Name: Khomouz.
Type: Fretless Plucked Lute > Chordophones.
Region: Kyrgyzstan > Turkestan > Central Asia.
My Specimen: Made in Turkestan (Xinjiang China).
Dimensions:
Date of Acquisition:
Source of Acquisition: Clarion Music, San Franscisco USA.
Description: The
khomouz is classified as a fretless long necked lute; it is a
member of the plucked chordophone family of musical instruments.
Although the name Khomouz applies to many different musical instruments
throughout many Turkic, Central Asian and Siberian peoples, in this
case the name khomouz applies to a lute played amongst the Kyrgyz
people and it is considered their national musical instrument. The
Khomouz is found in both Kyrgyzstan and neighbouring Turkestan
(Xinjiang China). Traditionally the khomouz is used to accompany
vocals, play songs or played in ensembles. In Moskow a luthier named A.
F. Gryebnev added 13 frets for playing in the 12-tone equal
temperament. The characteristics of his design followed the traditional
shape of the khomouz although the main difference is the addition of
the frets. Soon after a family of Khomouz from prima to contra-bass
were created. These influences were largely borrowed from the efforts
taken by V. Andreyev for the balalaika. In Tashkent Uzbekistan two
musical instrument makers A. I. Petrosyants and S. E. Didenko built a
khomouz having a narrower body and then added 19 frets.
Anatomy of the Khomuz:
The body of the khomouz is constructed from three pieces of wood. Each
piece of wood is carved seperately and then glued together to the
soundboard. The fingerboard is fretless and machine-gear tuners are
affixed onto the body of the khomouz. Traditionally wooden friction
tuning pegs were used. A small sound hole is drilled into the centre of
the soundhole. The same type of wood is used throughout the whole
construction of the khomouz. The khomouz has a small moveable bridge
and currently uses nylon strings. The Khomouz
that are made in Kyrgyzstan or Xingjiang China (Turkestan) remain
intact with their fretless neck.
The Tunings: The tunings in
use for the Khomouz are unique amongst the family of Central Asian long
necked lutes. The lowest and highest
pitched strings are tuned either a fourth or fifth apart. A wide range
of tunings exist from region to region many of which are dedicated with
their own names.
Khomouz Tunings
| Kambarkan |
D-A-D |
|
| Shringrama |
D-A-E |
|
| Terz |
D-A-G |
|
| Ongu |
E-A-B |
Considered a rare tuning |
| Kerbez |
E-A-E |
|
| |
D-D'-A |
2nd string D tuned an octave |
| |
Bb-C-F |
|
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C-B-C |
|
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C,-F-C |
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Citations: Some
of the tunings were gathered from an article - article "Kirghiz
Instruments and Instrumental Music" by George Solos, published in
Ethnomusicology, Vol. 5, No.1 (Jan.,1961) cites a survey by Aleksander
Zataevich which gives the tunings for the komuz. kyrgyzmusic.com > Kirgiz Music Instruments by Mark Slobin (Google Books Search).
