Description of the harp. Gusli Products - Guide to Russian crafts

* gǫslъ ← gǫdslъ, pl. * gǫsliassociated with to buzz) - stringed musical instrument, common in Russia. It is the most ancient Russian string plucked musical instrument.

The pterygoid (ringed) harp has 4-14 or more strings, the helmet-shaped - 11-36, rectangular (table-shaped) - 55-66 strings. Mentioned from the VI century. In the 20th century, mainly rectangular harp were used.

Pterygoids were common in the northwestern regions bordering the Baltic States, Karelia and Finland, where the related instrument Kantele exists. Helmeted harps of the Russian population are out of use and are found only among the peoples of the Volga region. On clavier-like harps, there were performed arrangements of folk songs and dances, instrumental pieces, excerpts from operas, etc.

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The secret of persecuting gusli ...

Music 19. Gusli. Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov - Academy of Entertaining Sciences

Gusli Samogudy and Bylina with Fairy-tale Boyan, Ivan Tsarevich and Tsarevna Lebed

Subtitles

Types of goose

Pterygoid harp

The pterygoid harp has a varied shape, the strings are strung like a fan, tapering to the "heel" (the place where the tailpiece is located). Basically you can select tools with a beveled body, which tapers as it approaches the tailpiece. The thickness of the tool is usually 4-5 cm, and the length is no more than 800 mm. A special feature, which gave the name of this type of instrument, is a thin, about 6-11 mm, open box. It is used to support the left hand, which quickly gets tired of the immobile hanging over the strings. This type of gusli is from 5 to 17 strings, tuned in steps of the diatonic scale in the Mixolidian mode (reduced 7th step). Also, the lower or upper extreme strings can be tuned as drone ones, that is, constantly sounding when playing. There are about 12 different ways to tune the gusle. On the pterygoids, they play, as a rule, simultaneously touching on all the strings ("saber-rattling") and jamming unnecessary strings with the fingers of the left hand. This is achieved by setting three (sometimes four) fingers between the strings, which allows you to quickly change chords. Usually, the blow goes from top to bottom, but for a more smooth sound, often equal blows are equal in strength from bottom to top. The melodies are also played (stuffing, elective, podshchipyvaniya). Sometimes guslary use methods of plucking sounds and fingers of his left hand, it is usually the ring and the thumb.

Lyre-like harp

Also they are called a harp with a game window. Had spread in the territory of Ancient Russia in Novgorod. The most ancient type of instrument (the earliest finds date back to the 11th century).

The gusli with the playing window (Novgorod) on the back side have an aperture, as in the Scandinavian lira, in which the hand of the musician fits. The strings are muffled by the fingers of the left hand, as well as on the pterygoids. When playing the instrument, they are held vertically, with their lower end resting on the knee or belt. When playing on the go or standing can rest on the thigh.

Helmeted harps

Also - a psalter psaltery. Helmet-like harp has the shape of a helmet or a hill and from 10 to 26 strings of the same tuning as that of the pterygoid (lower seventh step). The harp is placed in the same way as the pterygoids, vertically on the musician's knees. The right hand plucks the melody on the top strings, using all the fingers, and the left hand picks up the chords, usually in a fifth or quart on the bottom. You can also find the technique of playing with both hands per octave in the Mari (Cheremis).

In Veliky Novgorod, on all five finds with the image of musical instruments, there is an image of a musician (hudts) with an instrument such as helmet-shaped canes.

Gusli ringed

Also, they are sometimes called academic, concert gusli. Are strongly modified pterygoid. The wing has been removed and the number of strings has been increased, there is also a stand near the dart line, there are other differences. They are the brainchild of V.V. Andreev, also known as the improvement of the balalaika, domra. The technique of the game is very different from the game on the pterygoid. Rattling is less commonly used, but the strings are often plucked with the left hand, creating a background for the right that leads the melody.

Table-like psaltery

A tool that emerged at the turn of the 17-18 centuries. It was also used as a portable tool that was laid horizontally on the guslar's knees. Basically it was distributed as a fixed instrument with a large number of strings (up to four octaves). Sometimes such harp came across in the homes of wealthy townspeople, where they accompanied feasts. Currently used in the academic environment, where it also developed into keyboard harps (which opened, at the touch of a key, the corresponding strings, like on a pterygoid). Usually they were played as helmets, but often they used glissando, jamming the strings to form a chord.

Game features

They play the harps sitting or standing. When playing, the gusli sit on their knees with an edge, slightly tilting to the body. When playing, standing or during the procession, the harp is hung on a string or a string. The harp is laid on the knees or on the table.

The musical repertoire for the harp is varied. The traditional game is characteristic of the pterygoids to the songs"and" to dance", "under the fight"Playing under songs is characterized by smoothness of beats and the same rhythm, and all rhythmic patterns are performed by voice. Playing to dance, on the contrary, is distinguished by a sharp and pronounced marching rhythm. The repertoire for helmet-like gusts included first of all playing song melodies, but not ruled out a game of dancing and dancing.

The harp is tuned diatonically with a decrease in the 7th step: Do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-c-flat-d. In ethnographic samples, there are several ways to tune in to the Bourdon - constantly sounding strings during a game (like a bagpipe, additional pipes or a wheel lyre and a beep). At certain tune, Bourdon can be silenced.

Bourdon setting:

1. for 9-string gusli (Pskov region) Sol-do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-si flat-to-d;
2. for 9-string gusli (Novgorod, Pskov region) B flat-to-re-me-fa-sol-la-b-flat-to;
3. for 12-string gusli (Novosibirsk region) To-to-sol-to-re-mi-fa-sol-la-b flat-to-do;
4. for 5-string gusli (Belgian musicologist Dr. Guthrie, 17th century) (Leningrad Oblast) To-fa-sol-by-e-flat;
5. south Russian line (Voronezh, Kursk, Oryol gubernias) Sol-si flat-to-re-mi.

The setting of the guslias of the academic school (folk instruments orchestra) is the same as in the Baltic (kokle, kankles) and Finno-Ugric instruments (kantele, cannel, sanquiltap, narc-yuh), without lowering the seventh step: Do-re-mi-fa- sol-la-si-do.

Story

The gusli is a musical instrument, a variation of which is harp, cithara, lyre, psaltery, zhetygen. Ancient Greek Kifara also has similarities with the harps (it was hypothesized that she was the ancestor of the Gusli, in fact, the Kifara was the ancient Greek branch of the Gusle evolution), Chetie-Minaea of ​​the year. In these images, performers hold the harp on their knees and hook the strings with their fingers. In exactly the same way, at the beginning of the 20th century, the Chuvash and Mari (Cheremis) played the gusli. The strings of their harp were intestinal. Their number was not always the same. Psalm-like harps are believed to have been brought to Russia by the Greeks, and the Chuvash and Mari (Cheremis) borrowed this instrument from the Russians. (Perhaps the ancient Israelis learned how to make stringed instruments from the Greeks and Egyptians of their day. As a result, the psalter has become popular in ancient Israel.)

The keyboard-like harp, which was also encountered at the beginning of the 20th century, mainly among the Russian clergy, was an improved form of psalty-like guslets. This instrument consisted of a rectangular resonance box with a lid that rested on the table. On the resonance board, several round cuts were made — vocalists — and two concave wooden bars were attached to it. Iron pegs were screwed into one of them, on which metal strings were wound. The other cant played the role of a stringer, that is, it served to attach the strings. The keyboard-like harps had a piano structure, and the strings corresponding to the black keys were placed below the corresponding white keys on the piano keyboard.

For clavier gusli, there were notes and a music school created at the beginning of the 19th century by Fyodor Kushenov-Dmitrevsky.

In addition to the psalty gusl, there existed similar to the Finnish instrument kantele. Probably, the appearance of this type of gusl is the result of Russian contacts with the Finns. But by the beginning of the 20th century, it had almost completely disappeared.

Manufacturing

Usually made from an already processed board, sometimes from a wooden deck that is cracked to the desired dimensions. Manufacturing technology is quite simple. First, the master picks up the wood. It may be a pine and spruce, sometimes (in Siberia) - cedar. They used to also use, and sometimes now, apple trees and maple trees. Then, the boards, which are split and properly dried, signify the form, cut down the window flap and the threshold for splitting if they are wooden. After the master, usually manually, chooses wood from behind, in front or from the end (a rare way), creating a resonant void. Then the master cuts through the vocalizer (resonator hole), or burns several small holes. At the place from which the master began to choose an instrument, install the voice board (deck). Sometimes it is embedded in the body, and sometimes impose on top. It can be fastened with nails or glue. Here the master, if necessary, covers the instrument with a stain or varnish. The master adjusts the heel to the heel. It can be wilts holding a rod with strings, there is also a metal bracket driven into the case. Less often you can find studs hammered from the butt. In this case, the strings are passed through the nut. After the master puts the pegs and tightens the strings (usually their lengths are calculated in advance). You can find a later way to assemble the tool on the frame. Sometimes there are also two-chamber gusli, where the otkrylok is a continuation of the corpus separated by virbelbank.

• The harp in the form described above is essentially a purely Russian phenomenon. Many Slavic peoples have musical instruments with similar names: gusle - among Serbs and Bulgarians, gusle, guzla, gusli - among Croats, gosle - among Slovenes, guslić - among Poles, housle ("violin") y Czechs. However, these instruments are quite diverse, and many of them are stringed (for example, guzla, which has only one horsehair string).
• Guslar-amateur was known in the late XIX - early XX century, the Russian writer S. G. Skitalets, who learned how to play the harp from his father carpenter.
• On the five-stringed gusli with a game window, found in Novgorod at the Trinity excavation site in 1975 in the layers of the middle of the XI century, there is a Cyrillic inscription "Slovisha".
• In the synodal translation of the Bible, the harp is mentioned 12 times.

1Sahn 10: 5 ... and before them the psalter and tympanum, and the flute and harp,..

1Sm 16:23   ... then David, taking harp, played, - ..

3KG 10:12   ...and harp  and psalter for singers; ..

Ps 56: 9   ... Awaken my glory, I pray thee, the Psalter and harp!..

Ps 80: 3   ... give tympanum, sweet harp  with the psalter; ..

Ps 107: 3   ... wake up, psalter and harp!..

Is 5:12   ... and zither and harptympanum and pipe and wine at their feasts; ..

Is 16:11   ... because my inward moans about moab, like harp,..

1 Cor 14: 7  ... and soulless things  making a sound, pipe or harp,..

Rev 5: 8   ... having everyone harp  and golden bowls full of incense, ..

Rev 15: 2   ... stand on this sea of ​​glass, holding harp  Of God, ..

Sir 40:21   ... the Pipe and harp  make singing enjoyable, ... [significance of fact?]

In the Orthodox church hymns in the Slavic language the phrase is found: Praise Him in psalter and gusleh...

Russian folk musical instruments

The Russian people have always surrounded their lives with songs and music flowing from folk instruments. From an early age, everyone possessed the skills of making simple tools, and he knew how to play it. So from a piece of clay can be made whistleor ocarina, and from plank ratchet.
  In antiquity, man was closer to nature and learned from her, and folk instruments were created on the basis of the sounds of nature and were made of natural materials. After all, nowhere is beauty and harmony felt as if playing a folk musical instrument, and nothing is as close to a person as the sounds of a familiar friend from childhood.
  For the Russian person in the 21st century, such a native instrument is the accordion, but what about the rest ... Stop the young man now and ask to name at least some popular folk instruments known to him, this list will be very small, not to mention playing them. But this is a huge layer of Russian culture, which is almost forgotten.
  Why have we lost this tradition? Why do not we know our folk instruments and not hear their beautiful sounds?
  It is difficult to answer this question, as time went on, something was forgotten, something was forbidden, for example, medieval Christian Russia had repeatedly turned against folk musicians. Peasants and city people under the threat of a fine were forbidden to keep folk instruments, especially to play them.
« So that they (peasants) do not play demonic games in nozzles and in the harps and in the whistles and domras and do not keep houses ... And who, having forgotten the fear of God and the hour of death, will play and keep all kinds of games in his hands - to rule Penalties of five rubles per person».

(From the legal acts of the XVII century.
With the advent of electronic instruments and musical records on records and discs, people generally have forgotten how to play on their own, let alone make musical instruments.

Harp

The gusli is a stringed musical instrument, most common in Russia. It is the most ancient Russian string plucked musical instrument.
  There are pterygoid  and helmets  harp The first, in later samples, are triangular in shape and from 5 to 14 stringsdiatonic scale tuned in helmets 10-30 strings  the same settings.

On the pterygoid harp ( they are also called ringing ) play, as a rule, saber across all strings and jamming unnecessary sounds to your fingers

and the left hand, on the helmet-shaped, or psalty-like, strings are plucked with both hands. Musicians playing the harp are called guslars.

The story of Gusli

The gusli is a musical instrument of which a variety is harp. Also with gusli are ancient Greek cithara (there is a hypothesis that she is the ancestor of gusli), Armenian canon  and Iranian santur; These include: the Chuvash harp, Cheremis' harp, claviflora harp and harp, having similarities with the Finnish kantele, Latvian Kokles and Lithuanian Kankles.
  The first authentic references to the use of Russian gusli are found in Byzantine sources of the 5th century. Heroes of the epos played Sadly: Sadko, Dobrynya Nikitich, Boyan. In the great monument of ancient Russian literature, The Lay of Igor's Regiment (XI-XII cc.), The image of a guslar-narrator is poetically recited:
"But Boyan, brethren, not 10 falcons into the flock of the swans of the forest, but his own things are the fingers of the living strings; they themselves are the prince of glory of rokotah".
Balalaika

The name "balalaika", sometimes found in the form of "balabayka" - popular, probably given to the instrument in imitation of the strumming, "balakana" of the strings during the game. "Balakat", "jest" in the national dialect means to chat, empty the phone.

Some attribute the word “balalaika” to Tatar origin. The Tatars have the word "ball" meaning "child." It may be the source of the words "balakat", "balabonit", etc. enclosing the concept of unreasonable, as if childish chatter.

Even in the XVII-XVIII there are very few references to the balalaika. In some cases, there are indeed hints that in Russia there was an instrument of the same type with a balalaika, but domra, the ancestor of the balalaika, is most likely mentioned there.

Under Tsar Mikhail Fyodorovich, the housekeepers were at the palace amusement chamber. Under Alexey Mikhailovich, the tools were persecuted. By this time, i.e. By the second half of the 17th century, the renaming of domra into a balalaika probably belongs.

For the first time the name "balalaika" is found in written monuments of the times of Peter the Great. In 1715, when celebrating a comic wedding arranged on the orders of the tsar, balalaikas are mentioned among the instruments that appeared in the hands of the burdened participants of the ceremony. Moreover, these instruments were given into the hands of a group of Kalmyks dressed up.

During the XVIII century. The balalaika has spread widely among the Great Russian people, having become so popular that it was recognized as the oldest instrument, and even appropriated to it Slavic origin.

Russian origin can be attributed only to the triangular outline of the body or body of the balalaika, replacing the round shape of the domra. The form of the balalaika of the XVIII century was different from the modern one. Balalaika neck was very long, about 4 times as long as the body. The tool body was narrower.

In addition, the balalaikas found in old popular prints are equipped with only 2 strings. The third string was a rare exception. The balalaika strings are metallic, which gives a specific tint to the sound - voiced tone.

In the middle of the XX century. A new hypothesis was put forward that the balalaika existed long before its mentioning in written sources, i.e. existed next to the domra. Some researchers believe that domra was a professional instrument of buffoons and with their disappearance lost a wide musical practice. Balalaika is a purely folk instrument and, therefore, more resilient.

From the beginning, the balalaika spread mainly in the northern and eastern provinces of Russia, usually accompanying folk dance songs. But in the middle of the XIX century, the balalaika was very popular in many places in Russia. It was played not only by village boys, but also by serious court musicians, such as Ivan Khandoshkin, I. F. Yablochkin, N. V. Lavrov. However, by the middle of the 19th century, a harmonica almost everywhere met with her, which gradually supplanted the balalaika.

The balalaika received its second birth at the end of the 19th century thanks to the efforts of Vasily Andreev, who was called "the young father of the balalaika". V. Andreev, together with the instrumental masters V. V. Ivanov, and later F. S. Pasersky and S. I. Nalimov, improved the folk instrument and constructed a family of balalaika of different sizes on the model of a bow quartet. The first performance of the ensemble, which was called "The Circle of Fans of Balalaika Cooperative Play", was held in St. Petersburg in 1888

Andreev and his associates - N. Privalov, F. Niman, V. Nasonov, N.P. Fomin was not limited to the revival of only one balalaika. They also worked on the improvement of other instruments of the Russian people, such as domra, gusli, zaleika, Vladimir horns, etc. The result of this work was the formation of the Great Russian Orchestra, the first performance of which was led by Andreev on January 11, 1897 in the Noble Assembly Hall. Since then, folk instruments orchestras began to spread with extraordinary speed throughout Russia.

Thanks to the performing art of Vasily Andreev and his talented followers such masters as Boris Troyanovsky, Alexander Dobrokhotov and a little later - Nikolai Osipov, venerable composers paid attention to the balalaika. Now, not only Russian folk songs sound great on the balalaika, but also transcriptions of works of Russian and Western classics, in addition, the composers have created an original repertoire for the balalaika, including more than 100 suites, sonatas, concerts and other major forms.

  - This is the most common Russian folk musical instrument. Since ancient times, the Russian people have been famous for their playing the harps, and often conquered it with the most stale hearts and souls. In childhood, we all saw the fairy tale about Sadko, traveled with him to different countries and places, empathized with his grief and sincerely rejoiced at his victories. It was playing the harp that Sadko could conquer the underwater king and get out of this story as a winner.
The harp is closely related to the culture of Russia and its traditions. “My wife is not harping, having played, you can't hang on the wall” - this is how they spoke in Russia, describing relations in the family. Thus, the gusli accompanied people not only in moments of rest, but also in various everyday situations, going far beyond the ordinary.
The history of the appearance of gusli is interesting and has more than one millennium. The first authentic references to the use of Russian gusli are found in Byzantine sources of the 5th century. In different countries and among different nations, this tool was called differently. In addition, the gusli have many ancient and modern analogues. Thus, the well-known harp is nothing but a kind of harp. The Greek Greek kifara, the Armenian canon, the Iranian santur, the Latvian Kokles and the Lithuanian kankles have similarities with the harp. The name of this instrument, according to one of the versions, is associated with the sound of a bow string. In ancient times, the elastic string of a bow was called "gusla". The principle of external similarity gave rise to the name of the instrument.
Harps are often mentioned in historical epos. So they came to our day. In the manuscript "The Tale of the Belorussian-Man and Monasticism" by Cyril of Turov, the initial is delineated in the form of the letter "D", inside of which there is probably an image in the form of the guslar of King David. This is the image of the soul glorifying God. A similar image of the initial used in the design of the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl. There is documentary evidence that as far back as the 9th century, the Slavs surprised the game with the harps of the kings of Byzantium.
Everyone knows the picture of Victor Vasnetsov "Guslar", written by the master in 1899. In this image, three performers hold the harp on their knees and hook the strings with their fingers. This is the basic principle of playing the harp. That is why the harp is a stringed plucked musical instrument.
There are two main types of harp - pterygoid and helmet. They differ, firstly, in the number of strings, and, secondly, in the manner of play. Pterygoids from 5 to 14 strings, helmets 10-30. On the pterygoids, they play across all the strings and silence unnecessary sounds with the fingers of the left hand, if the recording of songs as a gift goes in the studio, the strings are plucked with both hands.
However, the harp was not limited to only two classical forms. So, there are psaltiary harps, which were brought to Russia by the Greeks. It was they who gave birth to clavier-shaped guslam, which is still found among the Russian clergy. The design of this tool is simple - it is a rectangular resonant box with a lid, which stands on the table. There are several round cuts on the resonance board, and two concave wooden bars are attached to it. On one of them are iron pegs, which are wound with metal strings. Another timber is used to attach the strings.
The famous Russian musician Dmitry Kushenov-Dmitrevsky founded the school of clavier-like gusli and made a great contribution to the distribution of gusli in the culture of different nations.
The harp was the constant companion of Russian folk festivals. Guusal tunes, songs of singers, were loved by both the people and the kings. However, not all statements about the harp were flattering. There were also their opponents. Often persecuted harpists, which served unkind service in the fate of the instrument.
Now this tool is rare, but not forgotten. Moreover, thanks to the technology of wood processing and decorative finishing, the harp was turned into a stage professional instrument, with the richest and unique sound.
Today, each orchestra of folk instruments has a harp in its composition, which gives the melodies a unique color. For individual lovers to purchase the tool is difficult. There are small workshops in Russia where the tool will be made to order, but this tool is still not widely used.

... Ranged the string,
   Fluttered arrow ...

The gusli is the most ancient musical instrument. For thousands of years, the history of mankind has hidden from us both the age and place of their birth. In different countries and among different nations, this tool was called differently. In the Slavs, the name of this instrument, I think, is associated with the sound of a bowstring. That same bowstring, which stretched on the bow.

In ancient times, the elastic string of a bow was called otherwise - "gusla". Here is one of the hypotheses of the name of the instrument. And putting a hollow vessel to the string - we get a primitive musical instrument. So: strings and resonator, amplifying their sound - the basic principle of this plucked instrument.

In the ancient Russian manuscript, "The Tale of Belorussian Man and Monasticism," the miniaturist depicted in the letter "D" the figure of the king (perhaps psalmist David) playing the harp. Their form corresponds to the instrument that existed at that time in Russia. This is the so-called "helmet" harp. The shape of their body really resembles a helmet. In the future, the shape of the flat box resonator changed. Trapezoidal harp appeared. The number of strings on the instrument has decreased, and the body shape has changed. So there were pterygoids.

Slavs still in the IX century surprised the game on the harp kings of Byzantium. In those days, the harp was made of dugout dry spruce or maple boards. Maple "Jawor" is especially loved by the music masters. Hence the name of the harp - "Yarovchatye" ./ And as soon as the strings began to pull out of metal, the gusli rattled and began to be called "ringing".

The fate of this instrument for a long time connected with the folk song and epic tradition. Craftsmen - craftsmen for centuries passed the secrets of making gusli. Guusal tunes, songs of singers, were loved by both the people and the kings. But often folk singers unflatteringly sang about the authorities.

... About volyushke, about dickie epic sings,
  And the heart to the volunteer pokliketet, will call.
  Great malice dawned grandees and kings,
  So that in Russia the vagrants guslars would pop out.
  But the voiced harps sang, and their tone was severe,
  And there were violent riots from guslar songs.
  I. Kobzev

This persecution of harpists (this word sounds so right), or, as the guslars began to call them scornfully, served the unkind service in the fate of the instrument. The interest in his cultivation was not the same as he was in the fate of the violin. But time has changed this ancient tool. Its design, body shape, wood processing technology, varnishes, decorative trimming - all this has long since brought the gusli out of the category of an archaic, purely folk instrument, turning it into a stage professional instrument, with the richest and unique sound.

Today, each orchestra of folk instruments has in its composition pimples, stump-like, and keyboard stitches. The sound of these instruments gives the orchestra a unique flavor of ancient bells.

Currently, interest in guslyam has grown significantly. Modern guslars appeared - narrators who set themselves the goal of recreating the ancient tradition of both playing the gusli and singing under the gusli. Along with plucked harps of three kinds, the main method of playing which is a pinch and pinch, keyboard harps appeared. The mechanics installed on them, when you press the keys, open the strings, and make it possible to select the desired chord. This greatly simplifies playing the harp as an accompaniment tool.

Unfortunately, if you want to buy tools, you have to talk about small workshops in Russia where the individual harp is very rarely made. In the whole world, as it seems to me, there is not a single factory where this unique instrument would be produced. Money goes for anything: for violent entertainment, wars, pleasure ... Distraction of the means to manufacture at least one ground-to-air combat missile would be more than enough to build a small music factory. How sad and painful it is to realize today. But ... the harp sound and will sound forever!

Basic information

The most ancient stringed musical instrument, under the name of which in Russia are understood several types of lying ones. Psalted gusli resemble the Greek psalter and the Jewish kynor; These include: the Chuvash harp, Cheremis harp, claviferous harp and harp, which have similarities with the Finnish, Latvian kukles and Lithuanian kankles.

We are talking about tools that existed in Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Finland and some other European countries. Combining these instruments is an exclusively constructive feature: a fan of strings, a tailpiece, a pierce row and a resonator located under the strings for the entire length of the string. In the design of each individual instrument, features and exceptions are possible, but the listed four parts are usually present.

Origin

The history of Slavic harlequin, Finnish, Estonian cannel, Latvian Kokle, Lithuanian kankles, and all tools not mentioned here from the same list is reduced to the same roots at some stage. Only on what? No one has accurate information. In the literature there are too many assumptions about the “where” and “when” of this stage. But only assumptions, only guesswork.

There are also opinions that stringed instruments of such a plan came from the east (China - the stringed instrument guqin is known long before Christmas), and the version that the Romans brought lyre-like instruments far north during colonization ... And how many opinions are expressed in different countries about originality of local types of tools! The Finns say that for the first time, Weimemönen did (the source of the Kalevala). Scientists of Belarus and Russia claim that the harp is a slightly modernized “musical bow” (a primitive folk musical instrument known in all countries) and the emergence of a harp, like a musical bow with many numbers of strings, could be anywhere quite a long time and completely original.

In ancient times, the elastic string of a bow was called differently - “gusla”. Here is one of the hypotheses of the name of the instrument. And putting a hollow vessel to the string - we get a primitive musical instrument. So: strings and resonator, amplifying their sound - the basic principle of this plucked instrument.

In the ancient Russian manuscript, “A Tale of the Belorussian Man and Monasticism,” the miniaturist depicted in the letter “D” the figure of the king (possibly, the psalmist David), who plays the harp. Their form corresponds to the instrument that existed at that time in Russia. This so-called "helmet" harp. The shape of their body really resembles a helmet. In the future, the shape of the flat box resonator changed. Trapezoidal harp appeared. The number of strings on the instrument has decreased, and the body shape has changed. So there were pterygoids.

Slavs still in the IX century surprised the game on the harp kings of Byzantium. In those days, the harp was made of dugout dry spruce or maple boards. Maple "Jawor" is especially loved by the music masters. Hence the name of the gusley - “Yaronchatye” ./ And as soon as the strings began to pull out of metal, the gusli rattled and began to be called “ringing”.

The fate of this instrument for a long time connected with the folk song and epic tradition. Craftsmen - craftsmen for centuries passed the secrets of making gusli. Guusal tunes, songs of singers, were loved by both the people and the kings. But often folk singers unflatteringly sang about the authorities.

The persecution of harpists (this word sounds so right), or, as the guslars began to call them scornfully, served the unkind service in the fate of the instrument. The interest in his cultivation was not the same as he was in destiny. But time has changed this ancient tool. Its design, body shape, wood processing technology, varnishes, decorative trimming - all this has long since brought the gusli out of the category of an archaic, purely folk instrument, turning it into a stage professional instrument, with the richest and unique sound.

Harp in our time

Today, each orchestra of folk instruments has in its composition pimples, stump-like, and keyboard stitches. The sound of these instruments gives the orchestra a unique flavor of ancient bells.

Currently, interest in guslyam has grown significantly. Modern guslars appeared - narrators who set themselves the goal of recreating the ancient tradition of both playing the gusli and singing under the gusli. Along with plucked harps of three kinds, the main method of playing which is a pinch and pinch, keyboard harps appeared. The mechanics installed on them, when you press the keys, open the strings, and make it possible to select the desired chord. This greatly simplifies playing the harp as an accompaniment tool.

Types of goose

A harp with a game window. Harp or lira?

Archaeologists find such tools in the layers of the XI-XIII centuries. The finds known to me were made in three cities: Gdansk (Poland), Opole (Poland) and Novgorod (Russia). What unites these places? All three cities are located on large waterways. Gdansk - on the shores of the Baltic Sea, Opole - on the Odra, Novgorod (the Great, of course) - on the Volkhov.

Constructively, this instrument would seem to correspond to the definition of gusli: a fan of strings, a pierce string, a tail pin, a resonator.

Let's look at:

1) The shape of the tailpiece: the crossbar of the tailpiece is fixed in the claws. It is a transitional form between the archaic, found on lyre-like bowed and plucked (the crossbar of the tailpiece rests on the leather straps attached to the case), and the later form of the tailpiece, a unique musical, not found on other musical instruments (a wooden bracket with a crossbar of the tailpiece).

2) Kolkovo row: located at an angle to the tailpiece, gradually shortening the strings from the bass to the tops (unlike lyre-like instruments, where the length of all the strings is relatively equal). The barrels are not in all specimens in a straight line, often curved by an arc. Very closely resembles the cauline row of helmet-shaped gusli (already widespread in the 11th-13th centuries under consideration).

3) Fan of the strings: typical guselny, i.e. the strings do not run parallel, but the distance between the strings closer to the pegs increases.

4) Case and resonator: the case is hollowed out, closed from the side of the strings by a resonator plate, but the resonator does not reach the pinnacle row. Between the case and the bar next to it is the area of ​​the game window. In some instances, it reaches 1/3 of the string length. This design feature is inherent in the lyre, but not the guslim. However, unlike many lyre-like instruments, a virbelbank (a seal for screwing in pegs) and a support of a virbelbank (side of the game window) are part of the body (made with the body from one piece of wood).

Conclusions and assumptions:

The suggestion that a harp with a game window is a descendant of northern lyre-like instruments suggests itself. It is easy to trace this evolution: over time, the playing style of the game (harp on the knees, leaning against the stomach) displaces the lyre (vertical). According to archaeological finds, it can be seen that over time, the role of the window decreases, it acquires more decorative meaning, and finally, the harp disappears completely, giving way to the pterygoid gusli that existed unchanged in the popular tradition until the 20th century.

Were there such a harp in Belarus? Most likely they were. There are no direct indications of this, but there are indirect ones. The first mention of the harp in the Belarusian lands dates back to the 12th century (in the works of Kirill Turovsky, and the fact that it was the harp that was meant, and not any other instrument called this “universal word” is clear from the context). It could be either a helmet-shaped harp, or with a game window. Only these types of gusli existed in the XII century. Where would the gusli with a game window in Belarus could meet? By analogy with the cities: Novgorod, Opole, Gdansk, in Belarus it could be cities on the banks of navigable rivers, trade routes: the Dnieper, the Western Dvina, Pripyat, Neman, Bug.

So, harp or lira? Doubts, as you can see, are well-founded. The fact that this instrument is a transitional stage between the gusli and the lyre is obvious. Constructively and in terms of sounding, this is still a lira, but according to the repertoire and techniques of the game - the harp. Since I definitely cannot call this instrument a lyre, I recommend calling it a gusli, but always highlighting them in a separate class and emphasizing the presence of the playing window.

Helmeted harps

Here the information is entirely indirect. There are very few archaeological finds. All the finds I know are Novgorod. The main indirect source confirming the existence of this tool are images in manuscripts and temples. Most images of gusli in these sources, with varying degrees of confidence, are images of helmet gusls. The initial letter “D” of the Novgorod servant with the image of King David playing such harps is known. Maybe that's why my association with the helmet-shaped harp slips when I meet quotes from the works of church leaders about the ban in the churches "in the harp to buzz" ...

Gusli without otkalka. A harp or kantele?

Since the disappearance of the playing window in the gusli-lyres and practically to our days. In all countries where the harp is common. This stage of evolution is in the harvests, and in the Finnish kantele, and in the Latvian Kokle, and in the Estonian cannel, etc. according to the list - it has already been proved by instruments that still exist today. Regarding modern folk instruments, this form is more typical for the Baltic and Scandinavian gols.

Constructively, this instrument appears as a separate type of gusli, then, when the harp for the game is already clearly placed on the knees of the musician. The game window gradually disappears as it is not needed, the spike line is arranged in a straight line, and the pegs of the upper strings are getting closer and closer to the tailpiece. Ducks (for fastening the tailpiece) existed for some time and on such harps, but gradually gave way to wooden brackets with a crossbar of the tailpiece.

Why "kantele"? In principle (forgive the scholars for such a generalization), the harp and kantele are two names for the same instrument that survived in the Baltic States, Scandinavia, and Russia, and in other European countries, their unique stages of evolution. And because of the variety of types of each name and the variety of names of each species, it’s impossible to show a specific instrument and say: “this is a harp”, show another: “this is a kantele”. But in the literature, contrary to sound research logic, such a step was nevertheless taken. It happened by chance, but I like the effect. The fact is that kantele, through the efforts of domestic translators, has become a name not less popular than the gusli.

The native speakers themselves, in which the word "kantele" refers to all kinds of guslepodnye tools, emphasize the need to apply this term to their own national instruments. And it is just such a harp without opening that makes up the main percentage of these kanteles. And since there are not enough good “promoted” terms, why not use the one that should not be sought. It seems explained. I am fully in favor of fixing the term "kantele" for tools without a wing. Those. if a harp with a game window can be safely called a “gusli-lira”, and everyone will understand, then a harp without a lid can just as well be called a “gusli-kantele” or simply “kantele”.

Wing gusli - gusli with otkrykkom. Cuocle (Quocles)

These harps were common from the XIV-XV centuries. in Latgale (modern Latvia), Novgorod region and Pskov region (modern Russia) nothing can be said about other regions with certainty, although I want to. This tool is considered to be the most common among the remaining households of the gosle to this day.

As the name implies, this tool is distinguished by the presence of an opener. Otkrylok - thin body protruding behind the bar. Otkrylok - an additional "platform" to reflect the sound, an additional resonating soundboard (although it is incorrect to use the term soundboard to the clipboard, but explained it clearly). Thanks to the button, these harps are noticeably louder and sharper than, for example, the gusli-kantele. Otkryki come in different shapes and sizes, and even if this area is only 1-2 centimeters wide, even then it is advisable to call it a otkrylkom.

Why "pterygoid"?

The term "pterygoid" proud language experts decode as "in the form (shape) of the wing." And under this definition gets everything that the researcher associates with the wing. This is reminiscent of the famous joke about Vovochka, who associates everything with naked women. It is much more logical to fix the term pterygoid behind the harp with a wingboard or not to use it as a term at all, or even as it is used it more and more resembles a usual guselny epithet, such as “ringing” or “yarovchat”.

Why slips the name "cuocles"?

“Kuokles” is the name of their gusli Latvians (Latgalian; in Latvian it will be Cockles). One of the main types of Latvian gusl are precisely the gusli with a wing. Especially when Russians start nagging because of the term "pterygoid", which is often used almost to everything the strings are strung on, you can always make it clear that we are talking about cuocles or Latgalian harps - and you will be understood.

Video: Goosly on video + sound

Thanks to these videos you can familiarize yourself with the instrument, see the real game on it, listen to its sound, feel the specifics of the technique:

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