Exploring String Instruments from Around the World

 
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The Erhu -
China
 
The 
erhu 
is one of the most important Chinese instruments, with a
history of over 4,000 years. Though it has only two strings, it can
convey a wide range of emotions.
While the 
erhu 
has been called the “Chinese violin,” it differs from the
western instrument in many ways. First, it is played vertically, often
resting on the musician's lap. It has no fingerboard, so the player's
fingers must hold and vibrate the strings by pressing only against the
strings themselves. The 
erhu
 bow is already fixed between the two
strings, and the bow hair is either pushed forward or backward to
catch a string.  The music resonates from the instrument’s wooden
drum, which acts as a natural amplifier. Intonation is one of the
instrument’s greatest challenges, as different positions and degrees of
pressure can dramatically change the free-floating strings’ pitch.
The Morin
Khuur & Throat
Singing –
Mongolia
 
The literal translation of the instrument’s name is “horsehead fiddle,” as
traditionally the neck of the morin khuur is carved into the shape of a horse. The
instrument is played sitting down, held between the knees of the player. There are
two strings on the morin khuur: one made of 130 hairs of a male horse and one
made of 105 hairs from a female horse. Traditionally, the morin khuur was played
while telling epic poems or stories, often performed by shamans. The instrument’s
hollow trapezoid-shaped body is attached to a long fretless neck bearing a carved
horse head at its extremity. The soundboard is covered with animal skin, and the
strings and bow are made of horsehair. The instrument’s characteristic sound is
produced by sliding or stroking the bow against the two strings. Common
techniques include multiple stroking by the right hand and a variety of left-hand
fingering.
The music of the morin khuur often comes paired with throat singing. Not every
morin khuur player is able to use throat singing. It is a separate discipline that
requires years of training from a young age. Throat singing was a tactic used by
Mongolian warriors.
Rabab -
Pakistan
 
The Rabab is a lute like musical instrument originating from the
part of the world that is now Afghanistan and Pakistan. Its name
was derived from Arab language Rebab which means “played with
a bow”. This is a plucked instrument with gut strings that give
more power and deepness in its sound. It is approximately 3 feet
long, made primarily of Tunn wood, which is similar to Red Cedar.
The mellow yet piercing sound comes due to the it’s hollow base
which is covered with animal skin. The Rabab comes in several
styles, shapes, and sizes. It can be dated back 2500 years. It is
mentioned in countless classic poems because of its power to
ensnare the hearts of its audience with its charming and sweet
tones. The Rabab was used  in both classical and  folk music.
The Kokle -
Latvia
 
Latvia's national instrument is traditionally played by women
and girls. It's a triangular wooden box on legs with up to 33
metal strings, which the musicians pluck.
It is unique to Latvia, and although neighbouring countries do
have similar instruments - the Finnish kantele and Lithuanian
kankle for example - Latvians say nothing sounds quite like the
kokle.
Playing the kokle was banned for a time under the Soviet Union,
but now more and more people are taking it up and
contemporary musicians are using the kokle in new works.
There is a problem though - there is only one master kokle-
maker in Latvia, and he has a five-year waiting list for new
instruments!
The Cobza -
Romania
 
Among the chordophones, instruments whose sounds are
produced with the aid of strings, one of the oldest is the cobza.
Its forerunners are painted on the walls of several monasteries
and churches dating from the sixteenth century onwards. The
present day cobza consists of a half-pear-shaped resonance box
made up of five or seven ribs ("doage") of walnut and maple,
called "burduf" or "bîrdan", with a belly made of thin spruce and
a short broad neck ("gît") of strong wood, whose pegbox is bent
back at an obtuse or right angle. The strings, of different
thicknesses are connected to a deal tailpiece ("cordar") fixed on
the lower part of the belly and tightened with the help of pegs
("cuie", literally nails) of strong wood. They are stopped with all
the fingers of the left hand and plucked with a goose-quill held in
the right hand.
Cláirseach–
Ireland
 
The Celtic harp is a square harp traditional to Ireland and Scotland. It is
known as cláirseach in Irish and clàrsach in Scottish Gaelic. In Ireland
and Scotland, it was a wire-strung instrument requiring great skill and
long practice to play and was associated with the Gaelic ruling class. In
construction the Irish and Scottish harps may in general be considered
as one. A characteristic feature is the metal strings. Historical sources
mention various types of wire, including brass and iron; some scholars
also argue for the use of silver and gold. The wires were attached to a
massive soundbox typically carved from a single log, commonly of
willow, although other woods including alder and poplar have been
identified in extant harps. This harp also had a reinforced curved pillar
and a substantial neck, flanked with thick brass cheek bands. The
strings, usually played with the fingernails, produced a brilliant ringing
sound.
 
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Delve into the enchanting world of string instruments from different cultures. Discover the Erhu from China, with its 4,000-year history and unique playing style. Explore the Morin Khuur from Mongolia, known for its horse-head design and pairing with throat singing. Journey to Pakistan to learn about the Rabab, a lute-like instrument with deep, powerful sound. Immerse yourself in the rich musical traditions and histories behind these captivating string instruments.


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  1. String instruments String instruments from around the from around the world world

  2. The Erhu - China

  3. The erhu is one of the most important Chinese instruments, with a history of over 4,000 years. Though it has only two strings, it can convey a wide range of emotions. While the erhu has been called the Chinese violin, it differs from the western instrument in many ways. First, it is played vertically, often resting on the musician's lap. It has no fingerboard, so the player's fingers must hold and vibrate the strings by pressing only against the strings themselves. The erhu bow is already fixed between the two strings, and the bow hair is either pushed forward or backward to catch a string. The music resonates from the instrument s wooden drum, which acts as a natural amplifier. Intonation is one of the instrument s greatest challenges, as different positions and degrees of pressure can dramatically change the free-floating strings pitch.

  4. The Morin Khuur & Throat Singing Mongolia

  5. The literal translation of the instruments name is horsehead fiddle, as traditionally the neck of the morin khuur is carved into the shape of a horse. The instrument is played sitting down, held between the knees of the player. There are two strings on the morin khuur: one made of 130 hairs of a male horse and one made of 105 hairs from a female horse. Traditionally, the morin khuur was played while telling epic poems or stories, often performed by shamans. The instrument s hollow trapezoid-shaped body is attached to a long fretless neck bearing a carved horse head at its extremity. The soundboard is covered with animal skin, and the strings and bow are made of horsehair. The instrument s characteristic sound is produced by sliding or stroking the bow against the two strings. Common techniques include multiple stroking by the right hand and a variety of left-hand fingering. The music of the morin khuur often comes paired with throat singing. Not every morin khuur player is able to use throat singing. It is a separate discipline that requires years of training from a young age. Throat singing was a tactic used by Mongolian warriors.

  6. Rabab - Pakistan

  7. The Rabab is a lute like musical instrument originating from the part of the world that is now Afghanistan and Pakistan. Its name was derived from Arab language Rebab which means played with a bow . This is a plucked instrument with gut strings that give more power and deepness in its sound. It is approximately 3 feet long, made primarily of Tunn wood, which is similar to Red Cedar. The mellow yet piercing sound comes due to the it s hollow base which is covered with animal skin. The Rabab comes in several styles, shapes, and sizes. It can be dated back 2500 years. It is mentioned in countless classic poems because of its power to ensnare the hearts of its audience with its charming and sweet tones. The Rabab was used in both classical and folk music.

  8. The Kokle - Latvia

  9. Latvia's national instrument is traditionally played by women and girls. It's a triangular wooden box on legs with up to 33 metal strings, which the musicians pluck. It is unique to Latvia, and although neighbouring countries do have similar instruments - the Finnish kantele and Lithuanian kankle for example - Latvians say nothing sounds quite like the kokle. Playing the kokle was banned for a time under the Soviet Union, but now more and more people are taking it up and contemporary musicians are using the kokle in new works. There is a problem though - there is only one master kokle- maker in Latvia, and he has a five-year waiting list for new instruments!

  10. The Cobza - Romania

  11. Among the chordophones, instruments whose sounds are produced with the aid of strings, one of the oldest is the cobza. Its forerunners are painted on the walls of several monasteries and churches dating from the sixteenth century onwards. The present day cobza consists of a half-pear-shaped resonance box made up of five or seven ribs ("doage") of walnut and maple, called "burduf" or "b rdan", with a belly made of thin spruce and a short broad neck ("g t") of strong wood, whose pegbox is bent back at an obtuse or right angle. The strings, of different thicknesses are connected to a deal tailpiece ("cordar") fixed on the lower part of the belly and tightened with the help of pegs ("cuie", literally nails) of strong wood. They are stopped with all the fingers of the left hand and plucked with a goose-quill held in the right hand.

  12. Clirseach Ireland

  13. The Celtic harp is a square harp traditional to Ireland and Scotland. It is known as cl irseach in Irish and cl rsach in Scottish Gaelic. In Ireland and Scotland, it was a wire-strung instrument requiring great skill and long practice to play and was associated with the Gaelic ruling class. In construction the Irish and Scottish harps may in general be considered as one. A characteristic feature is the metal strings. Historical sources mention various types of wire, including brass and iron; some scholars also argue for the use of silver and gold. The wires were attached to a massive soundbox typically carved from a single log, commonly of willow, although other woods including alder and poplar have been identified in extant harps. This harp also had a reinforced curved pillar and a substantial neck, flanked with thick brass cheek bands. The strings, usually played with the fingernails, produced a brilliant ringing sound.

  14. END OF PRESENTATION

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