A “toy” stop which imitates the call of the cuckoo bird using two pipes pitched a major or minor third apart and blown successively. It was, according to Williams, found mainly in the 16th and 17th centuries throughout Europe, and as late as the mid-19th century in some parts of Spain, Italy and southern Germany.

Examples

No examples of Cuckoo, Cukuk, Gukuk, or Cuckguck are known. Contributions welcome.

Kuckuck; Opera House, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Sharp 1979.

Kuckuck; Käppelle, Würzburg, Germany; Vleugels 1991.

Cuculus; Basilica, Weingarten, Würtemberg, Germany; Gabler 1737 (restored 1983). A wind-driven turbine playing d2-b1 and a1-f#1 sequences. See below for sound clip.

Sound Clips

See the Sound Files appendix for general information.

Bibliography