Gusli

Infobox Instrument
name=Gusli
names=HS#:314.122-5


classification=
*Chordophone
range= varies
related=
* Husli
* Bandura
* Kobza
* Kantele
* Psaltery
* zither
* kokle
* kanklės

"Gusli" is the oldest distinctively Russian musical instrument. Its exact history is unknown, but it may have derived from a Byzantine form of the Greek kythare, which in turn derived from the ancient lyre. The gusli is a multi-string plucked instrument, and it has similarities to other instruments throughout the world. For example, Chinese gu zheng has a thousand year history, like its Japanese relative koto. There are also similar instruments in Baltic countries - kantele in Finland, kannel in Estonia, kankles and kokle in Lithuania and Latvia. Furthermore, we can find kanun in Arabic countries and modern instruments such as the autoharp in the USA.

Etymology

In the times of Kievan Rus’, the term "gusli" is thought to simply refer to any generic stringed instrument. The root of the term comes from the word to make sound in the wind. The term was eventually associated with the trapezoidal "gusli-psaltyry" (which may have originated in Byzantium).

History

Vertkov states that the first mentions of the Gusli date back to 591 to a treatise by the Greek historian Feofilakta Simokatti which describes the instrument being used by Slavs from Kievan Rus'.

The gusli are thought to have been the instrument used by the legendary Boyan (a singer of tales) described in the Lay of Igor's campaign.

The instruments were used by the wandering Skomorokh musicians and entertainers. Preserved instruments discovered by archaeologists in various digs have between 5-9 strings with one example having 12 strings.

The first notated piece of music for the gusli was a Ukrainian song "Oi pid Vyshneyu" which was recorded in St. Petersburg in 1803 by the French composer F. Bualde.

Types of Gusli

Folk Gusli have from eleven to thirty-six gut or metal strings, tuned diatonically. There were two main forms: helmet-shaped and wing-shaped.

"Shlemovidnye gusli"

"Shlemovidnye gusli" (Helmet-shaped gusli; _ru. Шлемовидные гусли) is a variety of gusli held by the musician on his knees, so that strings were horizontal, resonator body under them. He uses his left hand to mute unnecessary strings and thus forming chords, while passing all the strings with his right hand. The instrument was spread in southern and western regions of Kievan Rus’.

"Krylovidnye gusli"

"Krylovidnye gusli" ("wing-shaped gusli"; _ru. Крыловидные гусли) is much smaller, and had more resemblance to Scandinavian folk psalteries such as the kantele. They were held much more like modern guitars (although strings were still muted by the left hand through a special opening in the instrument's body). This modification was more prevalent in northern parts of Russia, especially Novgorod and Pskov.

Clavichord Gusli

The Clavichord Gusli are a nineteenth century derivative with an iron frame and metal strings tuned chromatically. It stood on a stand or table legs. The instrument had a keyboard. Pressing the keys of the keyboard would raise the dampers on specific strings and allow the player to play glissandi and arpeggios over the range of the strings. This instrument is used primarily in Russian Folk Instrument orchestras.

Violin-like husli

The term husli is used by Lemkos, Hutsuls and Boikos sub-ethnic groups of the Ukrainian people living in the vicinity of the Carpathian mountains to refer to the violin or a violin-like instrument.

Related instruments

A number of Slavic folk music instruments have names which are related to Gusli such as the Czech violin "housle", the Balkan one-stringed fiddle "gusle". In western Ukraine and Belarus, "husli" can also refer to a fiddle or even a ducted flute. The violin-like variant of the instrument is also related to the Southern Slavic gusle.

The psaltery variant is related to the zither. It is also related to the Latvian kokle, the Lithuanian kanklės and the Finnish kantele. Together these instruments make up the family known as Baltic Psalteries.

A related instrument is the "tsymbaly", a hammered dulcimer.

In Ukraine, it is thought that the gusli may have influenced the development of the multi-stringed bandura, which largely replaced it in the nineteenth century.