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What is a Russian domra?
The domra (Cyrillic: до́мра, [ˈdɔmrɑ]) is a long-necked Belarusian, Russian, and Ukrainian folk string instrument of the lute family with a round body and three or four metal strings.
What does balalaika mean in Russian?
Balalaika’s babble. The word balalaika is similar to the Russian words “балакать,” “балаболить” and “балабонить” meaning “babble” or “jabber.” This connection not only underlines the folk origins of the balalaika but also uncovers its essence as an easy and fun instrument with a sonorous but soft and even tender voice.
How many strings are on a domra?
four
The domra has a round body with either three or four metal strings. The forms of both versions were formalized in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The three-string dorma is tuned to EAD, while the four-string domra has a GDAE tuning like a violin.
How many types of balalaika are there?
Developed in its modern form during the 19th century by musical prodigy Vassilij Vassilevich Andreev, the contemporary balalaika comes in five sizes, the contrabass, bass, sekunda, prima, and piccolo, and customarily has either three strings or six arranged into two groups.
Who plays the domra?
It has a round body with either three or four metal strings and is typically played with a plectrum. Domras were played widely by performers, musicians and singers (skomorokhi) in the 15th-16th centuries in Russia.
What is a domra made of?
Enhance your purchase
| Brand | Russian Domra |
|---|---|
| Body Material | Wood |
| Back Material Type | Plastic |
| Neck Material Type | Maple |
| Fretboard Material Type | Beech |
What country is balalaika?
Russian
balalaika, Russian stringed musical instrument of the lute family. It was developed in the 18th century from the dombra, or domra, a round-bodied long-necked three-stringed lute played in Russia and Central Asia.
How many frets does balalaika have?
16 frets
Amateur and/or souvenir-style prima balalaikas usually have a total of 16 frets, while in professional orchestra-like ones that number raises to 24.
What is balalaika music?
stringed
Who plays balalaika?
Kate Bush, featured the balalaika (played by her brother Paddy Bush) in two of her Top-40 singles, “Babooshka” and “Running Up That Hill”.
When was the domra made?
The history of the domra in its modern form dates back to 1896 and follows a strange story regarding a student of the Russian folk music pioneer, Vasily Vasilievich Andreyev. According to popular modern folklore, the unnamed student came across an unusual circular-bodied instrument in a stable.
Why is the balalaika important?
Developed from unstandardized folk lutes by the nobleman Andreyev in the late 18th century into a whole family of instruments with standard tunings, the balalaika has become one of the most important plucked stringed instruments in Eastern Europe, and the quintessential lute in Russia and the Ukraine.