Santoor
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The Indian santoor instrument is a trapezoid-shaped hammered dulcimer, and a variation of the Iranian santur.[1] The instrument is generally made of walnut and has 25 bridges. Each bridge has 4 strings, making for a total of 100 strings. It is a traditional instrument in Jammu and Kashmir, and dates back to ancient times. It was called Shatha Tantri Veena in ancient Sanskrit texts.
Development
In ancient
Characteristics
The trapezoid framework is generally made out of either walnut or maple wood. The top and bottom boards sometimes can be either plywood or veneer. On the top board, also known as the soundboard, wooden bridges are placed, in order to seat stretched metal strings across. The strings, grouped in units of 3 or 4, are tied on nails or pins on the left side of the instrument and are stretched over the sound board on top of the bridges to the right side. On the right side there are steel tuning pegs or tuning pins, as they are commonly known, that allows tuning each unit of strings to a desired musical note or a frequency or a pitch.
Technique
The santoor is played while sitting in an asana called ardha-padmasana and placing it on the lap. While being played, the broad side is closer to the waist of the musician and the shorter side is away from the musician. It is played with a pair of light wooden mallets held with both hands. The santoor is a delicate instrument and sensitive to light strokes and glides. The strokes are played always on the strings either closer to the bridges or a little away from bridges: the styles result in different tones. Strokes by one hand can be muffled by the other hand by using the face of the palm to create variety.
Notable players
- Ulhas Bapat (1950–2018)
- Tarun Bhattacharya (b. 1957)
- Rahul Sharma (b. 1972)
- Shivkumar Sharma (1938–2022)
- Abhay Sopori
- Bhajan Sopori (1948-2022)
- R. Visweswaran (1944–2007)
- Varsha Agrawal (b. 1967)[4]
- Mohammad Tibet Baqal (1914–1982)[5]
- Harjinder Pal Singh (b. 1953)[6]
- Areti Ketime (b. 1989)
References
- ^ Heydarian, Peyman; Reiss, Joshua (2005). Persian Music and the Santur Instrument. Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK: University of London. pp. 524–527.
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: CS1 maint: location (link) - ^ "Magazine / Culture : Santoor magic". The Hindu. 2005-02-27. Archived from the original on 2005-03-05. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
- ^ "How All did the Soporis improvise their Folk instrument". Outlook India. 22 September 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
- ^ "Our wishes to India's single female Santoor player Dr. Varsha Agrawal (born 29 Jan 1967)". January 28, 2013.
- ^ Shade, Chinar (April 14, 2015). "CHINAR SHADE : USTAAD MUHAMMAD ABDULLAH TIBETBAQAL ( 1914-1982) SUFIANA MUSICIAN FROM KASHMIR".
- ^ "Artist - Harjinder Pal Singh (Santoor), Gharana - None". www.swarganga.org.