Musical khomus. Jew's harp - an ancient musical instrument of our ancestors

Vargan(etymology is unclear: either from organ(cf. Czech. varhan), or from Old Slavic varga- mouth, lips), Russian name folk musical instrument. Refers to self-sounding reed musical instruments. According to legend, Altai shamans, playing the jew's harp, could move through three worlds by changing the timbre and type of vibrations. When playing, the harp is pressed to the teeth or lips, the oral cavity serves as a resonator. Changing the articulation of the mouth and breathing makes it possible to change the timbre of the instrument. In addition, new shades of sound are introduced by changes in the position of the diaphragm, numerous pharyngeal, laryngeal, lingual, labial and other methods of sound production.

On the territory of Russia, the culture of jew's harp music is especially developed in Altai, Bashkiria (see kubyz), Tuva and Yakutia.

In the territory former USSR Jew's harps are most widespread in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Types of Jew's harps

There are two main types of jew's harps - plate and arc-shaped. On the territory of Russia, arched harps are the most common.

• Jew's harp is a thin, narrow wooden or bamboo, bone or metal plate. Its tongue is cut out in the middle of the record (for example, the Vietnamese dan moi).
• Arc-shaped (arc) harp forged from an iron rod, in the center of which a thin steel tongue with a hook at the end is attached.

There are jew's harps with several reeds (Chinese kousyans).

Vargans of different nations

Altai Komus

In the 20th century, the Altai harp was preserved only in remote areas Gorny Altai, but thanks to the craftsmen it was restored.

Bashkir kubyz

The famous Bashkir harp - kubyz

Belarusian harp

Yakut khomus

It is one of the main musical and spiritual instruments. Masters of khomus production occupied a high position social status. The world's first and largest khomus museum is located in Yakutsk.

Hutsul drymba

Most often used in Hutsul musical life.

Balinese harp

Notes

Literature

• A. Plushar. Encyclopedic Lexicon, volume 8. - Printing house of A. Plushar; S.-P., 1837 - p. 284 (Vargan).

Links

• varganist.ru - Stories about jew's harps, master manufacturers and performers. Technique for playing the jew's harp by notes. Instructions for making jew's harps.

Categories:

• Musical instruments in alphabetical order
• Reed self-sounding musical instruments
• Russian folk musical instruments
• Kazakh musical instruments

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Synonyms:

YARAR - CHUKOTKA TAMBERY, ANCIENT AND MOST COMMON MUSICAL INSTRUMENT OF CHUKOTKA RESIDENTS. DEER SKIN IS STRETCHED ON A WOODEN RIM; ALDER, LARCH, AND BIRCH ARE USED FOR THE RIM. THE KLATTER WAS MADE FROM WHALE BALE OR A WOODEN STICK. yarar - tambourine

VANNYYARAR – “TOOTH TAM.” BANNYYARAR IS MADE FROM BIRCH, BAMBOO (PLA), WHALEBALAND, BONE OR METAL PLATE. LATER, A DOUBLE-TINGED JEW'S HARG APPEARED. A TONG IS CUT INSIDE THE PLATE, GRADUALLY NARROWING TOWARDS THE END. AT THE BASE OF THE TONG THERE IS A HOLE WITH A THREAD LOCKED IN IT. BY CHANGING THE VOLUME OF THE ORAL CAVITY, THEY OBTAIN THE REQUIRED HEIGHT AND PERFORM TRADITIONAL PLAYS. vannyyarar – mouth tambourine

JARGAN – SPIRIT JARGAN. IT IS A METAL FORK WITH A ROUND LOOP AND ELONGED ENDS. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LOOP THERE IS A STEEL TIG WITH A HOOK-SHAPED FREE END. THERE ARE JEW'S JEWS WITH TWO OR THREE TOUNDS. JARGANS ARE USED FOR THROAT SINGING, IMITATING THE VOICES OF BIRDS AND ANIMALS. Jew's harp

TELITEL IS A TWO-BLADE TURNER – A VORTEX FREE AEROPHONE. BY ROTATING BOTH HANDS, THE LACES TWIST. BY ALTERNATING INTENSIFYING AND LEAKING THE TENSION OF THE LACES, TELYTEL ROTATES QUICKLY ONE WAY, THEN THE OTHER, MAKING A WHIRING SOUND. IN THE TRADITIONAL CULTURE OF THE CHUKCHI, THE TELITEL HAD A RITUAL MEANING, WHILE NOW IT IS USED AS A CHILDREN'S TOY. teletel

VYOPCHANAN HAS EIGHT VARIETIES. IT IS MADE FROM TREE BARK, hogweed OR BONE, WARLUS BLADDER, FROM SWAN BONE, WARLUS FUSH OR BEAR TOOTH, FROM PIECES OF BIRCH BARK, BUSH. WHEN THE WHISTLE IS BLOWED, IT MAKES A HIGH SOUND. IT HAS BEEN USED FOR A LONG TIME WHEN RUNNING DEER AND DURING BIRD HUNTING AS A DECOY. vyepchanan

MEMBRAMOPHONE – A RATTLER WAS MADE FROM THE DRIED STOMACH OF A PARTICE. THE CLEANED STOMACH IS INFLATED AND DRYED, THEN SMALL RIVER OR SEA PEBS (PELLETS) ARE POURED INTO IT. MODERN TOOL. TAKE AN EMPTY TIN CAN. RIVER PEBBLES ARE POUNDED INTO IT AND COVERED TIGHTLY WITH A LID. A CASE MADE OF FABRIC OR LEATHER IS PUT ON THE BANK, DECORATED WITH NATIONAL ORNAMENTS AND COLORED PENDANTS. membranophone

THE RESONATOR IS A TIN CAN. THERE IS A WOODEN NECK GOING THROUGH THE ENTIRE LENGTH. TWO TENSIONED THREADS ARE PULLED. THE BOW WAS MADE FROM WHALEBOINE OR BAMBOO. TO EXTRACT A SOUND, THE STICK IS LIGHTLY WET IN WATER AND DRIVED AROUND THE STRING. Ein en – bowed picolute

Mouth and breathing makes it possible to change the timbre of the instrument. In addition, new shades of sound are introduced by changes in the position of the diaphragm, numerous pharyngeal, laryngeal, lingual, labial and other methods of sound production.

On the territory of Russia, the culture of jew's harp music is especially developed in the Altai Mountains, Bashkortostan (see kubyz), Tuva, Khakassia and Yakutia. In the territory of the former USSR, jew's harps are most widespread in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Types of Jew's harps

There are two main types of jew's harps - plate and arc-shaped. On the territory of Russia, arched harps are the most common.

• Jew's harp is a thin, narrow wooden or bamboo, bone or metal plate. Its tongue is cut out in the middle of the record (for example, the Vietnamese dan moi).
• Arc-shaped (arc) harp forged from an iron rod, in the center of which a thin steel tongue with a hook at the end is attached.

Plate Vietnamese harp dan moi

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Arc-shaped forged harp

There are jew's harps with several reeds (Chinese kousyans).

Vargans of different nations

Cambodian Angkut

In fact angkut(Cambodian harp), not originally from Cambodia - it belongs to the Pnong bamboo instruments. Pnong tribes inhabit almost the entire territory South-East Asia. The Phnongs, like the Afghan Pashtuns, do not recognize borders, which displeases the Thai and Vietnamese border guards, crossing them freely and without much tension at any time. He presses his lips together, right in the middle. The cone fits in your hand - depending on whether you are left-handed or right-handed. And the opposite part is for combat. The material is bamboo.

Altai Komus

	Altai Komus
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Bashkir kubyz

The Bashkir harp - kubyz - is well known.

Tatar kubyz

It is the Tatar version of the jew's harp. IN modern music not used often, but used to be one of the main musical instruments. Tatar kubyz are distinguished by their relatively thin body.

Belarusian harp

Yakut khomus

It is one of the main musical and spiritual instruments. Khomus makers occupied a high social position. The world's first and largest khomus museum is located in Yakutsk. They are distinguished by a characteristic “crackling” timbre.

Hutsul drymba

Most often used in Hutsul musical life. Made from wood or metal.

Balinese harp

Hungarian Doromb

It features a wide frame that is comfortable for your hands. Their tongue ends in a bend, not a ring.

Jew's harp in classical music

The exoticism of its sound, and its playing methods, attracted the attention of composers of the 18th century to the instrument. A well-known virtuoso harpist was Bruno Glatzl, a Benedictine monk from Melk, who performed several concertos for Emperor Joseph II. Johann Georg Albrechtsberger, Beethoven's teacher and one of Bruckner's favorite composers, wrote seven concertos for harp, mandora and strings in 1765, three of which were found in Budapest. Albrechtsberger interpreting the melodies and rhythms of the Austrian folk music in a contemporary secular manner, he created outstanding and unusual-sounding musical works.

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Notes

2. Dal V.I. Dictionary living Great Russian language. Volume 1. St. Petersburg. - M., 1880. P. 167. VARGA and. (Varega? Karelian?) Perm. mouth, lips, pharynx, mouth.<…> Vargan husband. a common folk musical instrument, the zubanka; an iron strip bent into a lyre, with a steel tongue inserted along the middle. A gypsy forges jew's harps, and that's his craft.
3. M. Vasmer. Etymological dictionary of the Russian language. T.1, 1986, p. 274. Vargan"primitive musical instrument", old Russian. organ, Ukrainian Virgani pl. (from * vorgan), Polish organy, Czech varhany "organ". Borrowing via Polish from lat. organum (possibly through bav. ǫrgana) from Greek. ὄργανον;
4. Zhirkova R.R. Museum of Khomus of the Peoples of the World (guidebook). Yakutsk, 1993, p. 15
5. Sheikin Yu. I. History musical culture peoples of Siberia. M., 2002, p. 118-119
6. Kousyans are sometimes incorrectly called kou xiang due to literal transcription of English kou xiang.
7. .
8. (November 2, 2011). Retrieved January 5, 2016.
10. Basov Oleg.(December 17, 2013).
11. Povetkin V.I. Instrumental musical antiquities discovered in Veliky Novgorod in 2003 // Novgorod and Novgorod land. History and Archeology: Materials scientific conference. Novgorod, January 27-29, 2004 Issue 18. - Velikiy Novgorod, 2004. P. 84.
12. // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
14. uk:Drimba

Literature

• A. Plushar. Encyclopedic Lexicon, volume 8. - Printing house of A. Plushar; S.-P., 1837 - p. 284 (Vargan).

Links

• - Stories about jew's harps, master manufacturers and performers. Technique for playing the jew's harp by notes. Instructions for making jew's harps.
• - About the history of the Russian harp: from the Tiverts and Ancient Rus' to the Pokrovsky Ensemble and our time

Brass Strings Drums Reed

Excerpt characterizing Vargan

“Ah, this is the same captain who stood at the sutler’s without boots,” thought Prince Andrei, recognizing with pleasure the pleasant, philosophizing voice.
“You can have some herbal,” said Tushin, “but still.” future life comprehend...
He didn't finish. At this time a whistle was heard in the air; closer, closer, faster and louder, louder and faster, and the cannonball, as if not having finished everything it needed to say, exploding spray with superhuman force, plopped into the ground not far from the booth. The earth seemed to gasp from a terrible blow.
At the same moment, little Tushin jumped out of the booth first of all with his pipe bitten on his side; his kind, intelligent face was somewhat pale. The owner of the courageous voice, a dashing infantry officer, came out behind him and ran to his company, buttoning up his boots as he ran.

Prince Andrei stood on horseback on the battery, looking at the smoke of the gun from which the cannonball flew out. His eyes darted across the vast space. He only saw that the previously motionless masses of the French were swaying, and that there really was a battery to the left. The smoke has not yet cleared from it. Two French cavalry, probably adjutants, galloped along the mountain. A clearly visible small column of the enemy was moving downhill, probably to strengthen the chain. The smoke of the first shot had not yet cleared when another smoke and a shot appeared. The battle has begun. Prince Andrei turned his horse and galloped back to Grunt to look for Prince Bagration. Behind him, he heard the cannonade becoming more frequent and louder. Apparently, our people were starting to respond. Below, in the place where the envoys were passing, rifle shots were heard.
Le Marrois (Le Marierois), with a menacing letter from Bonaparte, had just galloped up to Murat, and the ashamed Murat, wanting to make amends for his mistake, immediately moved his troops to the center and bypassing both flanks, hoping to crush the insignificant one standing in front of him before the evening and before the arrival of the emperor. him, squad.
"Began! Here it is!" thought Prince Andrei, feeling how the blood began to flow more often to his heart. “But where? How will my Toulon be expressed? he thought.
Driving between the same companies that ate porridge and drank vodka a quarter of an hour ago, he saw everywhere the same quick movements of soldiers forming up and dismantling guns, and on all their faces he recognized the feeling of revival that was in his heart. "Began! Here it is! Scary and fun! " the face of every soldier and officer spoke.
Before he even reached the fortification under construction, he saw in the evening light of a cloudy autumn day horsemen moving towards him. The vanguard, in a burka and a cap with smashkas, rode on a white horse. It was Prince Bagration. Prince Andrei stopped, waiting for him. Prince Bagration stopped his horse and, recognizing Prince Andrei, nodded his head to him. He continued to look ahead while Prince Andrei told him what he saw.
Expression: “It has begun!” here it is!" it was even on the strong brown face of Prince Bagration with half-closed, dull, as if sleep-deprived eyes. Prince Andrey peered with restless curiosity into this motionless face, and he wanted to know whether he was thinking and feeling, and what he was thinking, what this man was feeling at that moment? “Is there anything at all there, behind that motionless face?” Prince Andrei asked himself, looking at him. Prince Bagration bowed his head as a sign of agreement to the words of Prince Andrey, and said: “Okay,” with such an expression, as if everything that happened and what was reported to him was exactly what he had already foreseen. Prince Andrei, out of breath from the speed of the ride, spoke quickly. Prince Bagration pronounced the words with his Eastern accent especially slowly, as if instilling that there was no need to rush. He, however, started to trot his horse towards Tushin's battery. Prince Andrei and his retinue went after him. Behind Prince Bagration were following: a retinue officer, the prince's personal adjutant, Zherkov, an orderly, an officer on duty on an anglicized beautiful horse and a civil servant, an auditor, who, out of curiosity, asked to go to battle. Auditor, fat man With full face, with a naive smile of joy, looked around, shaking on his horse, imagining a strange appearance in his camlot overcoat on a Furshtat saddle among the hussars, Cossacks and adjutants.
“He wants to watch the battle,” Zherkov said to Bolkonsky, pointing to the auditor, “but his stomach hurts.”
“Well, that’s enough for you,” said the auditor with a beaming, naive and at the same time sly smile, as if he was flattered that he was the subject of Zherkov’s jokes, and as if he was deliberately trying to seem stupider than he really was.
“Tres drole, mon monsieur prince, [Very funny, my lord prince," said the officer on duty. (He remembered that in French they specifically say the title prince, and could not get it right.)
At this time, they were all already approaching Tushin’s battery, and a cannonball hit in front of them.
- Why did it fall? – the auditor asked, smiling naively.
“French flatbreads,” said Zherkov.
- This is what they hit you with, then? – asked the auditor. - What passion!
And he seemed to be blooming with pleasure. He had barely finished speaking when an unexpectedly terrible whistle was heard again, which suddenly stopped with a blow to something liquid, and sh sh sh slap - the Cossack, riding somewhat to the right and behind the auditor, collapsed with his horse to the ground. Zherkov and the duty officer bent down in their saddles and turned their horses away. The auditor stopped in front of the Cossack, examining him with attentive curiosity. The Cossack was dead, the horse was still struggling.
Prince Bagration, squinting, looked around and, seeing the cause of the confusion, turned away indifferently, as if saying: is it worth engaging in nonsense! He stopped his horse with the manner of a good rider, leaned over a little and straightened the sword that had caught on his cloak. The sword was old, not like the ones they used now. Prince Andrei remembered the story of how Suvorov in Italy presented his sword to Bagration, and at that moment this memory was especially pleasant to him. They drove up to the very battery where Bolkonsky stood when he was looking at the battlefield.
- Whose company? – Prince Bagration asked the fireworksman standing by the boxes.
He asked: whose company? but in essence he asked: aren’t you shy here? And the fireworksman understood this.
“Captain Tushin, your Excellency,” the red-haired fireworksman, with a freckled face covered in freckles, shouted, stretching out in a cheerful voice.
“So, so,” Bagration said, thinking something, and drove past the limbers to the outermost gun.
While he was approaching, a shot rang out from this gun, deafening him and his retinue, and in the smoke that suddenly surrounded the gun, the artillerymen were visible, picking up the gun and, hastily straining, rolling it to its original place. The broad-shouldered, huge soldier 1st with a banner, legs spread wide, jumped towards the wheel. The 2nd, with a shaking hand, put the charge into the barrel. A small, stooped man, Officer Tushin, tripped over his trunk and ran forward, not noticing the general and looking out from under his small hand.
“Add two more lines, it will be just like that,” he shouted in a thin voice, to which he tried to give a youthful appearance that did not suit his figure. - Second! - he squeaked. - Smash it, Medvedev!
Bagration called out to the officer, and Tushin, with a timid and awkward movement, not at all in the way the military salutes, but in the way the priests bless, placing three fingers on the visor, approached the general. Although Tushin’s guns were intended to bombard the ravine, he fired with fire guns at the village of Shengraben, visible ahead, in front of which large masses of the French were advancing.
No one ordered Tushin where or with what to shoot, and he, after consulting with his sergeant major Zakharchenko, for whom he had great respect, decided that it would be good to set the village on fire. "Fine!" Bagration said to the officer’s report and began to look around the entire battlefield opening before him, as if thinking something. WITH right side The French came closest. Below the height at which the Kiev regiment stood, in the ravine of the river, the soul-grabbing rolling chatter of guns was heard, and much to the right, behind the dragoons, a retinue officer pointed out to the prince the French column encircling our flank. To the left, the horizon was limited to a nearby forest. Prince Bagration ordered two battalions from the center to go to the right for reinforcements. The retinue officer dared to notice to the prince that after these battalions left, the guns would be left without cover. Prince Bagration turned to the retinue officer and looked at him silently with dull eyes. It seemed to Prince Andrei that the retinue officer’s remark was fair and that there was really nothing to say. But at that time an adjutant from the regimental commander, who was in the ravine, rode up with the news that huge masses of French were coming down, that the regiment was upset and was retreating to the Kyiv grenadiers. Prince Bagration bowed his head as a sign of agreement and approval. He walked to the right and sent an adjutant to the dragoons with orders to attack the French. But the adjutant sent there arrived half an hour later with the news that the dragoon regimental commander had already retreated beyond the ravine, for strong fire was directed against him, and he was losing people in vain and therefore hurried the riflemen into the forest.
- Fine! – said Bagration.
While he was driving away from the battery, shots were also heard in the forest to the left, and since it was too far to the left flank to arrive on time himself, Prince Bagration sent Zherkov there to tell the senior general, the same one who represented the regiment to Kutuzov in Braunau to retreat as quickly as possible beyond the ravine, because the right flank will probably not be able to hold the enemy for long. About Tushin and the battalion covering him were forgotten. Prince Andrei carefully listened to the conversations of Prince Bagration with the commanders and to the orders given to them and was surprised to notice that no orders were given, and that Prince Bagration only tried to pretend that everything that was done by necessity, chance and the will of private commanders, that all this was done, although not on his orders, but in accordance with his intentions. Thanks to the tact shown by Prince Bagration, Prince Andrei noticed that, despite this randomness of events and their independence from the will of their superior, his presence did an enormous amount. The commanders, who approached Prince Bagration with upset faces, became calm, the soldiers and officers cheerfully greeted him and became more animated in his presence and, apparently, flaunted their courage in front of him.

Prince Bagration, having reached the highest point of our right flank, began to descend downwards, where rolling fire was heard and nothing was visible from the gunpowder smoke. The closer they descended to the ravine, the less they could see, but the more sensitive the proximity of the real battlefield became. They began to meet wounded people. One with a bloody head, without a hat, was dragged by two soldiers by the arms. He wheezed and spat. The bullet apparently hit the mouth or throat. Another, whom they met, walked cheerfully alone, without a gun, groaning loudly and waving his hand in fresh pain, from which blood flowed, like from a glass, onto his overcoat. His face seemed more frightened than suffering. He was wounded a minute ago. Having crossed the road, they began to descend steeply and on the descent they saw several people lying down; They were met by a crowd of soldiers, including some who were not wounded. The soldiers walked up the hill, breathing heavily, and, despite the appearance of the general, they talked loudly and waved their hands. Ahead, in the smoke, rows of gray greatcoats were already visible, and the officer, seeing Bagration, ran screaming after the soldiers walking in a crowd, demanding that they return. Bagration drove up to the rows, along which shots were quickly clicking here and there, drowning out the conversation and shouts of command. The entire air was filled with gunpowder smoke. The soldiers' faces were all smoked with gunpowder and animated. Some hammered them with ramrods, others sprinkled them on the shelves, took charges out of their bags, and still others shot. But who they shot at was not visible due to the gunpowder smoke, which was not carried away by the wind. Quite often pleasant sounds of buzzing and whistling were heard. "What it is? - thought Prince Andrei, driving up to this crowd of soldiers. – It can’t be an attack because they don’t move; there can be no carre: they don’t cost that way.”

What is the name of musical instrument, which the Chukchi play; do they bring it to their mouth?

1. Jew's harp
2. Jew's harp, and there is also exactly the same instrument, only Kazakh - called shankobyz, it is considered a shamanic instrument, so not everyone can afford to play it. here =)
3. A traditional musical instrument is the plate harp (vannyyarar), a “mouth tambourine” made of birch, bamboo (floating), bone or metal plate. Later, an arc double-tongued harp appeared.

   The Jew's harp is the most ancient self-sounding reed musical instrument. In one modification or another, the harp is found in the ancient cultures of most peoples of the world.

   Jew's harp has more than forty different names. The most common names for the harp are: komuz (in Altai), khomus (in Yakutia), drymba (in Ukraine, Belarus), kubyz (in Bashkiria), zubanka (in Russia), shon-kobyz (in Kazakhstan), temir-komuz ( in Kyrgyzstan, where the word "temir", which means iron, distinguishes the harp from string instrument komuz).

   In America, the jew's harp is called the "Jewish lyre" - Jews harp (Jew harp, Jews harp, Juice harp). In fact, the Americans themselves cannot explain why the jew's harp is suddenly Jewish. This instrument has no connection with Jews. Most musicologists consider the word to be an error in the 19th century dictionary. Most likely, the name meant Jaws harp - jaw lyre. The earliest mention of a jew's harp is found in ancient Roman frescoes - a depiction of an ancient orchestra includes a man who is clearly playing a jew's harp. In Russia, jew's harps are especially common in Yakutia, Tuva, and Altai. The Jew's harp is very popular Western Ukraine, in Belarus, Moldova. Read more here

4. I have one, but I don’t know how to play it))))
5. Jew's harp
   here is a link to jew's harp music
   http://torrents.ru/forum/viewtopic.php?t=524990
6. Vargan

   Externally, the Jew's harp looks like a small device, which the player puts to his lips with one hand to manipulate thumb with the second hand, extract a stretched vibrating sound. In appearance it looks like a musical instrument and is even officially called a musical instrument.

   For many uninitiated, the sounds made by the Jew's harp have long been considered a necessary arrangement in the musical and pseudo-musical compositions of the indigenous peoples of the north, from the Eskimos of Greenland to the inhabitants of Chukotka and Yakutia. Meanwhile, playing the harp is by no means musical exercise, and the very concept of music in relation to this device is nothing more than the name of a side effect of its use. Jew's harp is a mechanical drug substitute.

7. Jew's harp.

One of the oldest musical instruments that has passed through centuries and has not changed its appearance, is a harp. We invite you to take a closer look at this self-sounding reed instrument. Different nations gave it all sorts of names. In Altai it was called kamuz, in Yakutia - khosus, in Bashkiria - kubyz, in Germany - maultrommel. Ukrainians and Belarusians simply called him drymba, the Japanese called him mikkuri, the Filipinos called him kubing, and the Indians called him morchang. The Varang musical instrument is considered a folk instrument in many countries, but it differs in material, shape and manufacturing technology. Each individual instrument has its own unique characteristics.

Jew's harp - a musical instrument of the northern peoples

Name of the oldest reed instrument comes from the Old Slavonic word "vargi", which means "mouth". The name itself speaks about the principle of sound extraction. The oral cavity serves as a natural resonator for sound. The tone and timbre of this small instrument help change the position of the tongue.

Below you can see a photo of the musical instrument Jew's harp (khomus). It appeared in ancient times on different continents. There is an opinion that the idea for its creation was an ordinary hunting bow. How did it work? One end of the bow was placed on the ground, and the other was rested with the teeth. Then they pulled the string to make a sound.

This instrument became especially popular among the Yakuts, Tuvans, and Chukchi. Eskimos, Buryats, Altaians, Bashkirs. Jew's harp was slightly less common in the Volga region.

Today, the main center where khomuses are made and used is Yakutia. For local residents not just a musical instrument - a jew's harp, but a means of expressing emotions, moods and feelings with sounds. Some people manage to pronounce words while playing the harp using a “speaking” performance. Nowadays, interest in Russian pagan culture is growing, so new masters are appearing who create authentic instruments.

Two types of jew's harps

To give you a better idea of ​​the musical instrument, the Jew's harp, check out its two main types:

1. Vargan lamellar. This is a narrow, thin wooden, bamboo, bone or metal plate and tongue. It is located in the middle of this plate.
2. Vargan arcuate (arc-shaped). Made of a metal rod to which a steel tongue is attached, which has a hook at the end.

The most famous types of instruments

The harp is considered a non-standard instrument; each has its own sound. To play it, not only the seven notes familiar to everyone are used, but also various overtones, overtones, and depths. The most known species of this tool:

• Potkin's Altai harp has a fairly high sound; this instrument is very small in size and made of yellow metal;
• Valgutov's Khakass harps have a bass and powerful sound, they are dark (blued);
• Nureyev's Russian jew's harps are characterized by a sonorous sound; they are made of stainless steel;
• Vietnamese instruments are distinguished by their subtle ringing sound.

What materials are jew's harps made from?

To produce an unusual instrument, metal, wood, bone or other exotic materials are used. The material and manufacturing technology affect the sound of a small “pipe”, its reliability and durability. The most common is metal. To process it you need difficult process. A tongue attached to the base divides the jew's harp in half. With its help, the magic of sound is created.

How can you describe the sound of this instrument? It is soothing, velvety, pleasant to the ear, and inducing thought. Each performer gives the instrument its own timbre, range and shades of sound. Often the sounds and overtones of a harp are combined with

A little about the history of the instrument

The history of the jew's harp goes back centuries. The first to appear was the plate instrument. It was made from scrap materials. Some people preferred wood, others preferred bone. Metal products gradually began to appear. To enhance the sound, a metal frame was added to the instrument - an arc. This is where arched harps came from.

Mostly Russian women played this instrument. Until the 30s of the last century, the rich traditions of playing the jew's harp were preserved. During Stalin's reign, they were abolished, considering them a harmful relic of the past. Older people still passed on their skills to their descendants.

People were also fond of playing the jew's harp European countries. This instrument was used by young people to attract the attention of pretty girls. The exotic sound of the jew's harp won the attention of secular salons in the era of romanticism. Most of the instruments were created in Austria.

IN late XIX century, playing the jew's harp lost popularity, and some types of the instrument disappeared from the scene altogether. This was due to the fact that the first harmonica. Then the button accordion and accordion appeared. The new instruments were a great success, but they forgot about the Jew's harp.

In the 60-70s of the last century they began to revive ethnic cultures and develop esotericism. The Yakut performer has again revived interest in khomus. They again became so interested in the instrument that in 1984 they held a Jew’s harp festival at the international level. It went to the USA. Today, Norwegians, Americans, Austrians, and Russians are actively developing the art of playing this instrument and creating entire communities of amateurs. Jew's harp music began to permeate many musical styles. Modern musicians They improvise beautifully, experiment with overtone and avant-garde directions. This instrument, which is primitive in design, is quite complex to play; many of its aspects have not yet been fully revealed. This makes it possible to call it a tool of the 21st century.

Jew's harp details and size

This tool happens different sizes, it all depends on the proportions of the hand and mouth. The comfort of play and sound depend on the size. The musician should be comfortable holding the frame and hitting the tongue. Small jew's harps have a high sound and short duration vibrations of the tongue. U big tool The sound is long and bassy. Miniature girls choose a small device; large men find it more convenient to play a large jew's harp.

The ease of pressing the decks against the teeth and lips depends on the size. The rigidity of the tongue can also be of different limits. It is easier to control jew's harps with a soft tongue; they do not have any impact on the teeth and bones of the head. The sound is quiet, but gentle and smooth. They are suitable for leisurely melodies, meditation and relaxation. The rigid reed gives brightness and clarity to the sound. Rhythmic compositions and moving melodies are performed on such an instrument. It allows you to create even very fast sound.

Tongue length also affects playability. The sound can be slow, unhurried, and meditative in jew's harps with a long tongue. The short tongue gives the melody a note of fun, mobility, and lightness. It is better to perform folk tunes and cheerful dances on it.

The tongue has a knee and a ring. A large knee is indispensable when playing slowly; it makes the instrument sound low. A small knee is better for fast play. For softness and precision, it is better to tap it with your fingers. It is important to know that vibrations from the reed are transferred to the frame of the instrument and the bones of the musician.

The metal used to make jew's harps is steel, brass, and copper. In addition to them, there are instruments made from wood, plexiglass, stone, whalebone, and bone. Wooden appliances have a more pleasant feel and produce less impact on the teeth. The sound of forged jaw's harps is bright and rich. Brass tools give the melodies a velvety feel.

How to play the harp?

How to create sound on this wonderful instrument? This is a combination of vibrations of the tongue, the body of the jew's harp, the bones of the head and mouth. To play a specific melody, you need to know certain technical points. After all, during the game you don’t hear the harp itself. Many people are interested in learning how to play the musical instrument Jew's harp. First, they apply it to the teeth, then lightly tap on the tongue, after which the resonance goes through the bones of the skull. The body begins to sound. In the process of playing, the musician changes articulation, controls the diaphragm, contracts the larynx, and changes breathing. All this affects the sound of the instrument. In order to create a beautiful melody, it is enough to practice 15-20 minutes a day for a month.

Use of jew's harps by shamans

Northern peoples have long considered deer, fire, tambourine and jaw's harp sacred. The tambourine was more often used by men, and the jew's harp by women. Ancient shamans believed that with the help of these devices they entered a trance and changed their state of consciousness. Shamans were part of different worlds to transform reality. In addition to playing musical instruments, they also used other techniques. Shaman rituals were not complete without a jew's harp and a tambourine. With the help of the instrument, shamans called upon protective spirits and communicated with them.

The worldviews of shamans were identical in different parts of the world. They were found not only in Siberia and Africa, but also in North and South America, Australia. Therefore, we can safely call the jaw's harp a musical instrument of shamans, with the help of which they traveled in search of power and information.

Turkmen metal harp

It is difficult to understand the secret of popularity for a person who has not held in his hands a Turkmen musical instrument - a jew's harp (metal). The world changes when this instrument starts its song, filling with the mood of its owner. Every breath releases a scattering of sounds, intertwined into an amazing melody. The Turkmen harp becomes a continuation of the player, their souls merge. Fans of this instrument find it difficult to tear themselves away from its melodic sound and ease of performance.

There are several models of the Turkmen harp - some sound low velvety melodies, others chirp in gentle voices. It is very suitable for solo parts, where the performer follows his inspiration and creates unique musical images. This instrument perfectly relieves stress, puts you in a positive mood, and fills the soul with harmony.

Chukchi instrument

Many amateurs are trying to buy a Chukchi musical instrument - the Jew's harp. Even in ancient times, magical powers were attributed to him. Chukchi shamans used musical vibrations to recognize the future and summon spirits. The Jew's harp (a musical instrument of the Chukchi) is highly valued, and the craftsmen who create it are considered people of the highest order. Professional secrets tool making is strictly protected. The device is easy to use, and its shape vaguely resembles a key.

A unique find of archaeologists

Recently, in the Altai mountains, scientists managed to find a reed musical instrument made from the horn of an animal. The find is considered the oldest of its kind in Eurasia. Scientists attribute the instrument to the Scythian-Sarmatian period (1st millennium BC). Vargan was found during excavations near the Katun River. This find is an ethnographic feature of the inhabitants of southern Siberia.

Jew's harps in musical instrument stores in Perm

In the foothills of the Western Urals there is a large industrial and shopping mall- Perm. It is home to more than half a million inhabitants. In this city, many people are fond of playing the harp. There are several shops here where you can buy Altai harps (khomuses). They are purchased for professional gaming, as well as for hobby and pleasure. Many people turn to online stores for purchases, where they can get advice from a professional manager.

Some are attracted by a model with an unusual design, where the frame is made of plexiglass. This instrument is modern and stylish. Jew's harps are sold in original wooden or plastic cases, which preserve them during transportation.

Tool cost

Those who have mastered the rather complex technique of playing the harp believe that every family should have one. Can any buyer with average income buy this wonderful instrument? The most affordable jaw harp costs 600-700 rubles. More complex models, with interesting overtones, cost from 1,500 rubles and more. Inlaid instruments are available for sale precious stones. They are packaged in custom steel cases of a unique shape. Naturally, the price for such work is high.