouchure. Shofars come in a variety of sizes.

Choice of animal
According to the Talmud, a shofar may be made from the horn of any animal from the Bovidae family except that of a cow although a ram is preferable. Bovidae horns are made of keratin (the same material as human toenails and fingernails). An antler, on the other hand, is not a horn but solid bone. Antlers cannot be used as a shofar because they cannot be hollowed out.

Construction
In practice two species are generally used: the Ashkenazi and Sefardi shofar is made from the horn of a domestic ram, while a Yemeni shofar is made from the horn of a kudu. A Moroccan Shofar is a flat Shofar with no curves besides the main curve. A crack or hole in the shofar affecting the sound renders it unfit for ceremonial use. A shofar may not be painted in colors, but it may be carved with artistic designs. Shofars are sometimes plated with silver across part of their length for display purposes, although this invalidates them for use in religious practices.

The horn is flattened and shaped by the application of heat, which softens it. A hole is made from the tip of the horn to the natural hollow inside. It is played much like a European brass instrument, with the player blowing through the hole, causing the air column inside to vibrate. Sephardi shofars usually have a carved mouthpiece resembling that of a European trumpet or French horn, but smaller. Ashkenazi shofars do not.

Because the hollow of the shofar is irregular in shape, the harmonics obtained when playing the instrument can vary: rather than a pure perfect fifth, intervals as narrow as a fourth, or as wide as a sixth may be produced.

Use in film music

 * In the film version of the musical Godspell, the first act opens with cast member David Haskell blowing the shofar.
 * Jerry Goldsmith used the shofar in his 1968 score for Planet of the Apes, first (briefly and faintly) during the film's "Main Title," then in a loud, fanfaric blast during the infamous moment when the apes first appear on horseback as they pursue the humans through the fields ("The Hunt").
 * Goldsmith returned to the shofar in his score for the 1979 science fiction horror film Alien, casting it among several exotic instruments utilized to create the dark, otherworldly atmosphere.

References and further reading

 * Arthur L. Finkle, Easy Guide to Shofar Sounding, LA: Torah Aura, 2003
 * Arthur l. Finkle, Shofar Sounders Reference Manual, LA: Torah Aura, 1993
 * Hearing Shofar: The Still Small Voice of the Ram's Horn by Michael T. Chusid, a three volume compendium of shofar information.