Wheel lyre: musical instrument (photo)

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The hurdy gurdy is a musical stringed plucked instrument that looks like a violin case. This instrument is also known as the organistrum, or hardy gurdy. When played, the lyre must be held on the lap, and when played, most of the strings are played at the same time. Popular since the 10th century, the musical instrument is not used so often today. But thanks to the amazing sound, original design, the lyre is still remembered.

Sound Features

The sound of the hurdy-gurdy is provided by the work of most of the strings, when vibration occurs as a result of their friction against the wheel. It is noteworthy that most of the strings are responsible only for a monotonous buzz, and the reproduction of a melody is provided by playing one or two. The hurdy gurdy sounds powerful, sad, monotonous, somewhat nasal. And to soften the sound, the strings have long been wrapped with linen or wool fibers. An important role is also played by the exact centering of the wheel - it must be smooth and rosined.

Device

Three-stringed lyre has a deep wooden figure-eight body, two flat soundboards that have bent shells. The upper part of the instrument is complemented by a head with wooden pegs, which allows you to tune the strings. The hurdy gurdy has a short peg box,which often ends with a curl. Since the wheel rim protrudes somewhat, it is hidden under a special bast protector in the form of an arc.

The top deck has holes, it also houses a key-sill mechanism with keys. They, in turn, are simple wooden planks with ledges. When a musician presses the keys, it is just the protrusions that come into contact with the strings, making sounds. The protrusions are attached in such a way that they can be shifted in different directions, thereby aligning the sound range. The body of the instrument is thought out in such a way that the string sound is amplified. The amplification of the sound occurs due to the vibration of the strings, which are caused by the movement of the wheel.

String Features

The hurdy gurdy is an instrument with three strands:

• melodic, which is called spivanitsa, or melody;
• two bourdons called bass and pidbass.

If the melodic string by design passes through the inside of the box, then the bourdon strings go over it. All strings are positioned so that they are in contact with the wheel rim. It is rubbed with resin before work, thanks to which the strings sound smooth and audible. The evenness of the sound is ensured by the smooth surface of the wheel and its precise centering. The melody is created or played by pressing the keys located in the side cutouts of the box.

Historically, strings were built from strands, although today strings made of metal ornylon. To get the desired timbre and sound quality, the musicians wrapped the strings with cotton wool or other fiber, and there should have been more on the bourdon ones. And if there is not enough cotton wool, then the sound will be either too dull or too harsh, especially in the upper range.

How to play?

The hurdy gurdy is a tool that is not easy to use. Lyra is placed on her knees, and a belt is thrown over her shoulders. The peg box should be located on the left side and slightly inclined, while the free keys should fall away from the string. With his right hand, the musician evenly and slowly rotates the wheel by the handle, pressing the keys with his left hand. In its sound, the lyre resembles a bagpipe or a whistle, since bourdons sound in all three instruments. As for sound quality, it depends primarily on the friction wheel, which is precisely centered and well lubricated. If the musician is playing while standing, the lyre is hung on a shoulder strap with a slight slope to distribute the weight of the instrument.

How did the lira come about?

The wheeled lyre is a musical instrument that has been known since the 10th century. Most often it was used in monasteries for the performance of church music. By the 15th century, the instrument had become not so popular, but continued to be used by vagabonds, the blind, the crippled, who walked the streets and sang songs, fairy tales to the unpretentious sound of the lyre.

In Russia, this musical instrument was knownaround the 17th century, and experts answer that it appeared in our country from Ukraine. It was here that even whole schools of lyre players existed, who wandered from village to village, performed music and earned money. The lyre was also used at weddings, as it sounded loud, and the most cheerful repertoire could be chosen for it. The peculiarity of the hurdy-gurdy is that it was produced in different lengths. In some variations, even two people had to play music on it, since the instrument had a length of up to one and a half meters.

Brotherhood of lyre players

In Ukraine, whole classes of 30 people were taught to play the hurdy-gurdy. The elders got into practice, which involved visiting neighboring villages during bazaars and weddings, when the money earned was given to the mentor as tuition fees. After graduation, the musicians took exams.

In the Soviet years, the hurdy gurdy underwent several changes. The photo shows that even outwardly the instrument has changed somewhat. Thanks to the improvement of the design, it became more original, the strings became 9, and they were tuned in minor thirds. Instead of a wooden wheel, a plastic transmission band was used, thanks to which the sound was more even. A special device changed the degree of pressure on the string, so the strength of the sound of the instrument was different. It should be noted that improved samples of the lyre are still used in folk art orchestras.

What's today?

The hurdy gurdy is rarely used in Russia today. Music althe instrument (the photo shows all its colorfulness) remained in the composition of the State Orchestra and the National Choir of Belarus. It is noteworthy that hardy-hardy was also used among rockers: the bands Led Zeppelin, In Extremo chose the instrument due to its unusual sound. Today, the instrument is almost forgotten, but some orchestras, for their unusual sound, leave hardy-hardy as a highlight of their work.