Musical instruments of the Armenian people. Armenian musical instruments: an overview

Traditional Armenian musical instruments have a thousand-year history. A lot of wind, strings and percussion devices that have been used by local folk groups for centuries have survived to this day. We will consider the most interesting Armenian folk musical instruments in our publication.

Duduk

Duduk is one of the oldest wind instruments in the world. The invention of the device dates back to the first century BC. Descriptions of the device are contained in numerous manuscripts from the Middle Ages.

The Armenian musical instrument looks like a hollow tube made of apricot wood. The design includes a removable reed mouthpiece. The front surface contains 8 holes. Two more openings are made on the back side. One of them is used for tuning the instrument, and the other is used for closing with the thumb while playing.

The duduk makes sounds due to the vibration of the reed mouthpiece plates. The clearance of the elements is regulated by changing the air pressure. Individual notes are taken by opening and closing the holes on the case. Correct breathing is important when playing the instrument. The musicians take a quick deep breath. Then an even, prolonged exhalation is performed.

Zurna

Zurna is an Armenian wind musical instrument, which in ancient times was widely used by the peoples of Transcaucasia. The device is made in the form of a wooden tube with a bell end. The hollow body contains 8-9 holes. One of them is located on the back. The range of this Armenian musical instrument covers about one and a half octaves. The timbre of the sound of the device is shrill.

Zurna is considered the forerunner of the modern oboe. The instrument is used in ensembles that are formed from three musicians. The lead soloist plays the main melody. The second member of the group publishes lingering sounds. The third musician is responsible for the rhythmic part of the composition, playing the percussion instrument dhole.

Saz

This Armenian folk musical instrument has a pear-shaped outline. The device is made of walnut or thuja wood. Saz is hollowed out from a single piece or glued using separate rivets. A long neck with 16-17 frets departs from the body. The element contains rounding from the back. The headstock contains the tuning pegs, which are used to stretch the strings. The number of the latter can vary from six to eight, depending on the size of this Armenian musical instrument.

Dhol

Dhol is an ethnic Armenian drum. The instrument was invented back in the days of the pagan page in the history of the state. With the help of the device, the rhythm was set for the marching of soldiers during military campaigns. The sound of the drum is effectively intertwined with the melody of duduk and zurna.

The tool has a cylindrical shape. The body is made mainly of metal. Dhol can be equipped with one or two membranes. The ancient Armenians usually used thin sheet copper, walnut wood, or ceramics as a striking surface. Nowadays, plastic is most often used as a replacement for these materials. In cases where the device is made using two membranes, the elements are connected to each other in strings. The tension on the ropes allows you to adjust the pitch of the drum sound.

Dhol is played according to the following principle:

• sit on a chair;
• the lower plane of the drum rests on the leg;
• the body of the instrument is covered with the forearm;
• the membrane is struck clearly with fingers in the area between the edge and the central area of ​​the working surface.

During the impact on the middle of the drum, deaf low intonations are noted. Hitting the rim of the instrument produces a resounding clang to maintain the tempo.

Eve

Kanun is an Armenian stringed musical instrument that looks like a hollow wooden trapezoid inside. The front surface is represented by a pine plane with a thickness of about 4 mm. The rest of the device is covered in fish skin. The strings are fixed on one side in special openings on the body. On the opposite side of the instrument, the strings are attached to the tuning pegs. The iron levers of the ling are also here. The latter are raised and lowered by the musician during the game in order to change the tones and semitones.

Kemancha

The tool consists of a bowl-shaped body of small dimensions, which is made on the basis of dried pumpkin, wood or coconut shell. The element is connected to a metal rod. The latter contains a leather deck. There are three strings stretched over the neck of the instrument.

During the Kemanche game, the bow is held motionless in one plane. The melody is played by turning the instrument. The sound of the device is nasal. The kemanche is rarely played unaccompanied. The instrument is often used to accompany the main melody in Armenian folk plays.

Introduction

1. The concept of ethnic music

2. Armenian musical instruments in modern

ethnic music. general characteristics

3.1. The legend of the duduk

3.2. History and structure

3.3. The use of duduk in contemporary ethnic music

5. Dhol (dool)

Conclusion

Bibliography

Introduction

The Armenians are one of the most ancient peoples in the world, the documentary history of which goes back about three millennia. For such a long time, Armenians have experienced more than once tragic periods of their history and periods of unprecedented prosperity and creative labor, endowing world civilization with wonderful masterpieces of material and spiritual culture.

Armenian folk music is a subtle interweaving of original intonations, rhythms and timbres that accompanies the people and symbolizes the entire spectrum of their experiences - from joyful to sad. From the very beginning of their history, a very musical people invented and tried unique means of performing their music.

Traditional Armenian instruments have a thousand-year history. Over time, by improving instruments and creating new ones, the Armenian orchestra has become even more enriched. Playing folk instruments has long and firmly taken place in the academic environment.

Relevance of the topic. It is especially important to study folk, including Armenian, musical instruments, since folk instruments are increasingly used in the modern musical world, professional performers work not only in everyday life - at weddings, funerals and other events - but also in respectable ensembles and orchestras ,

purpose of work- to show the peculiarities of Armenian musical instruments in contemporary ethnic music.

Tasks:

give the concept of ethnic music;

tell about Armenian musical instruments

1. The concept of ethnic music

Ethnicity (people) is a cultural and linguistic community of people historically formed in a certain territory, realizing its originality, which is reflected in its self-name (ethnonym) and attitude towards ethnic endogamy.

Ethnic culture in the modern world is most of all preserved in rituals, the connection with ethnic tradition is expressed in national songs, music, dances, in ancient ritual actions that may have lost their original meaning, and especially in the preservation of musical instruments. Ethnic specificity shows up quite vividly in folk art. Paradoxically, modernity is characterized not only by its disappearance or unification of individual elements, but also by the revival of a number of traditions.

Ethnic music (ethnics, ethno) is the closest analogue of the English term "World music" (music of the peoples of the world, music of the world). Contemporary "Western" music with extensive use of scales, instruments, styles of performance, borrowed from traditional folk music (various cultures of the world) and classical music of non-European traditions. The sounds of "khoomei", djembe, duduk, sitar, bagpipes, didgeridoo. Sampling of folk instruments and singing is common.

In the music industry, the phrase can be used synonymously with music. The term became widespread in the 1980s as a division for classifying such phenomena in the music industry. This category includes not only folk, but also popular music with elements not typical for a number of Western countries (Celtic music), and music influenced by ethnic music from developing countries (for example, Afro-Cuban music, reggae).

The term "ethnic music" accepted in Russian is a compromise: There are many pieces of music at the intersection of ethnic and classical music.

In Russia, in recent years, the genre of ethnic and world music has become more and more popular.

2. Armenian musical instruments

in contemporary ethnic music. general characteristics

The main instrument of the drum group is the dhol.

Another percussion - davul - is used as an accompaniment to wind instruments, performing the same function as dhol. Davul is a large double-sided drum with a sheepskin and goat skin membrane.

Among wind instruments, the most famous are, in addition to duduk, zurna, shvi. Zurna sounds sharp, piercing, sonorous, much more expressive than the oboe (English horn), with which it is customary to compare the instrument. Zurna was first mentioned in the 9th century in the epic "David of Sasun". Shvi is a solid wood wind instrument that belongs to the flute genus. It is characterized by a clear, almost transparent sound.

Canon is an Armenian stringed musical instrument. It belongs to the genus of the knee harp and is considered one of the forerunners of the harpsichord and piano. The sound is extracted by the plectrum. The Canon was created in Western Armenia.

3. Duduk

Armenia can be seen not only. It is often heard when the duduk is played. The whole world listens to the velvety timbre and elusive intonations of the apricot tree. Duduk has the unique ability to be appropriate everywhere: at concerts at the Philharmonic, at funerals and weddings, in big Hollywood movies, Russian pop projects and at international jazz jam sessions. The Armenian duduk is a great instrument. There is a very beautiful legend about the duduk.

3.1. The legend of the duduk

Once, flying over the mountains, the Young Wind saw a beautiful tree, which he had never seen anywhere else. He was fascinated. Fingering the petals of its delicate flowers, lightly touching the chipping of the leaves, he produced amazing melodies, the sounds of which were carried far around. When the High Wind was informed of this, he unleashed his anger on the mountains, destroying almost all the vegetation. Young Wind, spreading a tent over his tree, struggled to save him. Moreover, he announced that he was ready to make any sacrifices for this. And then the Lord of the Winds answered him: “Well, stay! But from now on you will never be able to fly again! " Happy Breeze wanted to fold his wings, but the master stopped him: “No, it's too easy. The wings will stay with you. You can take off at any moment. But as soon as you do this, the tree will die. " Young Wind was not embarrassed, because both the wings remained with him, and he - with the tree. Everything would be fine, but when autumn came, the tree was bare, and there were no flowers or leaves to play with. Young Wind experienced a terrible melancholy. His brothers rushed around, plucking the last leaves from the surrounding trees. Filling the mountains with a victorious howl, they seemed to invite him to their round dance. And one day, unable to bear it, he joined them. At the same instant, the tree died, only a twig remained, in which a particle of wind was entangled.
After some time, the boy, who was collecting brushwood, found her and made a pipe, which, as soon as he lifted it to his lips, was as if she was playing a sad melody of parting. Because the main thing in love is not the willingness to give up something forever, having lost the opportunity to get what you want, but the ability not to do something, having such an opportunity.

The name of the instrument is duduk. In ancient times it was called "tsiranapoh" (apricot pipe).

Antiquity awakens in the soul of every Armenian, understanding oneself as a part of a mysterious people with a tragic history at the voice of a duduk. Often the duduk makes you see the light in sounds and look at things with a renewed look. The duduk is a gift from God because no modern program and synthesizer can reproduce all the sounds of the duduk, convey many of the musical characteristics of the instrument.

Magic sounds of duduk - they are diverse, like a voice tell us about it.

Dance and love songs, weddings or funeral ceremonies are not complete without him, without a duduk. This is the spirit of the people and the sounds of the lost. Lost freedom and acquired happiness. The shrillness of the duduk makes you not fold your hands, but think about the best, remembering the old, fight and win, build and multiply. Duduk, like no other instrument, is able to express the soul of the Armenian people. Aram Khachaturian once said that the duduk is the only instrument that makes him cry.

Undoubtedly, the entire history of the creation of the duduk owes to the masters of the duduk, to people who over the centuries have perfected the sound of this Armenian folk instrument, giving perfect sounds the characteristic designs of the "apricot pipe". The pipes, into which the master put his cry and hope, joy and silence, he was able to talk to them so as not to show a tear. A small instrument, much inferior in size to an organ or saxophone, out of the depths of centuries, gives space and a heavy, exciting tone to sounds. In the hands of the best duduk masters, he becomes a part of the voice, talking, singing, speaking brightly but quietly, like an elder giving parting words to the young, teaching life and instilling the Armenian consciousness over and over again.

3.2. History and structure

Duduk is one of the oldest wind musical instruments in the world. Some researchers believe that the duduk was first mentioned in the written monuments of the state of Urartu. In line with this hypothesis, we can assume that its history is about three thousand years old. Others attribute the appearance of the duduk to the reign of the Armenian king Tigran II the Great (95-55 BC). Armenian historian of the 5th century A.D. NS. Movses Khorenatsi in his writings speaks about the instrument "tsiranapoh" (pipe made of apricot tree), which is one of the oldest written references to this instrument. Duduk was depicted in many medieval Armenian manuscripts. Perhaps due to the existence of rather extensive Armenian states (Great Armenia, Little Armenia, the Cilician Kingdom, etc.) and thanks to the Armenians who lived not only within the Armenian Highlands, but also in Persia, in the Middle East, in Asia Minor, in the Balkans, the Caucasus, the Crimea, etc., the duduk also spread in these territories. Also, the duduk could penetrate beyond its original distribution area thanks to the trade routes that existed at the time, some of which also passed through Armenia. Borrowed from other countries and becoming an element of the culture of other peoples, it has undergone some changes over the centuries. As a rule, this concerned the melody, the number of sound holes and the materials from which the instrument is made.

The earliest instruments like duduk were made from animal bones and reeds. Currently, duduk is made exclusively of wood. And the Armenian duduk is made from an apricot tree, the fruits of which were first brought to Europe from Armenia. The apricot tree has the unique ability to resonate. Variants of duduk in other countries are made from other materials (plum tree, walnut, etc.), but, according to experts, such a duduk is characterized by a rather sharp, nasal sound, while the Armenian duduk has a soft sound, more similar to the voice. The tongue is made from two pieces of reed, which grows in large quantities along the banks of the Araks River. Unlike other instruments with a double reed, the duduk's reed is wide enough, which gives the instrument its unique sad sound with a warm, soft, slightly muffled sound and velvety timbre, it is distinguished by lyricism, emotionality and expressiveness. When performing music in pairs (leading duduk and dam-duduk), there is often a feeling of peace, serenity and a high spiritual principle.

Music in various keys can be performed on the duduk. For example, a 40-centimeter duduk is considered the most suitable for singing love songs, while a shorter duduk often accompanies dances. Throughout its centuries-old history, the Armenian duduk has remained practically unchanged - only the manner of playing has changed. Despite the fact that its range is one octave, playing the duduk requires considerable skill. The famous Armenian duduk player Jivan Gasparyan notes: “The Americans and Japanese tried to reproduce the sound of the duduk on a synthesizer, but each time they failed. This means that the duduk was presented to us by God. "

The duduk consists of a pipe and a removable double tongue (cane). The length of the Armenian duduk tube is 28, 33 or 40 cm. There are 7 (or 8) play holes on the front side and one (or two) holes for the thumb - on the back side. The length of the double reed, known as “eheg” (in Armenian եղեգ), is usually 9-14 cm. The sound is generated by vibrating two reed plates and is controlled by changing the air pressure on the tongue of the instrument and closing and opening the playing holes. The reed is usually equipped with a cap and has a tone control for adjustment. When the knob is pressed, the tone is raised; when it is weakened, the tone is lowered. At the beginning of the XX century. duduk received the definition of a diatonic one-octave instrument. However, despite this, chromatic notes are achieved by partially covering the playing holes.

The fingering chart of the most common pattern is shown in the following diagram:

If the duduk cane is not used for a long time, it dries up and its edges shrink. In this case, you need to pour plain water into the cane, shake it, pour out the water and wait. After 10-15 minutes, the edges of the reed will separate from each other and the reed can be used. When playing the duduk, you can adjust its setting with the tone control: when you press it, the tone rises; when weakened, it goes down.

3.3. Use of duduk

in modern ethnic music

The instrument and music of the duduk are traditionally an integral part of the social life and cultural identity of the Armenian people. Duduk sounds are heard during the most important events in the life of any Armenian: at national celebrations, major celebrations, wedding ceremonies. But in recent years, the duduk has acquired a new status: it is moving into the category of a concert instrument, gaining a special place in academic culture. These trends did not pass by the attention of UNESCO experts: in 2005, the music performed in the Armenian duduk was declared a masterpiece of the intangible cultural heritage of mankind. Undoubtedly, Jivan Gasparyan, whose playing is legendary, being the main popularizer of Armenian music, played a key role in this recognition.

Music in the Armenian duduk is most often performed in pairs: the leading duduk, playing a melody, and the second duduk, called "dam", which, playing a continuous tonic background of a certain pitch, provides a specific ostinata sound of the main degrees of the mode. A musician playing a lady (damkash) achieves a similar sound using the continuous breathing technique: inhaling through the nose, he retains air in the puffed out cheeks, and the flow of air from the oral cavity at the same time creates pressure on the duduk tongue.

Usually Armenian duduk players (musicians playing the duduk) during their studies also practice playing two other wind instruments - zurna and shvi. When performing dance music, the duduku is sometimes accompanied by a percussion instrument called a dool. Duduk is widely used in orchestras of folk instruments, it accompanies Armenian folk songs and dances.

Today the duduk is played in many films. The first painting with the participation of duduk was "The Last Temptation of Christ". Other famous films include The Raven, Xena - Warrior Princess, Gladiator, Ararat, Hulk, Alexander, The Passion of the Christ, Munich, Siriana, The Da Vinci Code ...

Anyone who has never heard the sound of a duduk will not understand why most of the largest directors are hunting for it. This miniature instrument is capable of reflecting all the nuances of a person's life and nature.

The instrument and music of the duduk are traditionally an integral part of the social life and cultural identity of the Armenian people. Duduk sounds are heard during the most important events in the life of any Armenian: at national celebrations, major celebrations, weddings and funerals. But in recent years, the duduk has acquired a new status: it is moving into the category of a concert instrument, gaining a special place in academic culture.

4. Zurna

Zurna is a woodwind musical instrument.

It is a wooden tube with a bell and several (usually 8-9) holes (one of which is on the opposite side). Zurna is closely related to the oboe (has the same double cane) and is considered one of its predecessors.

The range of the zurna is about one and a half octaves of diatonic or chromatic scale, the timbre is bright and piercing.

A musician playing a zurna is called a zurnachi. An instrumental ensemble of three musicians is widespread, in which one zurnachi plays a melody, the other echoes it with long drawn-out sounds on the main steps of the fret, and the third musician knocks out a complex, variably varied rhythmic basis on a percussion instrument - dhola or lobe. The zurna is played mostly in the open air; in closed rooms it is usually replaced by a duduk.

Many varieties of zurna are very widespread among the peoples of the Middle East, the Caucasus and China.

Zurna is mainly cut from apricot, walnut or mulberry wood. The barrel of the tool, having a diameter of 20 mm at the upper end, expands downward to 60-65 mm in diameter. The total length of the tool is 302-317 mm.

7 holes are drilled on the front side of the barrel, and one on the back. A sleeve ("masha"), 120 mm long, is inserted into the upper end of the trunk and is turned from a wild willow, walnut or apricot. The purpose of the bushing is to adjust the setting of the plate. The mouthpiece, made in a special way from reeds growing in a dry place, has a length of 7-10 mm. To extract the sound from the instrument, the performer, drawing air into the oral cavity, blows it out appropriately through this mouthpiece.

The range of zurna covers sounds from "B flat" of a small octave to "C" of the third octave; with the skill of the performer, this range can be expanded by several more sounds. These sounds are referred to among performers as "sefir seslyar".

Zurna is mainly used for performing folk music samples during outdoor folk festivals. In history, there were such varieties of this instrument as "gara zurna", "arabi zurna", "djura zurna", "ajemi zurna", "gaba zurna", "shehabi zurna". Zurna is usually a member of wind instrument ensembles. As a solo instrument, the zurna in ensembles or orchestras is used to perform some dance melodies, including "dzhangi" and other musical samples. Uzeyir Hajibeyov introduced zurna to the symphony orchestra in his opera "Koroglu".

4. Dhol (dool)

Dool, doul, dhol, Armenian percussion musical instrument, a kind of double-sided drum. One of the membranes is thicker than the other. The sound is produced with two wooden sticks (thick and thin) or with the fingers and palms of the hands. Earlier it was used in military campaigns, now it is used in an ensemble with zurnas, it accompanies dances, processions.

It is a kind of double-sided drum. The body of the instrument is made of walnut wood with leather membranes. Dhol supposedly originated in connection with the worship of the ancient goddess Anahit (3000-2000 BC). In an orchestra (ensemble), dhol performs a rhythmic function. The instrument, maintaining the clarity and sharpness of the rhythm, emphasizes the special flavor of the sound of Armenian folk instruments.

Conclusion

From the above, we can conclude that:

1. Contemporary popular culture does not exclude the possibility of turning to Armenian folk instruments. They are used - as a rule, but not always - to perform music that develops an ethnic component in a wide variety of forms. The existence and "payback" of performing groups of different directions, performing ethnic music in one form or another, speaks of its relevance. The performers are both amateur and professional musicians.

2. In no art, in any of its types and genres, does the "primacy" of its origin have a basic meaning. In particular, “it does not matter in which country, which people for the first time appeared the initial design of this or that folk instrument to reveal its nationality. The fundamental criterion is precisely the traditionality of being in a certain ethnic environment for the expression of national musical art

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Armenian folk music - the feelings of unknown, but talented poets, dressed in sound; ethnic lyrics, enchanting with magical tunes. She completely immerses herself in herself, forcing her to dissolve, forget about everything in the world, feel every note, sound. If you do not know what Armenian musical instruments are used in folk compositions, you have seen Armenian duduks, but have not heard the beautiful legends about them, you are imbued with the harmony of the Armenian dhol drum, but if you want to know more, you will like the story. After all, he lifts the curtain that envelops a huge layer of the culture of an amazing country.

Duduk is considered one of the most famous wind instruments created by the long-suffering Armenian people. Whoever listened to the sound at least once was imbued and fascinated. It is not for nothing that the music of the duduk belongs to the world masterpieces of the intangible cultural heritage of UNESCO. The worthy status was officially confirmed in 2005, thereby highly appreciating the importance of the Armenian folk instrument, which captivates, makes you fall in love with yourself, and touches the most secret strings of the human soul.

That is why it is often called "magic duduk", emphasizing the depth and sacredness of music. But let's take a closer look.

The appearance of the Armenian musical instrument duduk will resemble a pipe from fairy tales, only more enlarged, or a classical flute. The product consists of several parts:

• the tube itself has a double tongue;
• play holes (from 7 to 10);
• tone control (not always)

It belongs to reed wind instruments and is widespread not only in Armenia, but also in other Caucasian countries, on the Balkan Peninsula. It is made of wood material, most often - apricot. As it was previously believed, only this slender tree, which gives people sunny fruits, is a worthy raw material for making tools. People say so: “Duduk is the soul of an apricot tree”, calling it “tsiranapoh”, which means “the soul of an apricot tree” in Russian. Singing, tender, sensual.

How does the duduk work and sound? Everything is simple and complicated at the same time. During the game, the performer fiddles with his fingers, closing or, conversely, opening the holes. The sound passing through the tube vibrates, changes. This is how the same melodiousness, full of sadness, is created, because of which they say "sad duduk". Yes, you won't be able to dance to such a melody, but you will be able to feel it, tune in to the light and lyrical, understand the soul of the Armenian wind instrument.

This is probably why the duduk “Gladiator” and “Titanic” are often performed - the very compositions from films that are recognized by millions of people. And although the instrument itself is not devoid of lyricism, the origin of its name is rather prosaic. There are two versions:

• Turkic. From the word düdük - in fact, which is onomatopoeic.
• Russian. By the similarity with the word "pipe", which has taken root in the homeland of the instrument in a slightly modified pronunciation.

Tsiranapoh is a unique creation that the country is proud of. Jivan Gasparyan, an Armenian musician who puts his soul into performance, is recognized as one of the virtuosos of playing it. It is he who plays so that tears well up in the eyes of all listeners.

The legend of duduk, love and choice

The legend of the duduk is sad and sublime, like everything connected with the instrument. Once a little Breeze flew over the mountains and saw a wonderful tree. Its foliage was so beautiful that the Wind stopped, hid in it and began to play with leaves, which made gentle sounds in response. Time flew by unnoticed.

The Lord of the Winds became angry and decided to destroy the tree that carried away his son. He blew and blew, trying to break the barrel. But Veterok defended his friend with all his might. And then the Lord said: “Stay. And let your wings also remain with you, but as soon as you leave the tree, it will dry up. " Young Wind was pleased with his father's decision: after all, he did not lose anything, but only gained.

Autumn has come. The leaves fell off, there was nothing to play with. The breeze became sad, and his brothers flew merrily in the sky, beckoning to them. When he joined, the tree died. But in one branch a particle of the Young Wind got entangled, and it remained alive. In the spring, a boy came, cut a green twig, made a pipe. This is how the first magical duduk appeared, in which magical windy notes are heard.

Armenian kemancha: on the strings of your soul

Armenian folk music is unique and multifaceted. One of the most famous string instruments that sound in it is the kemancha. It has many local varieties: keman, Pontic lyre, gidjak, but in fact these are minor modifications of one and the same instrument, which practically do not affect the sound in any way.

The invention is ancient, often found in archaeological excavations. This fact testifies to the high development of the country's culture at the dawn of civilization. Outwardly, the kemancha resembles a kind of narrow violin, along the strings of which the performer drives a special bow. The sound is gentle, lyrical, mixing both guitar and violin, but distinguished by its own charm.

Historical information about Kemanche

Kemancha is no less ancient instrument than the duduk, popular among the people. Her images are found on the walls of ancient Armenian monasteries, illustrating various manuscripts that have survived from the early Middle Ages. The people made four- or three-stringed musical instruments in which horsehair was used, and the tension was manually adjusted with fingers. This technique is still traditionally used.

However, kemancha and duduk are far from the only folk musical instruments in Armenia. It's time to get to know others.

Dhol armenian: drum in folk performance

Caucasian music is distinguished by its originality, melodiousness. Even the drum is harmoniously woven into the lyrical melodies. It is called dholomi and it is a musical instrument that sets the rhythm of a piece. It looks like a regular cylinder on which a membrane is stretched (sometimes two). Surprisingly, earlier the Armenian dhol drum was used only in military campaigns, giving vigor to the soldiers, setting them up for victory. In modern society, he is often heard as part of national ensembles, in the same choir with zurns.

And yet, Armenian folk music is not created only by the listed instruments. It sounds characteristic, bright, shimmers, goes straight to the heart. This is facilitated by zurnas, shvi, sazas and canons.

Zurna: enthusiasm and fun in the common choir

Zurnas are rightfully considered to be one of the finest Armenian folk wind instruments. Outwardly, they are very similar to ordinary pipes, which were used by Russian shepherds to diversify their work. These are relatives of the duduk, which have another name - festive flutes, because the voice of the zurna is more sonorous, even shrill. They bring fun into the piece by drawing closer to the oboe.

Zurnas are made of wood, one end in the form of a bell. There are nine holes on the body, and one must be located on the opposite side from all the others. Together with the zurnas Armenian folk music gets the enthusiasm, the bushiness characteristic of bird trills.

Other instruments created by the people

In addition to the above, in the general ensemble of Armenian folk instruments one can hear shvi, saz, canon. The first refers to the wind, but outwardly looks like whistles. Classic sewing is performed in the form of a fabulous creature, animal or bird, and has only 2 holes.

Saz - Armenian national with trunny instrument. It looks like a lute, sounds about the same. Saz is quite difficult to make. Several types of wood are used to create it, which allows you to extract a deeper, cleaner sound.

Canon, or kanun, is a plucked string instrument. It features an unusual trapezoidal body, which makes it look like a harp or harp. During the performance, the musician puts the eve on his knees and makes sounds by plucking the strings with his fingers. The instrument is one of the most beloved among Armenians, but it is practically not used in modern music (except for folk ensembles).

The melody of the duduk, the sound of kemanchi, the rhythms of the dholas, the trills of zurn and shvi, the expressiveness of the kanun and saz create the original music of the people of Armenia. It is enough to hear it only once to forever be imbued with beauty and lyricism.

Anyone who has never heard its sounds cannot imagine what it is. The Armenian duduk is an ancient instrument, but it cannot become obsolete as long as its singing continues to delight people. It is not without reason that he is known far beyond the borders of Armenia and constantly finds more and more new fans. In 2005, the music of this wind instrument was recognized as a masterpiece of the World Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.

Secrets of making Armenian duduk

Duduk is a wind musical instrument. Its device is quite simple - it is a tube and a double tongue that can be removed. Interestingly, the tongue is always made of two plates, for the creation of which only the reed collected on the banks of the Araks is used.

The length of both the tube and the tongue is strictly defined. So, the tongue is equal to 9-14 cm, the tube itself can be 40, 33, 28 cm.In addition, on its upper surface there are 7 (sometimes 8, depending on the order) holes for the passage of air and sound, and on the lower one - 1 -2 holes that can be closed with the thumb.

While playing the instrument, a person moves his fingers over the holes, blocking them at the right moments. At the same time, the tongue is exposed to air, as a result of which the plates vibrate.

The tube usually has a dedicated knob that allows you to tune the desired tone of the instrument. If you press this knob, the key will be raised. Conversely, with a slight weakening of the control, the tone begins to decrease.

The Armenians have their own name for the instrument - tsiranapoh. In Russian, this word is translated as "the soul of an apricot tree." Why apricot? Because the craftsmen who create it are sure that only from the apricot tree a real magic instrument can be created.

The history of the origin of the instrument

When exactly and by whom the Armenian duduk was created, there is no exact information. It is only known that it appeared in incredibly ancient times and since then has practically not changed its design. According to some historians, it has been known for at least 3,000 years, since a wind instrument very similar to it existed in Urartu.

These statements are quite justified, since the state of Urartu was located at one time on the Armenian Highlands - that is, the territory that is now occupied by Armenia, and also partially by countries such as Iran, Turkey, etc. In any case, an instrument reminiscent of a modern duduk is mentioned more than once in the Urartian written sources.

There are also other opinions regarding the time of its origin. Some scholars argue that it was created in the 1st century BC, during the reign of Tigran II the Great. Some of the researchers rely on the records of the historical chronicles of the 5th century, when the chronicler and historian Movses Khorenatsi lived. He mentions tsiranapoh in his writings.

But there is indisputable evidence that in the Middle Ages this musical instrument was already widespread - this is evidenced by illustrations of ancient manuscripts. It is quite likely that, thanks to the developed trade relations of other states of that time, the duduk became widespread not only in the Armenian territory. Apparently, it was used in the Crimea, and in the Middle Eastern countries, and even in the Balkans.

It cannot be argued that this wind instrument originally had a modern look and was made directly from apricot wood. So, his prototypes were created from reed or bone. But over time, people began to use wood. It was noticed that different trees, subject to the same technology for making duduk, are capable of producing different sounds. This is how the apricot was chosen, because it is this wood that can resonate in a way that no other can.

In neighboring countries, walnut or plum were chosen to create tools like the tsiranapoh. Nevertheless, its counterparts, created from the wood of these trees, did not emit a soft enchanting sound, but a sharp and not too pleasant sound for the ear.

Armenians are very sensitive to both their national instrument and its history. There is a whole legend dedicated to duduku. It tells how Young Wind fell in love with an amazing tree growing in the mountains. But Old Whirlwind, hearing about this, decided to destroy not only the tree, but all the vegetation in the area.

After Young Wind asked not to do this, Whirlwind agreed, but on the condition that the Wind could never move again, otherwise his beloved tree would perish. The breeze lasted a long time, until the very autumn, until the last leaves fell from the tree. Then Young Wind for a moment forgot about its promise and took off.

But as soon as he did this, the tree immediately withered and disappeared. Only a small branch was left of him - and that was only because the Young Wind got tangled in it with the hem of his clothes. Some time later, some poor man picked it up and decided to make a pipe out of a branch. And the new instrument sang a magic song about love and fidelity. This is how the duduk was invented.

Scale tuning and sound features

Perhaps it was this legend that was the reason for the emergence of one ancient custom, which today, unfortunately, is becoming a thing of the past. In the old days, this instrument was not made to order. If a musician needed a duduk, he had to create it himself. It was believed that in this way he conveys part of his soul - thanks to this, the sound turned out to be so velvety and alive.

There were also real virtuosos who knew how to captivate any listener with their playing. Each of them had his own duduk, which was with the musician throughout his life. Such a master did not pass on his instrument to his sons and students, but he always helped with advice on making their personal musical product. All this testifies to how important this simple instrument was in the life of any musician.

Today the duduk player does not make his own. The Armenian musical instrument duduk is created by the hands of specialists who know all the subtleties of the selection of material and technology. However, the legendary, who is considered the most popular duduk player today, is known for making his first instrument with his own hands, deciding to emphasize that he chose the path of a musician of his own free will and follows Armenian traditions.

Probably, the custom of creating a duduk on your own has some basis in the mental plane. This wind instrument is capable of producing extremely expressive sounds. Experts emphasize that no analogue has such a timbre. Listening to the sound, a person opens his own soul.

In some magical way, he can stir up all the most sublime in the heart. How can one fail to recall the words of the composer Aram Khachaturian, who argued that the only musical instrument in the world that could make him cry is just a duduk.

Researchers in the field of music have classified it as a one-octave diatonic. Yes, there is only one octave here, but, nevertheless, chromatic notes can be extracted from the instrument. For this, a certain skill must be present. It has long been noted that the Armenians can create the very magic melodies that made the instrument famous. According to the same Gasparyan, at one time the Japanese and Americans made attempts to reproduce the sounds of this instrument using a synthesizer. However, they did not succeed.

The sound largely depends on the order and length of the product. For example, in Azerbaijan they play the duduk in the si system, and they call it "balaban", and in Armenia, most often, in the la. The short instrument is mainly played with dance melodies. But the longest one - 40 cm long, is ideal for performing love and lyric compositions.

The sound of this amazing instrument is a little muffled, which makes it seem velvety. It sounds in the key of soprano and alto, while being very emotional. Most often it is played in pairs, where the presenter duduk and dam-duduk perform. In this case, the dam is produced only by the general background, and the melody is played by the leading duduk player.

The peculiarity of dam-duduk is playing with continuous breathing. This technique takes a long time to learn. In addition, it is impossible to play a solo on it - it sounds amazing only in pairs.

Significance in world culture and cinema

Tsiranapokh is an important part of traditional Armenian culture. In this instrument was played in honor of various events. Dudukists accompanied funeral ceremonies, played at weddings. Their presence at common folk festivals was obligatory, where music was also required.

Today he can be heard on the soundtracks of Hollywood films, in ensembles and national orchestras. Often, the instrument is included in the accompaniment of musical compositions. One cannot fail to recall Jivan Gasparyan once again - this composer collaborated with many famous Russian and foreign musicians.

The soundtrack to the American film "Gladiator" became a real breakthrough in the popularization of the instrument. After the film was released, the duduk gained thousands of fans. People were interested in the unusual sonority and melodiousness of the national wind instrument.

The most famous dudukists include:

• Jivan Gasparyan;
• Hovhannes Kasyan;
• Mkrtich Malkhasyan;
• Ludwig Garibyan;
• Vache Hovsepyan;
• Sergey Karapetyan;
• Gevorg Dabagyan.

Many are wondering where you can get such a tool. It is not so easy to buy a real artisan Armenian duduk, since this is a piece product. The most famous artisans are Armen and Arkady Kagramanyans - father and son. For 40 years they have made several hundred duduks. You can order wind instruments of the Kagramanyan family in the KavkazSuvenir.ru store.

Traditional Armenian musical instruments have a thousand-year history. A lot of wind, strings and percussion devices that have been used by local folk groups for centuries have survived to this day. We will consider the most interesting Armenian folk musical instruments in our publication.

Duduk

Duduk is one of the oldest wind instruments in the world. The invention of the device dates back to the first century BC. Descriptions of the device are contained in numerous manuscripts from the Middle Ages.

The Armenian musical instrument looks like a hollow tube made of apricot wood. The design includes a removable reed mouthpiece. The front surface contains 8 holes. Two more openings are made on the back side. One of them is used for tuning the instrument, and the other is used for closing with the thumb while playing.

The duduk makes sounds due to the vibration of the reed mouthpiece plates. The clearance of the elements is regulated by changing the air pressure. Individual notes are taken by opening and closing the holes on the case. Correct breathing is important when playing the instrument. The musicians take a quick deep breath. Then an even, prolonged exhalation is performed.

Zurna

Zurna is an Armenian wind musical instrument, which in ancient times was widely used by the peoples of Transcaucasia. The device is made in the form of a wooden tube with a bell end. The hollow body contains 8-9 holes. One of them is located on the back. The range of this Armenian musical instrument covers about one and a half octaves. The timbre of the sound of the device is shrill.

Zurna is considered the forerunner of the modern oboe. The instrument is used in ensembles that are formed from three musicians. The lead soloist plays the main melody. The second member of the group publishes lingering sounds. The third musician is responsible for the rhythmic part of the composition, playing the percussion instrument dhole.

Saz

This Armenian folk musical instrument has a pear-shaped outline. The device is made of walnut or thuja wood. Saz is hollowed out from a single piece or glued using separate rivets. A long neck with 16-17 frets departs from the body. The element contains rounding from the back. The headstock contains the tuning pegs, which are used to stretch the strings. The number of the latter can vary from six to eight, depending on the size of this Armenian musical instrument.

Dhol

Dhol is an ethnic Armenian drum. The instrument was invented back in the days of the pagan page in the history of the state. With the help of the device, the rhythm was set for the marching of soldiers during military campaigns. The sound of the drum is effectively intertwined with the melody of duduk and zurna.

The tool has a cylindrical shape. The body is made mainly of metal. Dhol can be equipped with one or two membranes. The ancient Armenians usually used thin sheet copper, walnut wood, or ceramics as a striking surface. Nowadays, plastic is most often used as a replacement for these materials. In cases where the device is made using two membranes, the elements are connected to each other in strings. The tension on the ropes allows you to adjust the pitch of the drum sound.

Dhol is played according to the following principle:

• sit on a chair;
• the lower plane of the drum rests on the leg;
• the body of the instrument is covered with the forearm;
• the membrane is struck clearly with fingers in the area between the edge and the central area of ​​the working surface.

During the impact on the middle of the drum, deaf low intonations are noted. Hitting the rim of the instrument produces a resounding clang to maintain the tempo.

Eve

Kanun is an Armenian stringed musical instrument that looks like a hollow wooden trapezoid inside. The front surface is represented by a pine plane with a thickness of about 4 mm. The rest of the device is covered in fish skin. The strings are fixed on one side in special openings on the body. On the opposite side of the instrument, the strings are attached to the tuning pegs. The iron levers of the ling are also here. The latter are raised and lowered by the musician during the game in order to change the tones and semitones.

Kemancha

The tool consists of a bowl-shaped body of small dimensions, which is made on the basis of dried pumpkin, wood or coconut shell. The element is connected to a metal rod. The latter contains a leather deck. There are three strings stretched over the neck of the instrument.

During the Kemanche game, the bow is held motionless in one plane. The melody is played by turning the instrument. The sound of the device is nasal. The kemanche is rarely played unaccompanied. The instrument is often used to accompany the main melody in Armenian folk plays.