Armenian musical instruments: an overview

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

Traditional Armenian musical instruments have a thousand-year history. A lot of wind, string and percussion devices have survived to this day, which have been used by local folk groups for centuries. We will consider the most interesting Armenian folk musical instruments in our publication.

Duduk

Duduk is one of the oldest wind instruments in the world. The invention of the device dates back to the first century BC. Descriptions of the device are contained in numerous manuscripts from the Middle Ages.

Armenian musical instrument looks like a hollow tube made of apricot wood. The design includes a removable reed mouthpiece. The front surface contains 8 holes. There are two more openings on the back side. One of them is used to tune the instrument, and the other is used to close with the thumb while playing.

Duduk produces sounds due to the vibration of the plates of the reed mouthpiece. The clearance of the elements is regulated by changing the pressureair. Individual notes are taken by closing and opening holes on the body. Correct breathing is important when playing an instrument. The musicians take a quick deep breath. Then perform an even long exhalation.

Zurna

Zurna is an Armenian wind musical instrument, which was widely used by the peoples of Transcaucasia in ancient times. The device is made in the form of a wooden tube with a socket end. The hollow body contains 8-9 holes. One of them is located on the back side. The range of this Armenian musical instrument covers about one and a half octaves. The timbre of the sound of the device is piercing.

Zurna is considered the forerunner of the modern oboe. The instrument is used in ensembles that are formed from a trio of musicians. The main soloist plays the main melody. The second member of the team makes lingering sounds. The third musician is responsible for the rhythmic part of the composition, playing the percussion instrument dhole.

Saz

This Armenian folk musical instrument has a pear shape. The device is made of walnut or arborvitae. Saz is hollowed out from a single piece or glued using separate rivets. A long neck with 16-17 frets extends from the body. The element contains rounding on the back. The headstock contains pegs, with which the strings are pulled. The number of the latter can vary from six to eight, depending on the size of thisArmenian musical instrument.

Dhol

Dhol is an ethnic Armenian drum. The tool was invented back in the days of the pagan page in the history of the state. With the help of the device, they set the rhythm for the marching of soldiers during military campaigns. The sound of the drum is effectively intertwined with the melody of duduk and zurna.

The tool has a cylindrical shape. The body is made mainly of metal. Dhol can be equipped with one or two membranes. As a striking surface, the ancient Armenians usually used thin sheet copper, walnut wood or ceramics. Nowadays, the replacement of these materials is most often plastic. In cases where the device is made using two membranes, the elements are interconnected by strings. The tension of the ropes allows you to adjust the pitch of the drum sound.

The dhole is played according to the following principle:

• sit on a chair;
• the lower plane of the drum rest against the foot;
• the body of the instrument is covered with the forearm;
• membrane is applied with clear blows with fingers in the area between the edge and the central area of the working surface.

During the impact on the middle of the drum web, deaf low intonations are noted. Striking the rims of the instrument allows you to achieve a ringing clang to maintain the tempo.

Eve

Kanun is an Armenian stringed musical instrument that looks like a hollow wooden trapezoid inside. The front surface is represented by a plane of pine with a thickness of about 4 mm. The rest of the device is covered with fish skin. The strings on one side are fixed in special openings on the body. In the opposite part of the instrument, the strings are attached to the pegs. Here are the iron levers of the linga. The latter are raised and lowered by the musician during the game in order to change the tones and semitones.

Kemancha

Kemancha belongs to the category of bowed string instruments. Outwardly, the tool resembles a lute, which contains a long neck. The most ancient information about the device dates back to the 12th century.

The tool consists of a bowl-shaped body of small dimensions, which is made on the basis of dried pumpkin, wood or coconut shell. The element is connected to a metal rod. The latter contains a leather deck. Three strings are strung on the neck of the instrument.

When playing the kemancha, the bow is held motionless in one plane. Melody is played by turning the instrument. The sound of the device is nasal. The kemanche is rarely played unaccompanied. The instrument is often used as an accompaniment to the main melody in Armenian folk plays.