It is not easy to determine when precisely a particular part of Albanian traditional music was called Kaba. However, in an active repertoire of the traditional musical instruments it is possible to find Kaba’s first intoned intervals we know today. It turns out that the Kaba is played with flute, clarinet, violin, gajde, bouzouki, tambura and pipëz; the Avaz is played with bouzouki, tambura, gajde, cyle and xhura; E qara (the Weeping) is played with tambura, llahutë, fyell, gërnetë, bakllama and bouzouki; Vajtimi (the Lament) is played mainly with flute and longar; Melodia (the Tune) is played with bakllama, dyjar, kavall, gajde, longar, cyrle, tambura, pizgë, pipëza, llahutë, krah-shqiponje and ungar. We are not referring to only the Kaba pieces which are often performed with traditional musical instruments, but also to that repertoire which derives from the traditional pastoral tunes, such as the Avaz. The latter appears as a monodic tune, as an accompanied monody or even as a heterophonic tune. Kaba appears also in choreographic folklore, providing the dance with the characteristics of instrumental Kaba. A good example is the tune ‘Old Leskovik Kaba Dance’.

          The use of the word Kaba is also found in another form, such as ‘to hold the Kaba’; this is an original expression which signifies the making of the Iso (drone). What is special about the pastoral Kaba, is that it conveys the rural and descriptive touch of the south Albanian village. By using the deep-rooted intonational wealth of the traditional musical instruments, these Kabas captivate the distinctive atmosphere of scenery and the spirit of place where the performer of the traditional instrument, the flute player, performs and creates his music, a symbol of the lonely shepherd who grazes his livestock on the high mountain pastures. These pastoral Kabas we’ll consider monodic when played by traditional instruments, whereas when played on instruments tuned in equal temperament will be considered as accompanied monodies. In the latter case, the first voice/part which is the only melodic voice, this is highly individualised, while the second voice/part plays the role of a continuous and unrhythmic pedal Iso. In the literary works we notice that the flute is generally treated as a traditional instrument which conveys emotions of grief and sorrow.

          The pastoral Kaba is mainly known as a Tosk Kaba. In terms of musical organisation, the Tosk Kaba is developed as a monodic-variation of melodic form and a single part structure of musical form. The musical texture of this type of Kaba suggests the development of a typology of free rhythm style and is based on the expression that derives from the use of pentatonic system. In the early interpretations of these Kabas (i.e. ‘The Weeping of Hajro-Korça’ and ‘The Weeping of Muharrem’ for violin, in particular), the interpretation, on the technical plan, was favoured by the fact that the earlier clarinets were built pitched in C. Clarinet keys and fingering positions were not that far from the fingering of the traditional flute (fyell).

          These Kabas, for the most part, are a direct reflection of the pre-consolidation phase of the Saze performance. Even today, when the virtuoso clarinet instrumentalists play different types of Kaba, they tend to refer to the elements of the ‘classical’ models of performance by preserving their spirit and orientation. The Kaba in two parts (Kaba and Dance) is usually very much inspired by the spirit of place. In the traditional musical repertory there are other designations which use terms and names such as ‘Devollitçe’ (of Devolli),’ Postenançe’ (of Postenani), ‘Asqerishte’ and ‘E Dados’ (of Dado). Each of them has a different rhythmical organisation.

          The two-part Kaba has a contrasting form and structure; in a figurative sense it is a transition from silence (Kaba) to drive (Dance). It is thought that the above structure has existed as such in the ‘twin dances’ of Toskëria. This particular pattern is associated with another type of Kaba, which is characterised by the transition from ‘weeping’ to ‘dance’, from darkness to light, the same as the emotional contrasts and tempo changes of the classical symphony cycle. The dances accompanied by Saze are played in the following musical metres: 3/8, 6/8 and 7/8. Here are some of the Kaba titles: ‘Hajduçe Dance’, ‘Vallja e çobankave’ (Shepherdess Dance), ‘Vallja e ngjalës’ (The Eel Dance) etc.

          There is also an inclination to create a monothematic Kaba and a monothematic dance. In the difficult melodic sketches, usually in the first part of Kaba, it is thought that a direct impact can derive from the free choreographic gestures performed by the traditional dancers especially in twin dances. This is best expressed in the Myzeqe’s Kaba. The two-part structure of the Southern Kaba is the most preferred type for the Saze group. Due to its authenticity, the external musical influences are almost insensitive.