Byzantine lyra
Necked bowl lute sounded by a bow) | |
Developed | 9th century AD |
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Related instruments | |
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The Byzantine lyra or lira (
]History
The most likely origin of the Byzantine lyra is with the long-necked, pear-shaped
The lyra spread widely via
Terminology
From the organological point of view, the Byzantine lyra is in fact an instrument belonging to the family of bowed lutes; however, the designation lyra (Greek: λύρα ~ lūrā, English: lyre) constitute of a terminological survival relating to the performing method of an
Characteristics
The Byzantine lyra had rear tuning pegs set in a flat peg similarly to the medieval
In use today
The lyra of the
Similarly to the lyras found at Novgorod, the
The modern variants of the lyra are tuned in various ways: LA–RE–SOL (or a–d–g, i. e. by fifths) on the Cretan lyra; LA–RE–SOL (or a–d–g, where SOL [=g] is a perfect fourth higher than RE [=d] rather than a fifth lower) in Thrace and on Karpathos and the Dodecanese; LA–LA–MI (a–a–e, with the second LA [=a] an octave lower), in Drama; MI–SOL–MI (e–g–e, i. e. a minor third and a major sixth) on the gadulka; LA–RE–LA (a–d–a, a fifth and a fourth) on the Classical Kemenche.[clarification needed]
Gallery
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Bulgarian gadulka
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Cretan lyra
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A lijerica from Dalmatia
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Different types of Cretan lyra in the Museum of Greek Folk Instruments in Athens
Notes
- ^ a b Butler 2003
- ^ Kartomi 1990, p. 124
- ^ a b c Encyclopædia Britannica 2009
- ^ Arkenberg 2002
- ^ a b Baines 1992, p. 109
References
- Arkenberg, Rebecca (October 2002), Renaissance Violins, Metropolitan Museum of Art, retrieved 22 September 2006
- Baines, Anthony (November 1992), The Oxford Companion to Musical Instruments, ISBN 0-19-311334-1
- Butler, Paul (October 2003), The rebec project, Personal website, retrieved 10 March 2009
- Encyclopædia Britannica (2009), lira, Encyclopædia Britannica Online, retrieved 20 February 2009
- Kartomi, Margaret J. (1990), On Concepts and Classifications of Musical Instruments, ISBN 0-226-42548-7
- Grillet, Laurent (1901), Les ancetres du violon v.1, Paris