Wheel Lyra: musical instrument (photo)

The wheel lyre is a musical stringed plucked instrument that looks like a case from a violin. This instrument is also known as Organostrum, or Hardy Guardi. When playing a lyre you need to keep on your lap, and during the game, most strings play simultaneously. Popular since the 10th century, the musical instrument is not used so often today. But thanks to the amazing sound, the original design, the lyre is still remembered.

Features of sound

The sound of the wheel lyre is ensured by the operation of most of the strings, when as a result of rubbing them against the wheel a vibration occurs. It is noteworthy that most of the strings are responsible only for monotonous buzz, and the reproduction of the melody is provided by playing one or two. The wheel lyre sounds powerful, sad, monotonous, somewhat nasal. And to soften the sound, the strings have long been wrapped with linen or woolen fibers. An important role is played by the exact alignment of the wheel - it must be smooth and well-worn.

Device

The three-stringed lyre has a deep wooden case in the form of a figure-eight, two flat decks, which have bent shells. The upper part of the instrument is supplemented with a head with wooden pins, which allows you to adjust the strings. The wheel lyre has a short casting box, which often ends with a curl. Since the rim of the wheel protrudes somewhat outwards, it rests under a special bast fuse in the form of an arc.

The upper deck has openings, on it is also a key-operated mechanism with keys. They, in turn, are simple wooden slats with ledges. When the musician presses the keys, just the tabs touch the strings, making sounds. The protrusions are fastened in such a way that they can be shifted in different directions, thus aligning the sound series. The case of the instrument is designed in such a way that the string sound amplifies. The amplification of sound is due to the vibrations of the strings, which are caused by the movement of the wheel.

String Features

Wheel Lyre - a tool with three strand strings:

• Melodic, which is called spivanica, or melody;
• Two burdonnymi, which are called bass and pidbasok.

If the melodic string passes through the interior of the box, then the burdock string is on top of it. All strings are arranged so that they are in contact with the rim of the wheel. It is rubbed before work with resin, so that the strings sound smooth and audible. The smoothness of the sound is ensured by the smooth surface of the wheel and its precise alignment. A melody is created or executed when you press keys located in the side cutouts of the box.

Historically, the strings were created on the basis of veins, although today strings of metal or nylon are increasingly popular. To get the desired timbre and sound quality, the musicians wrapped the strings with cotton wool or other fiber, and there should have been more on the burdon covers. And if the cotton wool is not enough, the sound will either be too deaf, or too sharp, especially in the upper range.

How to play?

Wheel wheel is a tool that does not differ in ease of use. Lyra is put on her knees, and a belt is thrown on her shoulders. The box box should be located on the left side and slightly tilted, while the free keys should fall away from the string. With his right hand, the musician evenly and slowly rotates the wheel by the handle, pressing his left hand on the keys. In its sound, the lyre resembles a bagpipe or a whistle, as in all three instruments the bourdons sound. With regard to sound quality, it depends primarily on the friction wheel, which has precise alignment and is well lubricated. If the musician is standing upright, the lyre is suspended on the shoulder strap with a slight inclination to distribute the weight of the instrument.

How did the lyre appear?

Lira wheel - a musical instrument, which is known since the X century. Most often it was used in monasteries for the performance of church music. By the 15th century the instrument had become less popular, but continued to be used by vagabonds, blind, maimed, who walked the streets and performed songs, fairy tales for the simple sound of the lyre.

In Russia this musical instrument was known about in the XVII century, and experts say that it appeared in our country from Ukraine. It was here that there were even whole schools of lyreurs who roamed from village to village, performed music and earned money. The lyre was used at weddings as it sounded loud, and the repertoire under it could be picked up by the most cheerful. The peculiarity of the wheeled lyre is that it was produced in different lengths. In some variations, it was necessary to play music on it even with two people, since the instrument had a length of up to one and a half meters.

Brotherhood of Lyrists

In Ukraine, the game on the wheeled lyre studied in whole classes of 30 people. The elders fell on the practice, which involved visiting neighboring villages during bazaars and weddings, when the earned money was given to the mentor as a tuition fee. After graduation, the musicians passed exams.

In the Soviet years, the wheeled lyre has undergone several changes. The photo shows that even outwardly the instrument has changed somewhat. Thanks to the improvement of the design, it became more original, the strings became 9, and they were tuned for small thirds. Instead of a wooden wheel, a plastic tape-transmission was used, so that the sound was more even. A special device changed the degree of pressure on the string, so the strength of the sound of the instrument was different. Note that the improved samples of the lyre still find application in the orchestras of folk art.

What today?

In Russia today, a wheeled lyre is rarely used. The musical instrument (the photo shows all its coloring) remained in the State Orchestra and the National Choir of Belarus. It is noteworthy that the Hard Gardi was also used in the rockers' environment: the Led Zeppelin, In Extremo bands chose the instrument due to unusual sound. Today, the instrument has almost been forgotten, but some orchestras leave the hard-guardi as a highlight for their creativity for the unusual sound.