The first Russian folk musical instruments arose a long time ago, back in time immemorial. You can learn about what our ancestors played on from paintings, hand-written brochures and popular prints.
A number of tools were found during excavations, and now no one can have doubts that they really were distributed in Russia. Our ancestors could not live without music. Many of them were able to independently produce the simplest tools, which were then inherited. In the evenings, people gathered and played, resting from a hard day.
Let's take a closer look at Russian folk musical instruments. At least a general idea of them should be in every resident of our country.
Harp
This is a string instrument. He first appeared in Russia.
The harp is the oldest
stringed instrument of all that has come down to us. They are helmet-shaped and pterygoid. The latter were made in the shape of a triangle, the minimum number of strings was 5, and the maximum was 14. The
technique of playing the winged (sonorous) harp is such that a person touches all the strings with his right hand at once. And the left at this time neutralizes unnecessary sounds. As for the helmet-shaped (they are also called psalter-like), the person plays them with both hands at once. These folk instruments are difficult to master, but they are worth it.
Keyboard harp
Let's consider them too. They were common not only in antiquity, but also in the twentieth century, often they were played by representatives of the clergy.
These psalter-like harps were similar, but an order of magnitude better. The basis of this tool was a rectangular box equipped with a lid. Several voices (special oval holes) were cut out on one side of it, then a pair of wood chips joined it. Metal pegs were screwed into one of them, strings of the same material were wound on them. Another sliver served as a cap. No special explanation is required here, the name speaks for itself. Strings were fixed on it. This instrument was inherent in the piano system. Interestingly, strings similar to the dark keys were located below the corresponding white ones. To play the clavier-shaped harp, you had to know the notes. Otherwise, a normal melody would not have turned out. Folk instruments, the pictures of which you see in front of you, captivate everyone who hears them.
Relative Kantele
It is impossible not to mention the harp, which looked like a kantele - an instrument from Finland. Most likely, the Russian traditions inspired their creation. Unfortunately, in the twentieth century, such a harp was completely forgotten.
Now you know the most famous ancient folk stringed instruments.
Balalaika
Many folk musicians play it today. Balalaika is a plucked instrument equipped with three strings.
Its sizes are very different: there are models whose size reaches 600 mm, but there are also species 1.7 meters long. In the first case we are talking about the so-called prima, and in the second - the balalaika-double bass. This tool has a slightly curved body made of wood, but in the XVIII-XIX centuries, oval ones were also found. If you ask any foreigner with what Russia is associated with him, then he will certainly come up with a balalaika. Harmonious and miserable are also symbols of our country, but less popular.
Sound features
The sound of the balalaika is loud, but gentle. The most common tricks of the game are single and double pizzicato. Not the last place is also occupied by rattling, fractions, vibrato, tremolo. Folk instruments, including balalaika, sound quite soft, albeit loudly. Melodies are very soulful and often sad.
Double bass balalaika
Previously, this instrument did not have an established, universally used system.
Each musician tuned it in accordance with their preferences, the mood of the tunes played and local customs. However, in the XIX century
V. Andreev radically changed this situation, after which the balalaika became an indispensable attribute of many concerts. Folk instruments, photos of which you see, today many musicians use in their performances.
Academic and national system
The system created by Andreev gained immense popularity among performers traveling around the country. He became known as academic. In addition to him, there is the so-called popular system. In this case, it is easier to take triads, and the difficulty is that it is quite difficult to use open strings. In addition to all of the above, there are local ways to configure the balalaika. There are twenty of them.
We can say that the balalaika is a rather popular folk instrument. Many learn to play it in the music schools of our country, as well as Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Belarus. Folk instruments today attract a lot of young people, and it pleases.
Ancient balalaika
To the question of when the balalaika appeared, there is no definite answer - there are many versions. And she gained popularity in the XVII century. It is possible that her ancestress is the Kazakh dombra. The ancient balalaika was a rather long instrument, the body length of which was approximately 27 cm. And its width reached 18 cm. Also, the instrument was notable for a very elongated neck.
Tool Modification
The balalaikas that are played today are outwardly different from the ancients. The instrument was modified by the musician V. Andreev together with S. Nalimov, F. Paserbsky, and also V. Ivanov. These people decided that the deck should be made of spruce, and the back side should be made of beech. In addition, Andreev suggested making the tool a little shorter, up to 700 mm. The remarkable man F. Pasersky invented a whole group of balalaika: primu, tenor, double bass, piccolo, viola, bass. Today without them it is impossible to imagine a traditional Russian orchestra. After some time, this man, who made many Russian folk instruments, received a patent for them.
Balalaika can be used not only in orchestras, it is also often played solo.
Harmonic
This is a reed tool belonging to the keyboard-pneumatic family.
The harmony should not be confused with the accordion and button accordion.
This tool consists of two half-cases, on which there are panels with keys and buttons. The left side is necessary for accompaniment: if you hold down one key, you will hear bass or a whole chord, and the right is for playing. In the middle there is a fur compartment for pumping oxygen to the harmonic sound bars.
How does this instrument differ from an accordion or button accordion:
- on a standard accordion, the musician usually extracts exclusively diatonic sounds, in some cases chromatic sounds are also added;
- fewer octaves;
- compactness.
Who invented this tool?
There is no exact information about where the first accordion was made. According to one version, it was created in Germany in the 19th century. F. K. Bushman is considered its inventor. But there are other versions. In Germany, it is believed that the accordion was created in Russia, and according to the scientist Mirek, the first such instrument was made in the northern capital in 1783, it was created by Frantisek Kirshnik - an organ master originally from the Czech Republic. This man came up with an original way to get sound - through an iron tongue, which is set in motion by the action of oxygen. Since the end of the 19th century, the accordion has been considered the Tatar folk instrument. There are other, no less interesting versions.
Harmony Classification
These folk instruments, common in Russia, are divided into two types according to the method of obtaining sound. The first category includes harmonics, in which, when the bellows are moved, all the keys, when pressed, produce sounds of the same height. Such tools are quite popular. And the second category includes harmonies, in which the pitch depends on which way the furs move. The first type includes the tools "lame" (the most popular today), "Russian wreath", as well as "shower". And “talianka”, “Tula”, “turtle” and “Vyatka” belong to the second category. You can classify harmonies by the appearance of the right keyboard, and more specifically, by the number of keys. To date, "lame" has gained wide popularity, which has two rows of buttons, but there are tools with three, and some even have only one row. Now you understand that there are many harmonies and they are all different.
- Tools with one row of buttons: “Tula”, “Vyatka”, “Liven”, “Talyanka”. The last name is derived from "Italian", 12/15 keys are located on the right, and 3 on the left.
- Tools with two rows of buttons: "limp", "Russian wreath".
- The harmony is automatic.
Spoons
Our ancestors also played on them. The minimum number of spoons per one musician is three, the maximum is five.
These Russian folk instruments can be of different sizes. When the spoons hit each other with a convex part, a characteristic sound is obtained. Its height may vary depending on the method of its production.
Game technique
The musician, as a rule, plays on three spoons: he holds one in his right hand, and the remaining two between the phalanges of his left. It’s easy to imagine. Most performers hit the leg or arm. This is explained by the fact that it is much more convenient. Blows are made with one spoon on two, clamped in his left hand. In some cases, ladles are supplemented with small bells.
Belarusian musicians prefer to play with just two spoons.
It should be noted that scoops are widespread among folk artists from the USA and Britain. Jeff Richardson, a member of the English art rock band Caravan, plays electric spoons during concerts.
Ukrainian folk instruments
A few words should be said about them.
In ancient times, cymbals, bagpipes, torbans, violins, harps and other wind, percussion, and string instruments were common in Ukraine. In most cases, they were made from various improvised materials (animal bones, leather, wood).
The most popular was the kobza bandura, without which it is impossible to imagine the Ukrainian epic.
Gusli also gained wide popularity. This is an old instrument with strings; there could be many, up to thirty or forty. In addition to Ukrainians and Russians, they were played by Czechs, Belarusians and many other nationalities. This suggests that the harp is really magnificent, and today they should not be forgotten.
Be sure to listen to folk instruments whose names you now know. Beautiful melodies will definitely not leave you indifferent.