Musical instruments of the peoples of the Caucasus. Dombra. Dombra is a Kazakh national instrument. Why is dombra called a Turkic instrument?

History of Kazakh musical instruments.

“I touched the long-necked dombra - and behold
Two strings ring, the dombra sings.
Have fun, play, young friends, -
Unnoticed, but the flight of our days is fast!”

Ibray Sandybaev. Song "Balkurai".

Visiting cultural events in Kazakhstan.

Dombra- the most common Kazakh folk instrument. Dombra could be found in every yurt; it was one of the most necessary and obligatory items in the life of the Kazakhs. A very famous Kazakh instrument. Carved from solid wood. The most common dombra is two-string, but there is also a three-string one. A good domplayer can play like a whole orchestra on two strings.
The history of this instrument goes back centuries. During excavations ancient city Khorezm archaeologists found terracotta figurines of musicians playing two-stringed plucked instruments. Scientists have established that Khorezm two-strings existed at least two thousand years ago; they were one of the musical instruments of the Saka nomadic tribes.
These ancient two-strings bear a strong resemblance to Kazakh dombra and are its prototype. Thus, with the help of archeology it was proven ancient origin dombra There are two types of dombras – western and eastern. Different shapes dombras were determined by the characteristics of two performing traditions. To perform fast, virtuoso tokpe-kuys it was necessary that left hand could move freely and slide along the bar.
Therefore, the neck of Western dombras was thin and elongated. These technique were not applicable when performing on eastern dombras with a wide, shortened neck. The dimensions of the instruments and the shape of the bodies influenced the sound strength: how larger sizes, the louder the dombra.
The nature of the sound was also influenced by technology right hand: in tokpe-kuys, the sound was produced on both strings with strong wrist strokes, and in shertpa, soft plucking of the strings with individual fingers was used. Thus, there was a close connection between the structure of dombras and the kyuis that are performed on them. The dombra could be not only two-stringed, but also three-stringed.
In the past, three-string dombras were found in various regions of Kazakhstan, but at present they are preserved only in the Semipalatinsk region. Shanak - the body of the dombyra, acts as a sound amplifier. Kakpak is the soundboard of the dombyra. perceiving the sounds of strings through vibration, amplifies them and gives a certain color to the sound of the instrument - timbre.
The spring is a beam on the deck with inside, in German it is called “der bassbalken”. There were no springs in the Kazakh dombyra before. The length of the violin spring is expected to range from 250 to 270 mm - 295 mm. In order to improve the sound of the dombyra, a similar spring (250 - 300 mm long) is now attached to the upper part of the shell and near the stand.
As a rule, it is made from spruce that has been aged for several decades without signs of rot. The shells are made of maple. The blanks must have such a thickness that when finishing the shells, depending on the density of the maple, their thickness is 1 - 1.2 mm. Stand - very responsible functional element dombyry.
By transmitting the vibrations of the strings to the soundboard and creating the first resonant circuit along the path of vibrations from the strings to the body, the bridge is the true key to the sound of the dombra. The strength, evenness and timbre of the instrument’s sound depend on its qualities, shape, weight and tuning. The string is the source of sound vibrations of the dombyra. The dombyra traditionally used gut strings made from lamb or goat intestines.
It was believed that best qualities have strings from the intestines of a two-year-old sheep. Such strings give a low sound and, accordingly, a low tune, characteristic of folk music. G-c, A-d, B-es, H-e. Among sheep from different regions of Kazakhstan, preference is given to sheep from Atyrau and Mangystau regions. Apparently, the salinity of livestock pastures in these places has a beneficial effect on the quality of strings made from sheep intestines.
For orchestral works of world classics, the low mood turned out to be inconvenient. Therefore, in the thirties, in connection with the creation of orchestras folk instruments, the setting has been selected d-g strings. However, the vein strings could not withstand it and quickly burst. Akhmed Zhubanov tried to use catgut, silk, nylon, etc. as a material, but ordinary fishing line turned out to be the most suitable in sound.
As a result, today we have the only, widespread type of dombyra among the Kazakhs standard form with strings made of fishing line, which has lost its unique sound timbre. Legend of dombra says that it was invented to tell the khan about the death of his only son. The Khan did not want to hear about his son’s death and ordered the throats of anyone who dared to tell him about it to be filled with lead.
The musician, who did not say a word, was able to convey the sad news to the khan by playing the dombra. The hot lead burned the wood, and a hole formed in the dombra. Many centuries later, in 1925, the Kazakh singer Amre Kashaubayev captivated the discerning audience at the World Exhibition decorative arts in Paris with his singing and virtuoso playing of the dombra.
At the same time, his voice was recorded by the Paris Voice Museum. Famous composer and musicologist Akhmet Zhubanov in 1933 created a dombra ensemble at the Alma-Ata Music and Drama College. Since 1938, for the first time in the history of Kazakh music, the orchestra began to perform works from sheet music, and reconstructed kobyz and dombra were introduced into its composition. In 1944 the orchestra was named folk singer Kurmangazy.

Kui Dombra.

“Play your kui, dombra, play,
Pour out a wonderful melody,
Murmur like mountain streams,
Let your heart sing with joy.
So that all the fog in the mountains disappears,
So that all the clouds clear from heaven,
So that everyone listens to you, -
I love your tunes,
Play even stronger, dombra!
Three pegs and two strings,
Yes, nine knots - dombra.
Yes, ten fingers that are free
Any cause wind.
Ride your fingers like a horse,
In the most beautiful of all chases,
Play even harder, dombra!
Hey, listen, working people,
How sweetly the dombra sings
In the hands of the people's kuishi.
And the distance of the steppes, and the passion of the soul -
Everything turns into a game!
Play even harder, dombra!
Hey, working people singer,
Lord of strings, connoisseur of hearts,
Excite me with fun.
I will forever remember your cue
About a new life, young.
You, our wise chronicler.
Play even harder, dombra!”

Dombra in Kazakh culture

One of the greatest dombra players is the Kazakh folk musician and composer Kurmangazy, who had a great influence on the development of the Kazakh musical culture, including dombra music: his musical composition “Adai” is popular in Kazakhstan and abroad.

Not only Kazakhs have dombra. This instrument has its analogues among many peoples. In Russian culture there is a similar shaped instrument domra, in Tajik culture - Dumrak, in Uzbek culture - Dumbyra, Dumbrak, similar in shape Dutar, in Kyrgyz culture - Komuz, in Turkmen culture - Dutar, Bash, Dumbyra, in Bashkir culture - Dumbyra , in the Nogai culture of the Azov region - Dombyra, in Turkish culture - Saz. These instruments sometimes differ in the number of strings (up to 3 strings), as well as in the material of the strings (nylon, metal).

History of the instrument

Also, at one time, during excavations of ancient Khorezm, terracotta figurines of musicians playing plucked instruments were found. Scientists note that Khorezm two-strings, which existed at least 2000 years ago, have a typological similarity to the Kazakh dombra and were one of the common instruments among the early nomads who lived in Kazakhstan.

By written monuments the Eurasian continent, we can conclude that dombra and its related instruments other peoples on the mainland have been well known since ancient times. In monuments of different periods in the Eurasian space, we learn about the presence of this plucked instrument, in particular from monuments of Saka and Hunnic origin. This instrument is also found among the Kimans (Cumans). The Kipchaks are descendants of the Cumans. Musical works (kuis) of those years have reached us: Ertis tolqyndary (ertis tolqyndary - waves of the Irtysh), Mundy Kyz (mundy kyz - sad girl), Tepen kok (tepen kok - lynx), Aksak kaz (aqsaq qaz - lame goose) , Bozingen (bozingen - light camel), Zhelmaya (zhelmaja - one-humped camel), Qulannyn tarpu'y (qulannyn tarpu'y - kulan's trampling), Kokeikesti (kokeikesti - deep experience), etc.

Dombyra - kyu instrument

For Kazakhs, kuy is more than a work, it is a resounding page in the history of their people, their customs and culture. That is why the Kazakhs valued kuy performers so highly - kyuishi, among whom dombyra players made up the vast majority (kyuis are performed not only on the dombyra). The Kazakh people say: a real Kazakh is not a Kazakh himself, a real Kazakh is a dombra. At the same time, we must understand that Kazakhs cannot imagine their past, present and future without their favorite instrument - the dombra. It is also necessary to clarify that the word Kazakh means a free warrior, an independent individual who, if he exists in a group, does so only of his own free will, while joining the community of the worthy and serving it, protecting it, giving labor, life, health and skill without reserve, like a fearless man - a breadwinner warrior.

The structure of the dombra

Over the centuries, dombra has retained its basic structure and appearance. Folk artists constantly strive to expand its sound capabilities and melody, rather than diversify its form. For example, the Central Kazakhstan dombra has a flat body and two gut strings. The typical, most common dombra with an oval body is shown in the photograph. Below are the names of the components of dombyra.

Shanak- the body of the dombra acts as a sound amplifier.

Kakpak- soundboard of dombra. perceiving the sounds of strings through vibration, amplifies them and gives a certain color to the sound of the instrument - timbre.

Spring- this is a beam on the deck from the inside, in German it is called “der Bassbalken”. There were no springs in the Kazakh dombra before. The length of the violin spring is expected to range from 250 to 270 mm - 295 mm. In order to improve the sound of the dombra, a similar spring (250-300 mm long) is now attached to the upper part of the shell and near the stand. As a rule, it is made from spruce that has been aged for several decades without signs of rot.

Shells are made from maple. The blanks must have such a thickness that when finishing the shells, depending on the density of the maple, their thickness is 1-1.2 mm.

Stand- a very important functional element of the dombra. By transmitting the vibrations of the strings to the soundboard and creating the first resonant circuit along the path of vibrations from the strings to the body, the bridge is the true key to the sound of the dombra. The strength, evenness and timbre of the instrument’s sound depend on its qualities, shape, weight and tuning.

String- source of sound vibrations of the dombra. Dombra traditionally used gut strings made from lamb or goat intestines. It was believed that strings made from the intestines of a two-year-old sheep had the best qualities. Such strings produce a low sound and, accordingly, a low tune, characteristic of folk music. G-c, A-d, B-es, H-e. Among sheep from different regions of Kazakhstan, preference is given to sheep from Atyrau and Mangystau regions. Apparently, the salinity of livestock pastures in these areas has a beneficial effect on the quality of the strings. For orchestral works of world classics, the low mood turned out to be inconvenient. Therefore, in the thirties, in connection with the creation of folk instrument orchestras, the d-g string tuning was chosen. However, the vein strings could not withstand it and quickly burst. Akhmed Zhubanov tried to use catgut, silk, nylon, etc. as a material, but ordinary fishing line turned out to be the most suitable in sound. As a result, today we have the only widespread type of dombra in a standard form with fishing line strings, which has lost its unique sound timbre.

Legends about the origin of dombra

There are legends about dombra and its origin:

• The legend of the origin of dombra says that in ancient times two giant brothers lived in Altai. The younger brother had a dombra, which he loved to play. As soon as he starts playing, he forgets about everything in the world. The elder brother was proud and vain. One day he wanted to become famous, for which he decided to build a bridge across a stormy and cold river. He began to collect stones and began to build a bridge. And the younger brother keeps playing and playing.

So another day passed, and a third. The younger brother is not in a hurry to help the elder, all he knows is that he is playing his favorite instrument. The older brother got angry, snatched the dombra from the younger brother and, with all his strength, hit it against the rock. The magnificent instrument broke, the melody fell silent, but an imprint remained on the stone.

Many years have passed. People found this imprint, began to make new dombras based on it, and music began to sound again in the villages that had been silent for a long time.

• The legend of finding the dombra modern look says that previously the dombra had five strings and no hole in the middle. Such an instrument was owned by the famous horseman Kezhendyk, known throughout the region. He once fell in love with the daughter of a local khan. Khan invited Kezhendyk to his yurt and ordered him to prove his love for his daughter. Dzhigit began to play, long and beautifully. He sang a song about the khan himself, about his greed and greed. The Khan got angry and ordered the instrument to be damaged by pouring hot lead into the middle of the dombra. Then a hole was burned out in the middle and only two strings remained.

• Another legend about the origin of dombra similar to the previous one. A local khan’s son died from the tusks of a boar while hunting, and the servants, fearing the khan’s wrath (he threatened to pour boiling lead down the throat of anyone who told him that something bad had happened to his son) went to the old master Ali for advice. He made a musical instrument, which he called dombra, came to the khan and played it. The strings groaned and cried, as if the plaintive noise of the forest swept under the silk tent of the khan’s tent. The sharp whistle of the wind mixed with the howl of a wild animal. The strings cried out loudly, like a human voice, asking for help, and this is how the dombra told the khan about the death of his son. Beside himself with anger, the khan ordered hot lead to be thrown into the round hole of the dombra.

Literature

This literature can be found in Kazakhstan, Astana, National Library Republic of Kazakhstan...

1. Akishev K. A. Kurgan Issyk. - Moscow, 1978.
2. Alekseeva L.A. Nazhmedenov Zh. Features of the musical structure of the Kazakh dombra.//Kazakh culture: research and search. Collection scientific articles, Almaty, 2000.
3. Alekseeva L.A. Nazhmedenov Zh. Features of Kaja dombra.// We and the universe. 2001.№ 1(6), p52-54.
4. Amanov B. Compositional terminology of dombra kuev. Alma-Ata, 1982
5. Aravin. P.V. Steppe constellations. - Alma-Ata, 1979.
6. Aravin. P.V. Great kuishi Dauletkerei.-Alma-Ata, 1964.
7. Asafiev B.V. About Kazakh folk music.//Musical culture of Kazakhstan.-Alma-Ata, 1955.
8. Barmankulov M. Turkic Universe.-Almaty, 1996.
9. Vyzgo T. Musical instruments Central Asia.-Moscow, 1980.
10. Gizatov B. Social and aesthetic foundations of Kazakh folk instrumental music. - Alma-Ata, 1989.
11. Zhubanov A.K. Kazakh folk instrument-dombra.//Musicology.-Alma-Ata, 1976. p.8-10.
12. Stakhov V. Creativity of the violin maker. - Leningrad, 1988.
13. Nazhmedenov Zhumagali. Acoustic features of the Kazakh dombra. Aktobe, 2003
14. Utegalieva S.I. Mangystau dombra tradition. Almaty, 1997

Notes

See also

Links

• Website of the Kazakh State National Library
• Asyl Mura project website

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Plan:

Introduction

• 1 Dombyra in Kazakh culture
• 2 Etymology of the word dombyra
• 3 History of the instrument
• 4 Dombyra - kyu instrument
• 5 The structure of the dombyra
• 6 Legends about the origin of dombyra
Literature
Notes

Introduction

Not to be confused with Domra.

Dombra(Kazakh dombyra) is a musical plucked instrument that exists in culture Turkic peoples. It is considered a folk instrument among the Kazakhs.

1. Dombyra in Kazakh culture

Dombra(Kazakh dombyra) is a Kazakh folk two-stringed plucked musical instrument. It is used as an accompanying and solo instrument, as well as the main instrument in Kazakh folk music. Used by modern performers.

The body is pear-shaped and has a long neck, divided by frets. Strings are usually tuned to fourths or fifths.

One of the greatest dombra players is the Kazakh folk musician and composer Kurmangazy, who had a great influence on the development of Kazakh musical culture, including dombra music: his musical composition “Adai” is popular in Kazakhstan and abroad.

Not only Kazakhs have dombyra. Traditionally in Russian it is called dombra, but in the Kazakh version it is more correct than dombyra.

This instrument has its analogues in many nations. In Russian culture there is an instrument similar in shape, Dumra, in Tajik culture - Dumrak, in Uzbek culture - Dumbyra, Dumbrak, similar in shape Dutar, in Kyrgyz culture - Komuz, in Turkmen culture - Dutar, Bash, Dumbyra, in Bashkir culture- Dumbyra, in the Nogai culture of the Azov region - Dombira, in Turkish culture - Saz. These instruments sometimes differ in the number of strings (up to 3 strings), as well as in the material of the strings (nylon, metal).

2. Etymology of the word dombyra

The etymology of the word Dombyra has not been fully studied. In the Tatar language, Dumbra is a balalaika, and Dombura is a guitar, in Kalmyk - Dombr means the same as dombyra, in Turkish Tambura is a guitar, in Mongolian language Dombura is again dombyra. There are many hypotheses about the origin of this word, consensus no on this yet.

3. History of the instrument

In 1989, in Kazakhstan, in the Almaty region, high in the mountains on the plateau (zhailau) “Maitobe”, Professor S. Akitaev, with the help of ethnographer Zhagd Babalykuly, discovered a rock painting depicting a musical instrument and four dancing people in different poses. According to the research of the famous archaeologist K. Akishev, this drawing dates back to the Neolithic period. Now this drawing is in the Museum of Folk Instruments named after. Ykylas Dukenuly in Almaty, Kazakhstan. As can be seen from the picture, the instrument depicted by the ancient artist on the rock is very similar in shape to the dombyra. Based on this, we can say that the prototype of the current dombyra is more than 4,000 years old and is one of the first plucked instruments - the forerunner of modern musical instruments of this type.

Also, at one time, during excavations of ancient Khorezm, terracotta figurines of musicians playing plucked instruments were found. Scientists note that Khorezm two-strings, which existed at least 2000 years ago, have a typological similarity to the Kazakh dombra and were one of the common instruments among the early nomads who lived in Kazakhstan.

Based on the written monuments of the Eurasian continent, we can conclude that the dombyra and its related instruments of other peoples on the mainland have been well known since ancient times. In monuments of different periods in the Eurasian space, we recognize the presence of this plucked instrument, in particular from monuments of Saka and Hunnic origin. This instrument is also found among the Kimans (Cumans). The Kipchaks are descendants of the Cumans. Musical works (kuis) of those years have reached us: Ertis tolqyndary (ertis tolqyndary - Waves of the Irtysh), Mundy Kyz (mundy kyz - sad girl), Tepen kok (tepen kok - lynx), Aksak kaz (aqsaq qaz - lame goose) , Bozingen (bozingen - light camel), Zhelmaya (zhelmaja - one-humped camel), Qulannyn tarpuy (qulannyn tarpu'y - kulan stomp), Kokeikesti (kokeikesti - deep experience), etc.

Marco Polo noted in his writings that this instrument was present among the warriors of the nomadic Turks, who at that time in Rus' were called Tatars. They sang and played it before the fight to achieve the appropriate mood.

This instrument, however, is the property of all Turkic peoples of the world.

4. Dombyra - kyu instrument

For Kazakhs, kuy is more than a work, it is a resounding page in the history of their people, their customs and culture. That is why the Kazakhs valued kyui-kuishi performers so highly, among whom dombyra players made up the overwhelming majority (kuis are performed not only on the dombyra). The Kazakh people say: a real Kazakh is not a Kazakh himself, but a real Kazakh-dombyra. At the same time, we must understand that Kazakhs cannot imagine their past, present and future without their favorite instrument, the dombyra. It is also necessary to clarify that the word Kazakh means a free warrior, an independent individual who, if he exists in a group, does so only of his own free will, while joining the community of the worthy and serving it, protecting it, giving labor, life, health and skill without reserve, as a fearless man-warrior and breadwinner.

5. Structure of the dombyra

Over the centuries, dombra has retained its basic structure and appearance. Folk artists constantly strive to expand its sound capabilities and melody, rather than diversify its form. For example, the Central Kazakhstan dombyra has a flat body and two gut strings. The typical, most common dombyra with an oval body is shown in the photograph. Below are the names of the components of dombyra.

Shanak- the body of the dombyra acts as a sound amplifier.

Kakpak- dombyra deck. perceiving the sounds of strings through vibration, amplifies them and gives a certain color to the sound of the instrument - timbre.

Spring- this is a beam on the deck from the inside, in German it is called “der bassbalken”. There were no springs in the Kazakh dombyra before. The violin spring length is expected to range from 250 to 270 mm - 295 mm. In order to improve the sound of the dombyra, a similar spring (250-300 mm long) is now attached to the upper part of the shell and near the stand. As a rule, it is made from spruce that has been aged for several decades without signs of rot.

Shells are made from maple. The blanks must have such a thickness that when finishing the shells, depending on the density of the maple, their thickness is 1-1.2 mm.

Stand- a very important functional element of the dombyra. By transmitting the vibrations of the strings to the soundboard and creating the first resonant circuit along the path of vibrations from the strings to the body, the bridge is the true key to the sound of the dombra. The strength, evenness and timbre of the instrument’s sound depend on its qualities, shape, weight and tuning.

String- source of sound vibrations of dombyra. The dombyra traditionally used gut strings made from lamb or goat intestines. It was believed that strings made from the intestines of a two-year-old sheep had the best qualities. Such strings produce a low sound and, accordingly, a low tune, characteristic of folk music. G-c, A-d, B-es, H-e. Among sheep from different regions of Kazakhstan, preference is given to sheep from Atyrau and Mangystau regions. Apparently, the salinity of livestock pastures in these places has a beneficial effect on the quality of strings made from sheep intestines. For orchestral works of world classics, the low mood turned out to be inconvenient. Therefore, in the thirties, in connection with the creation of folk instrument orchestras, the d-g string tuning was chosen. However, the vein strings could not withstand it and quickly burst. Akhmed Zhubanov tried to use catgut, silk, nylon, etc. as a material, but ordinary fishing line turned out to be the most suitable in sound. As a result, today we have the only widespread type of dombyra among the Kazakhs of a standard form with strings made of fishing line, which has lost its unique sound timbre.

6. Legends about the origin of dombyra

Archaeological research has established that the Saka nomadic tribes used two-stringed musical instruments, which are similar to the Kazakh dombra and may be its prototype, more than 2 thousand years ago.

There are legends about dombra and its origin:

• The legend of the origin of dombra says that in ancient times two giant brothers lived in Altai. The younger brother had a dombra, which he loved to play. As soon as he starts playing, he forgets about everything in the world. The elder brother was proud and vain. One day he wanted to become famous, for which he decided to build a bridge across a stormy and cold river. He began to collect stones and began to build a bridge. And the younger brother keeps playing and playing.

So another day passed, and a third. The younger brother is not in a hurry to help the elder, all he knows is that he is playing his favorite instrument. The older brother got angry, snatched the dombra from the younger brother and, with all his strength, hit it against the rock. The magnificent instrument broke, the melody fell silent, but an imprint remained on the stone.

Many years have passed. People found this imprint, began to make new dombras based on it, and music began to sound again in the villages that had been silent for a long time.

• The legend of how the dombra acquired its modern look says that previously the dombra had five strings and no hole in the middle. Such an instrument was owned by the famous horseman Kezhendyk, known throughout the region. He once fell in love with the daughter of a local khan. Khan invited Kezhendyk to his yurt and ordered him to prove his love for his daughter. Dzhigit began to play, long and beautifully. He sang a song about the khan himself, about his greed and greed. The Khan got angry and ordered the instrument to be damaged by pouring hot lead into the middle of the dombra. Then a hole was burned out in the middle and only two strings remained.

Literature

This literature can be found in Kazakhstan, Almaty, National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan...

1. Akishev K. A. Kurgan Issyk. - Moscow, 1978.
2. Alekseeva L.A. Nazhmedenov Zh. Features of the musical structure of the Kazakh dombra.//Kazakh culture: research and search. Collection of scientific articles, Almaty, 2000.
3. Alekseeva L.A. Nazhmedenov Zh. Features of Kaja dombra.// We and the universe. 2001.№ 1(6), p52-54.
4. Amanov B. Compositional terminology of dombra kuev. Alma-Ata, 1982
5. Aravin. P.V. Steppe constellations. - Alma-Ata, 1979.
6. Aravin. P.V. Great kuishi Dauletkerei.-Alma-Ata, 1964.
7. Asafiev B.V. About Kazakh folk music.//Musical culture of Kazakhstan.-Alma-Ata, 1955.
8. Barmankulov M. Turkic Universe.-Almaty, 1996.
9. Vyzgo T. Musical instruments of Central Asia.-Moscow, 1980.
10. Gizatov B. Social and aesthetic foundations of Kazakh folk instrumental music. - Alma-Ata, 1989.
11. Zhubanov A.K. Kazakh folk instrument-dombra.//Musicology.-Alma-Ata, 1976. p.8-10.
    , Chordophones, Kazakh musical instruments.
    Text is available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license.

— It is noteworthy that in the republic they decided to designate a whole day of the year as the day of a musical instrument, and the dombra became this instrument. Dombra is a symbol of musical culture from the nomads of antiquity to today“,” Yuri Petrovich begins his story.

Instruments resembling dombra have existed since time immemorial. If you believe the stones with rock carvings of dancing people, exhibited in the Ykylas Museum of Folk Musical Instruments, our ancestors played them more than 4 thousand years ago. However, the first reliable information about dombra appears only in the 16th-17th centuries.

The ancestor of the dombra is the ancient Turkic musical instrument sherter. It is shaped like a dombra, but has an open body, three strings and a short neck without frets. The sherter was made from a single piece of wood, and a leather deck was stretched over the body.

The sherter was played either by plucking or striking the strings, or with a bow. Kobyz and dombra originated from sherter.

Traditionally, craftsmen hollowed out dombra from a single piece of wood. Any tree species that grew in the area was used as material. Over time, to improve the acoustic properties of the instrument, the method of its manufacture changed. Dombra began to be made from individual glued parts, and hardwoods began to be chosen as raw materials - pine, larch, spruce.

One of the main differences between modern dombra and instruments that were played Kurmangazy And Dauletkerey, - strings. Nowadays they are made from fishing line, but until the beginning of the 20th century, gut strings were used on dombra, made through a complex process of dressing lamb or goat intestines.

— The fishing line sounds very bright and powerful, but the gut strings give a special flavor, very deep and soft sound. Frets - in Kazakh they are called “perne” - were also made from veins. Thanks to this, the sound of a traditional dombra is rich in overtones and overtones.

Rich and deep sound

According to Yuri Petrovich Aravin, despite its simple design, the dombra, like other Kazakh musical instruments, has a powerful and rich sound.

— You can understand well how Kazakh musical instruments sound using the example of the kobyz. When a kobyzist plays the kyl-kobyz, he does not press the strings to the fingerboard, but only lightly touches them. Thanks to this, a mass of overtones is created. Kobyz strings are made from horse hair. When this instrument is played, it actually sounds like a choir of 46 individual hairs. The same can be said about the richness of the sound of dombra.

Experienced musicians, performing kuy, can reflect in their music the grandeur of the endless expanses of the steppe, the clatter of hundreds of hooves or the roar of an approaching army. Speaking about the power of dombra sound, Yuri Petrovich remembered a quote from the famous researcher of Kazakh folk music Alexander Zataevich:

— Zataevich, who perfectly penetrated into the peculiarities of Kazakh music, said that the dombra gives the impression not of something small up close, but of something large and even grandiose, but as if from afar, like the chime of a good table clock. A very apt comparison, because table clocks can sound like huge bells. Dombra gives the same amazing effect. You sit nearby, listen, and something huge sounds there, from afar. To feel this, just listen to the kuy “Aksak Kulan”.

According to the musicologist, the phenomenon of dombra lies in its depth and diversity. It can sound like an entire orchestra, conveying a wide palette of sound. Such music resonates in the souls of listeners and resonates with the human psyche. Long neck, rounded shape, soft materials and gut strings - such a simple design creates ideal acoustics.

What kind of dombra is there?

When imagining a dombra, most people keep in mind an instrument of a strictly defined shape. A round teardrop-shaped body, a long neck, two strings - this is how the dombra is depicted everywhere, from the cover of school textbooks to historical documentaries. In fact, there are many varieties of this instrument, which were made in different regions of Kazakhstan. The Arkin, Semipalatinsk, and Zhetysu dombras are well known. Traditionally, researchers distinguish two main types of dombra and schools of playing it - Western Kazakhstan and Eastern Kazakhstan.

The East Kazakhstan dombra has a flat back, a scoop-shaped body, a short thickened neck (neck) with 8 frets.

— Dombra in the central and eastern regions belonged to the Arkin school. It was used as an accompanying instrument to accompany singing. These regions had very rich vocal traditions. It was more convenient for singers to press the flat dombra to their body. It does not sound so loud and does not interrupt the voice.

West Kazakhstan dombra in modern times received the most widespread use. This is a classic teardrop-shaped dombra, with a long thin neck and 15-16 frets on it. This dombra gives a larger acoustic range.

— Powerful dynamic kuis were played on the West Kazakhstan dombra. Thanks to its sound qualities, it has gained popularity among professional musicians.

The collection of the Ykylas Museum includes unique dombras that belonged to famous akyns, kuishis, composers and poets. Among them you can also find many interesting types of this musical instrument. For example, on the front deck of a 160-year-old dombra Makhambet Utemisova Three small holes were cut instead of one. Also noteworthy is a copy of the famous dombra Abaya. In shape it is a typical East Kazakhstan dombra, but it has three strings.

— Abai’s three-string dombra should not confuse you. The fact is that the Kazakhs in this region came into close cultural contact with the Russian population. Abaev's dombra adopted three strings from the balalaika. Abai respected Russian culture and ordered just such an instrument for himself.

In the mid-30s, the dombra, along with other Kazakh folk instruments, acquired an orchestral sound. Akhmet Zhubanov On the basis of the music and drama technical school, he created the first folk instrument orchestra in the republic. An experimental workshop was opened at the technical school to improve and unify the dombra and kobyz for the orchestral range. To create new versions of dombra, Zhubanov attracted talented craftsmen - brothers Boris And Emmanuila Romanenko, Kambara Kasymova, Makhambet Bukeikhanova. This is how dombra-prima, dombra-alto, dombra-tenor, dombra-bass and other instruments appeared, which became an integral part of national orchestras.

— The Romanenko brothers had experience working with Russian musical instruments. The famous Russian orchestra of V.V. Andreev was taken as a model for the orchestra of folk instruments. Just as at one time the balalaika was remade to suit the orchestral sound, the dombra was transformed. For example, a huge double bass dombra sounds completely different compared to a standard dombra. Instruments made by Romanenko, Kasymov and their followers are still valued among musicologists.

Kuishi skill

Kazakh folk music, which was composed and performed on the dombra, is a complex, vibrant and abstract art. Poetry in it is inextricably linked with music. Works of famous zhyrau, sal and akyn through music and oral creativity comprehend eternal philosophical questions.

— The creativity of the kuishi and akyns touches on deep themes. It cannot be taken literally. If, while playing the kyui, you seem to hear the clatter of horse hooves, then you need to understand that the author did not want to convey the horse’s running, but the impression of this running in his soul. Kazakh art very meaningful and philosophical, it carries many meanings.

Professional school of oral and musical creativity reached its peak in the Kazakh steppe in the 19th century. Talented akyns and kuishi could devote all their time to composing and performing music, without worrying about other matters. Often they made themselves a suitable instrument. In the villages, the performers were given shelter and food, clothes and horses. The winners of the aitys could count on a good prize and expensive gifts.

— To a good performer kuevs and songs on dombra were welcome in any home and yurt. The tradition of patronage of the arts was very developed. The winner of the aitys could be given an ingot of gold or silver as a fee. There is a known description of how Abai’s mother gave a golden hoof Birzhan-salu, admiring his performing arts.

In our time, there is still debate about who was the most skillful composer of kyuis for dombra. IN Soviet era The cult of Kurmangazy Sagyrbayuly was established, but Yuri Petrovich believes that the great kuyshi had many equally talented contemporaries and followers.

— Kui Kurmangazy is very bright, memorable and eccentric, but in the storehouse of Kazakh music there are also stronger works. After the revolution, he was singled out among others because of his poor origin, relegating composers such as Dauletkerey to the background. Just listen to the song “Zhiger”! It contains such depth and tragic power... It is impossible to say who was the most talented Kazakh composer. Musical works There are many for dombra, and everyone can find their favorite.

Dombra in the daily life of Kazakhs

Dombra played an important role in the life of not only professional performers and akyns, but also simple nomadic cattle breeders. The dombra was an indispensable attribute in every yurt and hung in a place of honor on the keg. Children learned music by playing a miniature dombra - shinkildek. Adults knew the motives of famous songs and kues and could play the simplest of them.

— Kazakhs are by nature a very musical and aesthetic people. Long wanderings across the steppe contributed to the development of contemplation and music-making. We must also not forget that music was a means of communication. No one has ever played the dombra just like that, right off the bat. At first you told who you were, who you came from, where you were going and what you saw. Music certainly accompanied the word; it helped the perception of words. For example, to inform loved ones about the death of a relative, a kuishi was often invited to play estirta - a death notice.

ABOUT great importance The importance of dombra in the life of Kazakh society is also reflected in many legends and myths in which this musical instrument appears. The most famous of them is associated with times Mongol invasion:

— U Genghis Khan had a son Zhoshi, who ruled the territory of modern Kazakhstan. Zhoshi also had an eldest son who was very fond of hunting kulans. Once, during a hunt, the leader of a herd of kulans knocked the prince out of the saddle, and the herd trampled him. No one dared to tell Zhoshi the black news, because according to custom, the messenger could be executed for this. Then they invited kuishi, who played the khan on the dombra estirta, sad news. Through the sounds of the dombra, he conveyed the tramp of horses, the fear of the kulans, the courage of their leader and the voice of the soul of the dead young man. When he finished playing, Joshi understood everything and said: “You brought me black news and are worthy of death.” “I didn’t bring it to you, but my dombra,” answered the kuishi. Then the khan ordered hot lead to be poured into the dombra. This legend says a lot about the sound-image properties of dombra and the power of its impact on people.

Many Asian peoples have plucked string instruments similar to the dombra and similar to it in appearance, sound and manner of playing. The Uzbeks and Turkmen have a two-stringed teardrop-shaped instrument called the dutar. The Kyrgyz have a three-stringed instrument, the komuz. The Mongols, Buryats and Khakass also have musical instruments similar to the dombra.

— It cannot be argued that the dombra is a unique and inimitable invention of the Kazakhs. Many nations have analogues, but dombra can be called one of the amazing options for musical perfection. This seemingly simple instrument is capable of expressing the deepest feelings. human soul. In the past he was closely connected with the Kazakh people, and I hope that this will continue to be the case in the future.

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Dombra is the most beloved and most common instrument in the musical life of the Kazakhs. The Kazakh dombra is a plucked two-string instrument made of solid wood. It is used both as an accompanying and as a solo instrument, and as the main instrument in Kazakh folk music. Dombra has not lost its relevance to this day. Many modern musicians include the sound of dombra in their compositions.

The design of the Kazakh dombra differed slightly depending on the region. So in the west, in the Caspian steppes, the dombra had a rounded teardrop shape with a thin long neck. Pernet frets, like the strings, were made from lamb or goat intestines. In the central and eastern regions of Kazakhstan, dombras were made with a flat bottom and a short, thick neck. More often than not, dombra was made from solid pieces of wood: spruce, maple, plane tree, but there are also glued specimens of dombra. On East Kazakhstan dombras, 7-9 frets were imposed, which ensured the playing of accompaniment or the performance of song melodies.

The components of the Kazakh dombra are the same in all regions of Kazakhstan. This is a shanak - the body of a dombra, which acts as a sound amplifier. Kakpak is the soundboard of the dombra. Perceiving the sounds of strings through vibration, it amplifies them and gives a certain color to the sound of the instrument - timbre. The spring is a beam on the deck from the inside. There were no springs in the Kazakh dombra before. Currently, to improve the sound, a spring with a length of 250-300 mm is attached to the upper part of the shell and near the stand. As a rule, it is made from spruce that has been aged for several decades without signs of rot.

The shells are made of maple. The blanks must have such a thickness that when finishing the shells, depending on the density of the maple, their thickness is 1-1.2 mm.

The stand is a very important functional element of the dombra. By transmitting the vibrations of the strings to the soundboard and creating the first resonant circuit along the path of vibrations from the strings to the body, the bridge is the true key to the sound of the dombra. The strength, evenness and timbre of the instrument’s sound depend on its qualities, shape, weight and tuning.

The string is the source of sound vibrations of the dombra. Dombra traditionally used gut strings made from lamb or goat intestines. It was believed that strings made from the intestines of a two-year-old sheep had the best qualities. Such strings produce a low sound and, accordingly, a low tune, characteristic of folk music. G-c, A-d, B-es, H-e. Among sheep from different regions of Kazakhstan, preference is given to sheep from Atyrau and Mangystau regions. Apparently, the salinity of livestock pastures in these places has a beneficial effect on the quality of strings made from sheep intestines. For orchestral works of world classics, the low mood turned out to be inconvenient. Therefore, in the thirties, in connection with the creation of folk instrument orchestras, the d-g string tuning was chosen. However, the vein strings could not withstand it and quickly burst. Akhmed Zhubanov tried to use catgut, silk, nylon, etc. as a material, but ordinary fishing line turned out to be the most suitable in sound. As a result, today we have the only widespread type of dombyra among the Kazakhs of a standard form with strings made of fishing line, which has lost its unique sound timbre.

There are two main methods of playing the dombra - by striking the strings with all fingers and by plucking the strings.

The compositional and performing art of dombra improvisations in the 19th century reached high artistic perfection. Abyl, Kurmangazy, Dauletkerey, Dina - in the West, Tattimbet, Kazangap - in the East, Kozheke - in the South, and dozens of other names - bright individuals, with their own style, their own schools, traditions. Dombra was also a faithful companion of professional traveling singers. The images of Birzhan-Sal, Ahan-Sere, Mukhit, Dzhambul, Amre and other famous akyns and singers are invariably associated with the accompanying dombra.

One of the greatest dombra players is the Kazakh folk musician and composer Kurmangazy, who had a great influence on the development of Kazakh musical culture, including dombra music: his musical composition “Adai” is popular in Kazakhstan and abroad. As for the history of the appearance of such an instrument as the dombra, there is evidence that the prototype of the modern Kazakh dombra existed more than 4000 years ago, as evidenced by rock paintings found by archaeologists high in the mountains of the Almaty region on the Maitobe plateau in 1989. These drawings depict four dancing men with an instrument resembling a dombra in shape.

And during excavations of ancient Khorezm, terracotta figurines of musicians playing plucked instruments were found. Scientists note that Khorezm two-strings, which existed at least 2000 years ago, have a typological similarity with the Kazakh dombra and were one of the common instruments among the early nomads who lived on the territory of Kazakhstan. The most archaic examples of dombra and sybyzg Kazakh music include kui legends with the names birds and animals - “Akku” (“Swan”), “Kaz” (Goose), “Nar” (“Camel”), kui about lame creatures and unhappy hunting - “Aksak kyz” (“Lame Girl”), “ Aksak kulan" ("Lame kulan"), kui-cries for drowned children and young animals - "Zhorga ayu" ("Pacer Bear"), "Zarlau" ("Crying"), "Zhetym kyz" ("Orphan Girl" "), etc. All of them have preserved echoes of ancient forms of religion, cults and totemic ideas of the people and still carry within themselves the living history of silently passed millennia.

An instrument resembling a dombra in shape is also found on monuments of Saka and Hunnic origin, as well as among many ancient tribes that inhabited the Eurasian space in different periods time.

Marco Polo noted in his writings that this instrument was present among the warriors of the nomadic Turks, who at that time in Rus' were called Tatars. They sang and played it before the fight to achieve the appropriate mood.

Many beautiful folk legends are associated with dombra, with the history of its origin and the acquisition of its modern form.

The legend about the origin of dombra says that in ancient times two giant brothers lived in Altai. The younger brother had a dombra, which he loved to play. As soon as he starts playing, he forgets about everything in the world. The elder brother was proud and vain. One day he wanted to become famous, for which he decided to build a bridge across a stormy and cold river. He began to collect stones and began to build a bridge. And the younger brother keeps playing and playing.

So another day passed, and a third. The younger brother is not in a hurry to help the elder, all he knows is that he is playing his favorite instrument. The older brother got angry, snatched the dombra from the younger brother and, with all his strength, hit it against the rock. The magnificent instrument broke, the melody fell silent, but an imprint remained on the stone.

Many years have passed. People found this imprint, began to make new dombras based on it, and music began to sound again in the villages that had been silent for a long time.

The legend about how the dombra acquired its modern form says that previously the dombra had five strings and no hole in the middle. Such an instrument was owned by the famous horseman Kezhendyk, known throughout the region. He once fell in love with the daughter of a local khan. Khan invited Kezhendyk to his yurt and ordered him to prove his love for his daughter. Dzhigit began to play, long and beautifully. He sang a song about the khan himself, about his greed and greed. The Khan got angry and ordered the instrument to be damaged by pouring hot lead into the middle of the dombra. Then a hole was burned out in the middle and only two strings remained.

Another legend about the origin of dombra is similar to the previous one. A local khan’s son died from the tusks of a boar while hunting, and the servants, fearing the khan’s wrath (he threatened to pour boiling lead down the throat of anyone who told him that something bad had happened to his son) went to the old master Ali for advice. He built a musical instrument, which he called dombra, came to the khan and informed him with music about the death of his son. Beside himself with anger, the khan ordered hot lead to be thrown into the round hole of the dombra.

Dombra is a virtuoso philosophical instrument of the Kazakh, in in capable hands The dombra can convey the whole gamut of human feelings and experiences; the dombra embodies the symbolism of Al-Rabi’s teaching about music as the highest abstraction accessible to human understanding. You can listen to another piece performed on the dombra here.