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The sornā or sornāy (, also سورنای، سورنا surnā, surnāy and also Zurna) is an ancient Iranian woodwind instrument.
"Sorna", being a cognate of "Horn", can simply mean horn. This is a result of the Centum-Satem isogloss, and later Grimm's Law. Even in Persian there is another wind instrument whose name appears to be a cognate of both "Sorna" and "Horn", called "Karnay" (کرنای/کرنا); this may stem from a re-borrowing from another language.
The Achaemenid sorna was a large trumpet-like instrument, but in later dates was reduced in size, and became more shrill like the Oboe, or dozale (double oboe), which is characterized by a turned wood body of simple shape, with a heavily flared bell. The earlier was categorized as a trumpet, but this was a mistaken idea based on the bell of the oboe and the freeblowing embouchure that often gives a superficial resemblance to a Embouchure, particularly if the oboe is fitted as so many are with a lip ring.Pope, U., "An Outline History of Persian Music and Musical Theory", in Survey of Persian Art, Vol. VI, pp. 2783–2804.
According to the Shahnameh, it was King Jamshid who devised the Sornā.Pope, U., "An Outline History of Persian Music and Musical Theory", in Survey of Persian Art, Vol. VI, p. 2784. Except the literary evidences, there are also number of artefacts from Sassanid Empire (224–651 CE), depicting Sorna, such a silver dish, currently in Hermitage Museum.Farmer, H. G., Studies in Oriental Musical Instruments, 2nd ser., London (1926), pp. 69–86.
Often sornas were played in pairs, with a melody and a drone player. This drone may move to different notes during a piece of music, changing at prescribed places in the composition.
Several other names, such as dohol, davul, tavel, and so on have been applied to the sorna. Since dohol is a double-faced drum sometimes it is called do-rūyeh in Persian language, in contrast to ghaval and daf, which are yek-rūyeh (one-faced).
In Loristan, Sorna is used as a main instrument during wedding ceremonies and also funeral ceremonies (which is called Chamaryounah). Sorna almost always is accompanied with dohol in this region.
In Balochistan It mostly performed by forming a circle by a group of people, dancing and clapping. Chaap almost always includes Sorna and Dohol. In the region of Sistan and Baluchestan, sorna is mostly used in wedding ceremonies and other celebration. The instrument is always accompanied by dohol and sometimes may include traditional dance by forming a circle.
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