Friday, June 13, 2014

A Bowed Psaltery Makes Uniquely Beautiful Music

By Sally Delacruz


The family tree of stringed musical instruments reaches far into the past. The orchestral instrumentation everyone recognizes today did not emerge fully fledged in the 18th century, but developed over time and across cultures. Their earliest ancestors were often plucked or hammered, and the adoption of the horsehair bow expanded those capabilities. The bowed psaltery is a relative newcomer, and produces its own unique, ethereal sound.

Hearing one reminds many people of an ancient harp, with a touch of the violin and dulcimer. Although the word is found in the Bible, the instrument being described was named by medieval scholars most familiar with the music of their own day. While the psaltery did have ancient origins in the Middle East, it is considered a part of the modern chordophone family.

That group includes any musical device using a resonator in combination with strings. Modern chordophonic instrumentation is inseparable from composition, and is integral to all symphonic music. They are not limited to acoustic performances, and may be amplified like modern guitars. All have the ability to play chromatic scales. Older models lacked that important feature, and over time their popularity faded.

They did not disappear altogether, but evolved into different forms. Their musical DNA can be found in hammered dulcimers and other progeny, including harpsichords with keyboards and plucked strings, later to become the modern piano. Although adding a keyboard produced obvious advantages of expression, people today still find the simple, original tones appealing.

The current shapes, sizes, and playing techniques emerged fairly recently. Popular history places the birth of the modern version in Germany over a century ago, but the true beginnings probably have no specific date. The addition of a horsehair bow separates ancient instruments from modern, and their design makes playing one comparatively uncomplicated. The sounds are medieval, but the mechanisms are modern.

The current shape resembles a long, narrow isosceles triangle. There are two basic sizes, including the smaller soprano and the deeper sounding alto. Soprano psalteries have a two-octave range, and a somewhat brighter tonality than the alto, which has a chromatic extension on the lower tones. Both are less than two feet long, and weigh little more than 2.5 pounds, making them both personal and portable.

A violin virtuoso spends years perfecting tone and technique, but the psaltery is not as demanding. The instrument is played from two different sides, the left representing black piano keys, and the right correspond to white. Those without knowledge of standard notation can still play with accuracy because the designated spaces between string pegs are easy to differentiate.

The artists moves a short horsehair bow across the strings between the tuned pegs, and the correct note is sounded. The instrument is played from the side, not from a high point in the middle of the strings. There is no right or wrong way to hold it, and beginners will be delighted with the wonderful sounds they can make with a little practice. Today, there is a growing library of music available on line, both in written and live forms.




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