Kanklės
.jpg) Various Aukštaitian and Samogitian kanklės in the National Museum of Lithuania, made at the end of 19th century – beginning of 20th century | |
| String instrument | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Kankliai, kunkliai, kunklaliai, kanklos, kanklys, kanklus, kunkl, kankalai[1] |
| Classification |
chordophone, zither |
| Hornbostel–Sachs classification | 314.122 (Diatonic lute-type stringed instrument) |
| Inventor(s) | Folk instrument |
| Related instruments | |
The kanklės (Lithuanian: .
Etymology
According to Finnish linguist
A Lithuanian ethnologist Romualdas Apanavičius believes Kanklės could be derived from the Proto-European root *gan(dh)-, meaning 'a vessel; a haft (of a sword)', suggesting that it may be related to the Russian word gusli.[3]
Construction
Although kanklės vary both regionally and individually, there are some common characteristics in their construction.
Kanklės belong to the
Kanklės is usually rested on the player's lap and played with the fingers or a pick made of bone or quill.
History
According to Birutė Žalalienė, psaltery, coming from Western Europe, could have been used in Lithuania to accompany church singing since the 15th century, and later in folk music in Lithuania Minor and Samogitia.[4]
The word "kanklės" is first used in writing in 1580 by Jonas Bretkūnas in his Bible translation.[5] Vincas Kudirka published two collections of folk songs adapted for choirs, titled Kanklės, in 1895 and 1898.[6] In 1906, Pranas Puskunigis established an ensemble of kanklės players, mostly from the students at the Veiveriai Teachers' Seminary, in Skriaudžiai. This ensemble, known simply as "Kanklės" since 1984, continues to this day. A school for kanklės players was opened in 1930 in Kaunas.[7] Kanklės are taught at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre since 1945. Concert kanklės were first constructed in 1964.[5]
Types
Apanavičius classifies the kanklės into three basic traditional types, although there are variations within each type and some overlap of areas. Each type has its own playing technique.[8]
- Kanklės of Northeastern Aukštaitians: the simplest and most ancient form. Carved out of a single piece of wood into a boat or coffin shape.
- Kanklės of Western Aukštaitians and Samogitians: somewhat larger than those of Northeastern Aukštaitija, usually having between eight and twelve strings. They have a flat bottom, and in some cases, the shortest end is carved with the stylized figure of a bird's or fish's tail.
- Kanklės of Northwestern Samogitians and Suvalkians: usually the most decorated type, and kanklės used in concert performance are most often based on this variety. The most prominent identifying feature is the addition of a carved spiral figure to the point of the instrument's body and sometimes, the rounding of the narrow end of the body. Typically these instruments have between nine and thirteen strings.[8]
Concert kanklės, with an expanded range of more than four octaves (29 strings, C3-C7) and added chromaticism, provided by means of metal levers at the side of the instrument, similar to the ones used in a Celtic or
References
- ^ Tarnauskaitė-Palubinskienė 2009, p. 477.
- ISBN 978-9624-2118-2-5. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
- ^ Žalalienė, Birutė (2011-06-06). "Psalteriumas". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos centras.
- ^ a b c d Apanavičius, Romualdas (2006-01-17). "Kanklės". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos centras. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ISSN 1392-2831.
- ISSN 2029-0101.
- ^ a b Tarnauskaitė-Palubinskienė 2009, pp. 478–480.
- ISBN 978-9934-8276-2-4.
Bibliography
- Tarnauskaitė-Palubinskienė, Vida (2009). Kanklės lietuvių etninėje kultūroje [Kanklės in the Ethnic Culture of Lithuanians]. Vilnius: ISBN 978-9955-20-449-7.
External links
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| Other | |
