The story about dombra in Russian. Dombra - Kazakh national instrument

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1. Surname, name, patronymic of the participant: Bayniyazov YerlanSerikbaevich

2. Surname, name, patronymic of teachers:, classroom teacher . , Physics teacher

4. Locality: p. Kasselsky

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6. Title of the article: Dombra - Kazakh national instrument

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8. Postal address: Chelyabinsk region, Nagaybaksky district, Kasselsky village,

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MOU Kassel secondary school

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Object world traditional culture peoples Southern Urals: the history of an ancient object

Research paper title

DOMBRA - KAZAKH NATIONAL INSTRUMENT

I've done the work: Bainiyazov Yerlan, 10th grade

Leaders: , cl. hands , account. physics

p. Kasselsky

Dombra in Kazakh culture

Dombra is rightfully recognized as one of the greatest inventions presented to the world by the Turkic peoples.

Dombra(kaz. dombyra) Kazakh folk two-string plucked musical instrument. It is used as an accompanying and solo, as well as the main instrument in Kazakh folk music.

In 2010, dombra was listed in the Guinness Book of Records after 10,450 dombra players performed the Kazakh musical play Kenes in China.

The technique of playing the dombra is similar to the methods of playing other plucked instruments: left hand the musician slides freely along the fretboard (handle), and with the help of the fingers of the right hand, striking both strings, the sound is extracted. The melodious, velvety, rhythmic sounds of dombra tell about the boundless steppes of Kazakhstan, about quiet jailaus with peacefully grazing herds. But it is worth amplifying the sound of the strings, and the melody rushes after the herd of horses galloping through the pasture. In the steppe melodies of the dombra, one can catch the rustle of grass and the ringing of streams, the jubilation of bird choirs, the neighing of horses and the sound of hooves. In the old days, the dombra was played at feasts and before the fight to achieve the appropriate mood. Like Russian buffoons, Kazakh folk storytellers akyns walked with dombra through bazaars, fairs and villages, performing one play after another. In just 2-4 minutes (the playing time of one piece), with the help of two strings, steppe musicians conveyed joys and sorrows common people. No matter how sad the melody is, there is always a warm, sincere parting word in the sound of dombra. People say that the Kazakh soul lives in the sounds of dombra.

Dombra device

Being a relative of the balalaika, dombra has a pear-shaped body with two strings and a long neck, on the neck of which metal frets are attached. By pinching the strings between the frets, you can get a more melodic sound.

It's interesting that Kazakh name“dombra” is formed by a combination of two words: “house” is the sound, and “bra” is the tuning of the strings. The birth of the Kazakh folk instrument begins with the choice of wood, traditionally craftsmen carve the body from hardwood - maple, oak, pine. Making every detail of the dombra, and especially the deck with a spring that serves as a sound amplifier. Requires precision and endurance. An error of even 1 mm leads to wheezing and rattling during the game.

Previously, natural strings were pulled onto the body of the dombra - from lamb intestines, so the instrument made a deeper, lower and dull sound. Since the low pitch is inconvenient for the performance of orchestral classical works, strings on dombra began to be made of polymers.

History of the instrument

In 1989, in Kazakhstan, high in the mountains on the plateau (zhailau) "Maitobe", Professor S. Akitaev, with the help of the ethnographer Zhagd Babalykuly, discovered a rock drawing depicting a musical instrument and four dancing man V different poses. According to the studies of the famous archaeologist K. Akishev, this drawing dates back to the Neolithic period. The instrument, depicted by an ancient artist on a rock, is very similar in shape to a dombra. Based on this, we can say that the prototype of the current dombra is over 4000 years old and is one of the first plucked instruments.

Also at one time during excavations ancient Khorezm terracotta figurines of musicians playing plucked instruments have been found. Scientists note that the Khorezmian two-strings, which existed at least 2000 years ago, have a typological similarity with the Kazakh dombra and were one of the common instruments among the early nomads who lived on the territory of Kazakhstan.

In the 21st century, in the era electronic music dombra is still of interest to music lovers. For example, Kazakh rock bands combine the sound of dombra, violin and electric guitar, getting completely new sound. The old dombra is gaining more and more new fans.

IN last years in Kazakhstan, many attempts were made to create an electric dombra. But only in 2012 a tool was created that received an international patent. The author of the instrument is master Adil Sabit, who creates and restores guitars, dombras. He entered the honorary guild of masters of London for the production of guitars.

So far, this is the only instrument, the first patented electric dombra. Prior to this, attempts were made to create an electric dombra. At the same time, most often the strings on the instrument were changed to metal ones and a conventional pickup was installed. Adil Sabit went the other way. He managed to preserve the nature of the traditional dombra - on it nylon strings. But inside the tool, he installed sensors of a special design, which are his invention. Thanks to this, it became possible to connect additional devices to it: music processors, sound converters and other devices.

The structure of the dombra

Greed" href="/text/category/alchnostmz/" rel="bookmark"> Greed Khan got angry and ordered to spoil the instrument by pouring hot lead into the middle of the dombra. A hole formed in the middle and only two strings remained.

Another legend about the origin of dombra

The local khan’s son died hunting from the fangs of a boar, and the servants, fearing the wrath of the khan (he threatened to fill his throat with boiling lead to anyone who would tell him that something unkind had happened to his son) went to the old master Ali for advice. He made a musical instrument, which he called dombra, appeared to the khan and played it. The strings groaned, wept, as if the mournful noise of the forest swept under the silk tent of the khan's tent. The sharp whistle of the wind mingled with the howl of a wild beast. The strings cried out loudly, like a human voice, asking for help, so the dombra told the khan about the death of his son. Beside himself with anger, the khan ordered hot lead to be thrown into the round hole of the dombra.

Literature

1. Kurgan Issyk. - Moscow, 1978.

2., Features of the Kazakh dombra.// We and the universe. 2001. No. 1 (6), pp. 52-54.

3. Musical instruments Central Asia. - Moscow, 1980.

4. Creativity of the violin master. - Leningrad, 1988.

5., Ochakov dictionary young musician. - Moscow "Pedagogy". 1985.

Dombra(Kazakh dombyra) is a stringed plucked musical instrument that exists in the culture of the Turkic peoples. Dombra is considered a folk instrument of the Kazakhs and some Turkic peoples.

Device and sound

Being a relative of the balalaika, dombra has a pear-shaped body with two strings and a long neck, on the neck of which metal frets are attached. By pinching the strings between the frets, you can get a more melodic sound. It is interesting that the Kazakh name "dombra" is formed by a combination of two words: "dom" means "sound", and "bra" - "tuning the strings". The birth of the Kazakh folk instrument begins with the choice of wood, traditionally craftsmen carve the body from hardwood - maple, oak, pine. The manufacture of every detail of a dombra, and especially a soundboard with a spring that serves as a sound amplifier, requires precision and endurance. An error of even 1 millimeter leads to wheezing and rattling during the game. Previously, natural strings were pulled onto the body of the dombra - from lamb intestines, so the instrument made a deeper, lower and dull sound. Since the low tune is inconvenient for the performance of orchestral classical works, the dombra was Europeanized, replacing its strings with polymer ones.
The sound of the open strings of the dombra forms its fourth system. It can also be a quint. The sequence of tones for dombra, starting from the first string, the highest in tone: Sol, Re (small octave).
Intervals between strings: g(p.4)d (letter notation according to Helmholtz, p.4 - perfect fourth).
The musical range of dombra with 19 frets on the fretboard is two full octaves (part of a small octave, the first and part of the second): from Re of a small octave to Re of the second octave.

Story

Archaeological finds indicate that the two-string prototypes of the Kazakh dombra appeared more than 2000 years ago. Thus, during the excavations of the ancient settlement of Koi-Krylgan-Kale, built about 2 thousand years ago, terracotta figurines of musicians with two-strings in their hands were found. In the Almaty region, rock paintings of the Neolithic era were discovered, on which ancient artist, who lived more than 4000 years ago, depicted dancing men and an instrument similar to a dombra in shape. Legends are dedicated to dombra, one of them says that one day a certain hero-hero, tired of feats of arms, on the way to his yurt decided to rest. From a walnut tree, the hero carved a homemade product, pulled horsehair strings on it and tried to play the instrument, but he was silent. After unsuccessful attempts, the warrior fell asleep, and soon he was awakened by a melody emitted by a homemade product. The bogatyr discovered that someone had attached a wooden nut at the junction of the headstock with the neck of the neck. The warrior decided that this was the handiwork of a shaitan (evil demon), and since then, the name “shaitan-tiek” has been attached to the upper threshold of the dombra. In the 21st century, in the era of electronic music, dombra still arouses the interest of music lovers. For example, Kazakh ethno-rock bands combine the sound of dombra, violin and screaming rock guitars, getting a completely new sound. The old dombra is gaining more and more new fans.

Dombra is a relative of the Russian balalaika and a stringed musical instrument of the Turkic settlements. Especially dombra can be attributed to the Kazakh people, because it is considered a Kazakh folk musical instrument. Photos of dombra can be viewed in various sources.

Origin

The musical culture of the Kazakhs plays an important role in spiritual development population. There is a majestic heritage in Kazakh history, passing from one generation to another for many centuries. And this is dombra. The history of this musical instrument is incredibly interesting and unusual, as there are a huge number of beliefs about the creation of the Kazakh dombra.

In 1989, a drawing was found on a rock, which depicts a musical instrument and people who are passionate about dancing. This instrument is very similar to modern dombra. Archaeologists have established that the drawing was drawn during the Neolithic period. This means that the Kazakh dombra is more than 4000 years old. Interesting fact that dombra is one of the first string instruments created in the world.

Creation legend

Once two brothers who were giants settled in the distant Altai. One of them had a beautiful sweet-sounding musical instrument dombra, the melody of which he bestowed on all people. The owner of the dombra was known a mile away and people came to listen to the magic sound. However, the other brother harbored anger and envy towards the younger one, because he gets all the attention. Vain forces moved him and he decided to build a bridge across the raging river, and such a bridge that the world had not seen before. And so he began to collect all necessary materials for construction, and his brother kept strumming and strumming on a mysterious instrument, not wanting to help in the construction of the famous bridge. The idleness of his brother angered him, and with all his malice he tore out the mellifluous instrument and smashed it against the rocks. It was the only instance of the instrument, however, having crashed against a rock, the dombra left an imprint on it. Over the centuries, people who found the imprint began to make similar musical instruments. So this beautiful musical instrument saw the light.

The legend of the modification of dombra

A long time ago, the dombra musical instrument had five strings and did not have a hole in the middle. Once he was in the possession of a very rich dzhigit, who was captivated by the beauty of the Khan's daughter. He gave the order that the horseman needed to show his love for his daughter and prove the seriousness of his intentions. To which the horseman decided to play the dombra. He played and sang songs in a uniquely beautiful and long way, at the end he began to sing about the disgusting qualities of the owner himself. To which the khan became incredibly angry and ruined the instrument by pouring molten lead into it, which ate out a round hole in the middle and three more strings.

Tragic legend about the creation of the Kazakh dombra

There is another sad belief about the origin of dombra (musical instrument). The story begins with the fact that the Khan's daughter fell in love with a young man, and soon they were expecting their first child. However, the Almighty gave them twins. But all this time, the girl was watched by an evil sorceress who kidnapped the kids and tied them upside down to the top of the sacred Baiterek tree. The kids died, and the tree withered from bitter tears.

When the mother discovered the loss, she immediately ran in search of her children. She wandered far, far away and fell exhausted, losing hope. However, the girl heard a sad melody and felt that these were her children. She climbed to the top of a withered tree and found the remains of her children. Swaying in the wind, they made beautiful sounds, and the girl decided to make a musical instrument out of them - dombra. And so this sweet-sounding creation appeared.

Legend of the Khan's son

One day the son of the great khan died on a hunt. It was ordered that anyone who notifies the owner of the death of his only son will have his throat filled with molten lead. The servants went to the wise master for advice and he found a way out of the situation. For three nights he made a musical instrument - and created a dombra. Then the master went to the owner and began to strum on it. Dombra told him about the death of her son, after which he gave the order to pour hot lead into the round hole of the instrument.

Tool structure

This is a plucked octagonal instrument with two strings and two main parts, which are called the body and neck.

As long millennia passed, the mellifluous instrument changed, but on the whole it retained its form.

Shanak is the body of the instrument, which performs the function of amplifying the sound. There are several methods for making shanaks - assembly and cutting methods. The first one is much more economical and convenient. The device is made from pieces of pine trees, hazel, maple and other types of trees. The second method is very painstaking and difficult, since shanak is made (cut down) from a whole tree.

The kakpak (or deck), which is responsible for the timbre and rhythm of the sound, should be made from single-species pine trees.

The stand of the Kazakh dombra is the key that matches the melody of the instrument. The sound quality of the Kazakh dombra depends on the parameters of the stand.

It should be noted that before the Kazakh musical instrument dombra was without a spring. However, to improve the sound, they began to use it, to mount it near the stand. The length of the spring varies from 200-350 mm.

One of the main elements of dombra is a string that acts as a source of sound vibrations. The sound quality of the works performed on it depends on the material from which the dombra is made.

The strings give a magical sound and show what a beautiful and sweet-sounding dombra is a musical instrument. How many strings does it contain? Just two strings. In ancient times, the intestines of sheep or goats were used for them.

An interesting fact is that the best strings were those made from two-year-old sheep. They create a low tone for the instrument, which is very typical for folk music.

The dombra also consists of sills that separate the keys and shells, which are made of maple.

The musician can change the sound of the instrument by pressing the strings to a certain place on the fretboard. To fulfill this purpose, the nut is used, which is distributed along the neck in accordance with the system used.

Types of Kazakh dombras

There are several varieties of dombra, which are called western and eastern. They are due to specific characteristic features different traditions. For playing faster songs, it is important that the dombra player's left hand glides easily over the fretboard.

Dombra are:

• Two-string.
• Three-stringed.
• Widebody.
• Bilateral.
• Undergryphal.
• With hollow necks.

Differences between domra and dombra

Domra or dombra? The domra musical instrument is somewhat different from the dombra. For example, dombra is a two-stringed musical instrument, and domra is three- or four-stringed. Domra is a Russian folk three-string instrument, and dombra is a Kazakh two-string instrument. There is also a difference in size, because domra is more like a toy instrument, and dombra can reach up to a meter in size.

Songs performed on dombra

More than a hundred legends have been preserved in which poetic lines are mentioned, accompanied by an ancient two-stringed musical instrument.

Songs have played a huge role in the life of Kazakh settlements since ancient times. Not a single event took place without songs accompanied by a stringed musical instrument. Singers-akyns have always been held in high esteem and respect, they were always invited to weddings and various feasts.

wedding songs

At Kazakh weddings, special attention was paid to the song of the bride, which was performed at the farewell ceremony. The song "Zhar-zhar" was sung at the moment when the bride came to the groom's house. At the very beginning of the wedding, the singers performed the "Opening of the Celebration", thus retelling the entire process of the wedding ceremony.

Songs for ritual rites

At the funeral, the Kazakhs also performed folk songs on dombra. Ritual compositions contained grief for the deceased and the grief that his death brought. At the funeral, the singers sang "Dauys", "Zhylau". There were also various tunes about the loss, for example "Zhyrma bes", which means "Twenty-five" in translation.

Historical legends

Everyone knows that Kazakhs love songs are very common. But the singers also loved to perform folk epic tales. Historical heritage This people has more than a hundred legends with thousands of poetic lines, which were performed using musical stringed instruments such as dombra or kyl-kobyz. An interesting fact is that epic tales have conveyed real historical events to the present day.

Legendary Kurmangazy

He was a great composer and songwriter for dombra. The Kazakh people are very proud of this man. He was considered a specialist in the field of legends, customs, and legends. From childhood, he learned to play the dombra, which is why he became a great musician, whom the Kazakhs call the "father of kyuis." Kurmangazy's composition "Adai" is popular not only in Kazakhstan, but also in other countries.

The work of Kurmangazy is business card all over Kazakhstan. Thanks to him, the whole world has an idea about the Kazakhs, their musical creativity and spiritual perception of the world.

Kurmangazy died in 1896 and now rests in the village of Altynzhar, Astrakhan Region, in the Russian Federation.

Tattimbet

Great composer and judge who lived in the 19th century. Received universal respect and vocation due to his musical activities. He is the author of more than forty kyuis.

Facts about dombra

• Dombra was included in the Guinness Book of Records after the Kazakh "Kenes" was performed in China by 10,450 dombra players.
• Dombra was decorated with eagle owl feathers.
• It is one of the most ancient instruments in the whole world.

- It is noteworthy that in the republic they decided to designate a whole day of the year as the day of a musical instrument, and this instrument became the dombra. Dombra is a symbol musical culture from nomads of antiquity to today, - Yuri Petrovich begins his story.

Dombra-like instruments have existed since time immemorial. According to the stones rock carvings dancing people, exhibited in the Ykylas Museum of Folk Musical Instruments, our ancestors played them more than 4 thousand years ago. However, the first reliable information about dombra appears only in the XVI-XVII centuries.

The ancestor of the dombra is the ancient Turkic musical instrument sherter. It resembles a dombra in shape, but has an open body, three strings and a short neck without frets. Sherter was made from a single piece of wood, and a leather soundboard was pulled over the body.

Sherter was played both by plucking or striking the strings, and with the help of a bow. Kobyz and dombra originated from the sherter.

Traditionally, craftsmen hollowed out dombra from a single piece of wood. As a material, any tree species that grew in the area was used. Over time, to improve the acoustic properties of the instrument, the method of its manufacture has changed. Dombra began to be made from separate glued parts, and hardwoods - pine, larch, spruce - began to be chosen as raw materials.

One of the main differences between modern dombra and the instruments that were played Kurmangazy And Dauletkerey, are strings. Now they are made from fishing line, but until the beginning of the 20th century, gut strings were used on dombra, made by a complex process of dressing mutton or goat intestines.

- The fishing line sounds very bright and powerful, but the gut strings give a special flavor, a very deep and soft sound. Frets - in Kazakh they are called "perne" - were also made from veins. Due to this, the sound of traditional dombra is rich in overtones and overtones.

Rich and deep sound

According to Yuri Petrovich Aravin, despite the simple design, dombra, like other Kazakh musical instruments, has a powerful and rich sound.

- It is possible to understand well how Kazakh musical instruments sound, using the example of kobyz. When a kobyz player plays the kyl-kobyz, he does not press the strings to the fretboard, but only lightly touches them. This creates a lot of overtones. Kobyz strings are made from horsehair. When this instrument is played, it actually sounds like a chorus of 46 individual hairs. The same can be said about the richness of the sound of dombra.

Experienced musicians, performing kui, can reflect in their music the grandeur of the vast expanses of the steppe, the clatter of hundreds of hooves or the rumble of an advancing army. Speaking about the power of dombra sound, Yuri Petrovich remembered a quote from the famous researcher of Kazakh folk music Alexander Zataevich:

- Zataevich, who perfectly penetrated into the peculiarities of Kazakh music, said that the dombra gives the impression not of a small one close up, but of something big and even grandiose, but as if from afar, like the striking of a good dining room clock. A very apt comparison, because table clocks can sound like huge bells. Dombra gives the same striking effect. You sit nearby, listen, and there sounds something huge, from afar. To feel this, it is enough to listen to the kui “Aksak Kulan”.

According to the musicologist, the phenomenon of dombra lies in its depth and diversity. It can sound like an entire orchestra, conveying a wide palette of sound. Such music resonates in the soul of the listeners and resonates with human psyche. With a long neck, round shape, soft materials and gut strings, this simple design creates perfect acoustics.

What is dombra

When imagining dombra, most people keep in mind an instrument of a strictly defined shape. Round teardrop-shaped body, long neck, two strings - this is how dombra is depicted everywhere, from the cover school textbooks to historical documentaries. In fact, there are many varieties of this instrument, which were made in various regions of Kazakhstan. Arka, Semipalatinsk, Zhetysu dombra are known. Traditionally, researchers distinguish two main types of dombra and schools of playing it - West Kazakhstan and East Kazakhstan.

East Kazakhstani dombra has a flat back deck, scoop-shaped body, short thickened neck (neck) with 8 frets.

— Dombra in the central and eastern regions belonged to the Arka school. It was used as an accompanying instrument to accompany singing. These regions had very rich vocal traditions. It was more convenient for the singers to press the flat dombra to the body. It doesn't sound as loud and doesn't overwhelm the voice.

West Kazakhstan dombra in modern times received the most widespread use. This is a classic teardrop-shaped dombra with a long thin neck and 15-16 frets on it. Such a dombra gives a greater acoustic range.

— Powerful dynamic kyui played on the West Kazakhstan dombra. Thanks to its sound qualities, it has gained popularity among professional musicians.

The collection of the Ykylas Museum presents unique dombras that belonged to famous akyns, kuishi, composers and poets. Among them, you can also find many interesting views this musical instrument. For example, on the front deck of a 160-year-old dombra Makhambet Utemisova cut out three small holes instead of one. Also noteworthy is a copy of the famous dombra abaya. In form, this is a typical East Kazakhstan dombra, but it has three strings.

- The three-string dombra of Abai should not confuse you. The fact is that the Kazakhs in this region came into close cultural contact with the Russian population. Abaevskaya dombra adopted three strings from the balalaika. Abai respected Russian culture and ordered just such an instrument for himself.

In the mid-30s, dombra, along with other Kazakh folk instruments, acquired an orchestral sound. Akhmet Zhubanov created the first orchestra in the republic on the basis of the Music and Drama College folk instruments. An experimental workshop was opened in the technical school in order to improve and unify dombra and kobyz for the orchestral range. To create new variants of dombra, Zhubanov attracted talented craftsmen - brothers Boris And Emmanuel Romanenko, Kambara Kasymova, Makhambet Bukeikhanov. This is how dombra-prima, dombra-alto, dombra-tenor, dombra-bass and other instruments appeared, which became an integral part of national orchestras.

— The Romanenko brothers had experience with Russian musical instruments. The famous Russian Orchestra of V. V. Andreev was taken as a model for the orchestra of folk instruments. Just as at one time the balalaika was remade to orchestral sound, the dombra was transformed. For example, a huge double bass dombra sounds completely different compared to a standard dombra. Instruments made by Romanenko, Kasymov and their followers are still valued among musicologists.

Kuishi Mastery

Kazakh folk music, which was composed and performed on the dombra, is a complex, bright and abstract art. Poetry is inextricably linked with music. The works of famous zhyrau, sals and akyns through music and oral creativity comprehend eternal philosophical questions.

— The work of kuishi and akyns touches on deep themes. It cannot be taken literally. If during the sounding of the kui it seems that you hear the clatter of horse hooves, then you need to understand that the author did not want to convey the horse's run, but the impression of this run in his soul. Kazakh art very meaningful and philosophical, it carries many meanings.

Professional School of Oral and musical creativity reached its peak in the Kazakh steppe in the 19th century. Talented akyns and kuishi could devote all their time to composing and performing music without worrying about other things. They often made their own suitable tool. In auls, performers were given shelter and food, clothes and horses. Aitys winners could count on a good prize and expensive gifts.

— good performer kyuis and dombra songs were welcome in any home and yurt. The tradition of patronage was very developed. As a fee, the winner of the aitys could be awarded an ingot of gold or silver. There is a description of how Abay's mother gave a golden hoof Birzhan-salu admiring his performing arts.

In our time, there are still disputes about who was the most skillful composer of kyuis for dombra. IN Soviet time the cult of Kurmangazy Sagyrbayuly was established, but Yuri Petrovich believes that the great kuishi had many no less talented contemporaries and followers.

- Kui Kurmangazy is very bright, memorable and eccentric, but in the pantry of Kazakh music there are more strong works. After the revolution, he was singled out among others because of his poor origin, relegating composers such as Dauletkerey to the background. Just listen to the kui "Zhiger"! It contains such depth and tragic power... It is impossible to say who was the most talented Kazakh composer. Musical works there are many for dombra, and everyone can find a favorite for themselves.

Dombra in everyday life of Kazakhs

Dombra played an important role in the life of not only professional performers and akyns, but also ordinary nomadic herders. Dombra was an indispensable attribute in every yurt and hung on place of honor on the core. Children learned music by playing a miniature dombra - shinkildek. Adults knew the motives famous songs and kuev and could play the simplest of them.

— Kazakhs are by nature very musical and aesthetic people. Long wanderings across the steppe contributed to the development of contemplation and music making. We must also not forget that music was a means of communication. No one has ever played the dombra just like that, out of the blue. At first, you told who you were, who you came from, where you were going, and what you saw. Music certainly accompanied the word, it helped the perception of words. For example, in order to inform relatives about the death of a relative, they often invited kuishi, who played estirta - a notice of death.

ABOUT great importance Dombra in the life of Kazakh society is also spoken by many legends and myths, where this musical instrument appears. The most famous of them is associated with the times of the Mongol invasion:

— U Genghis Khan had a son Zhoshi, who ruled the territory of modern Kazakhstan. Zhoshi also had an older son who was very fond of hunting kulans. Once, during a hunt, the leader of a herd of kulans knocked the prince out of the saddle, and the herd trampled him. No one dared to tell Zhoshi the bad news, because, according to custom, the messenger could be executed for this. Then they invited kuishi, who played the estirta khan on the dombra, sad news. Through the sounds of dombra, he conveyed the clatter of horses, the fear of kulans, the courage of their leader and the voice of the soul of the deceased young man. When he finished playing, Zhoshi understood everything and said: “You brought me bad news and you are worthy of death.” “I didn’t bring it to you, but my dombra,” answered kuishi. Then the khan ordered to pour hot lead into the dombra. This legend says a lot about the sound-visual properties of dombra and the power of its impact on people.

Many Asian peoples have stringed plucked instruments similar to dombra and similar in appearance, sound and playing style. The Uzbeks and Turkmens have a two-stringed teardrop-shaped instrument - the dutar. The Kyrgyz have three-stringed instrument komuz. The Mongols, Buryats and Khakasses also have musical instruments similar to the dombra.

- It cannot be argued that dombra is a unique and inimitable invention of the Kazakhs. Many peoples have analogues, but dombra can be called one of the amazing options for musical perfection. This instrument, simple at first glance, is able to express the deepest feelings. human soul. In the past, he was closely connected with the Kazakh people, and I hope that this will be the case in the future.

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the site found out what this tool means for the Kazakh people and what is its history. And also what connects President Nursultan Nazarbayev with the national instrument. Photos and videos with the participation of the Head of State were provided by the press service of Akorda.

How did dombra appear?

The Kazakh dombra has many relatives, including the Russian domra, the Uzbek dombra, and the Bashkir dombra. It is impossible to say exactly how and when the Kazakh national instrument appeared. But researchers are sure of one thing: this is an item with rich history. Archaeological finds indicate that the prototype of the dombra appeared more than 4000 years ago.

As evidence, they rock art found on the Maitobe Plateau in 1989. The figure shows a musical instrument similar in shape to a dombra and dancing people. Archaeologist Kemal Akishev attributed the find to the Neolithic era.

Rock painting / Photo from abai.kz

The Saka tribes also played an instrument very similar to the dombra. During the excavations of Khorezm, archaeologists found terracotta figurines of musicians with two-strings in their hands. We also found a description of this instrument among the Cumans (the European name for the Kipchaks). They loved dombra and the tribes of the Huns. Even their kyui have survived to this day: "Kenes", "Sary ozen", "Shubar at".

Abu Nasyr al-Farabi in his writings described the tambour as follows: an instrument very similar to the dombra.

There are, of course, beautiful legends about the origin of the instrument. According to one of them, two giant brothers lived in Altai. The younger one was very fond of playing his dombra. And as soon as he started to play, he forgot about everything in the world. The elder was very vain. He wanted to become famous by building a bridge across the river. He began to collect stones and build a bridge. The older one works, the younger one plays. The day passed, the second, the third. The musician is not in a hurry to help his brother. Then the elder got angry, grabbed the dombra and hit it against the rock. The music stopped, but the imprint remained on the stone. After many years, people found this imprint, began to make new dombras in its likeness - the music sounded again.

Another legend says that Genghis Khan's beloved son Jochi died while hunting, the servants did not know how to inform their ruler about this, and brought a musician to him. He did not say a word, he just played the kui "Aksak Kulan" on the dombra. The Khan understood everything and ordered the dombra to be executed. Since then, a hole has appeared on the tool - a trace of molten lead.

Another interpretation of the previous story was not without a love component. Previously, dombra was with five strings and without a hole. Dzhigit Kezhendyk masterfully owned this instrument. And so he fell in love with the daughter of the local khan. Khan invited the horseman to his yurt and ordered him to prove his love for his daughter. Kezhendyk began to play. He played for a long time and beautifully. And he sang not only about love. He sang songs about the khan himself, about his greed and greed. Khan got angry and ordered to pour lead on the dombra. Then a hole appeared and only two strings remained.

IN beautiful legends there is some truth. This plucked instrument, like no other, can convey the sound of the Kazakh steppe, the wind moving the feather grass, mountains resting against the sky, clouds blowing away into the distance. Kui can beautifully sing about beauty, and aitys can strike bitingly, recalling the basest qualities, after which the heroes will definitely want to fill the instrument with lead. It is not for nothing that brave akyns have been valued at all times. Music could say what people themselves were afraid to say. In the competition of aityskers, some even see the progenitors of modern rap battles.

For the Kazakh people, dombra has a special historical value. There is even a saying:

"Nagyz kazak - kazak emes, nagyz kazak - dombyra!" ("The real Kazakh -this is not the Kazakh himself, the real Kazakh is dombra!".

In 2010, dombra entered the Guinness Book of Records. In the regional center of Tola Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region In China, 10450 people simultaneously performed the Kazakh kui "Kenes".

The historical value of the dombra was also recognized by UNESCO. In 2014, the organization included the Kazakh kui, dombra and yurt in the heritage list.

The path to the power tool

Nomads made dombra from what was at hand, and from almost any material: wood, reeds, leather, bones, animal horns, horsehair. For the strings, the intestines of a goat or a ram were used.

In more late period and today dombra is made from strong oak and maple wood. Moreover, art critics share two types of dombra: western and eastern. Western is a large dombra with an oval pear-shaped body and a thin fingerboard. Experts note that this instrument has a special rumbling sound and it is saturated with overflows with a low timbre. Oriental dombras, on the contrary, are very melodic. They have a wide spade-shaped body and a short neck.

Creating a dombra is a special skill, an art that is not subject to everyone. How dombra will sound depends on the small detail. The type of tree plays an important role.

In 2012, an electric dombra was created. The author of the invention is Nurzhan Toyshi, the founder of the unusual Aldaspan group. As Nurzhan says in numerous interviews, the idea to create such a dombra came to him back in the late 80s, but it was possible to start implementation only in 2009. And in 2012, the first and only band in the world that plays the electric dombra appeared.

Dombra Day

Nursultan Nazarbayev appreciates the dombra and has a good command of the instrument. He is convinced - and he taught this to his grandchildren - that dombra is an integral part of history, the heritage of the Kazakh people.

Nursultan Nazarbayev with his grandchildren, 1992 / Photo by the press service of Akorda

In January 2002, the President said in an interview with the Russian magazine Echo of the Planet:

"Dombra is a purely national instrument. To simply understand it, one must be born a Kazakh ... Its sound is completely unusual. It seems to speak about the wide steppes of Kazakhstan, about our mountains, about our ancestors, about our history ...".

The newspaper "Kazakh adebieti" in 2006 also quoted the head of state:

"Kolym kalt etkende dombyraga kol sozyp, zhyr zhazatynym da sol bir armanshyl shaktan kalgan zhұқana da ("The habit of taking dombra in hand and writing songs has been formed since dreamy times")".

Nursultan Nazarbayev is not only a dreamer and sings about high feelings. At one of the events, the President played the dombra and sang about life and that the one who does, and not the one who talks a lot, deserves respect.

On June 13, the head of state signed a Decree, according to which the first Sunday of July in Kazakhstan was established as the National Dombra Day. On this day, throughout the country, thousands of dombra players will play the folk instrument.