Name: Santur
Type: Dulcimer > Chordophones.
Region: Iran > Middle East > Many.
Dimensions:
Acquisition Date:
Acquisition Source: Mohammed Namazi.
Description:
The santur is a struck chordophone and it is considered one of the most
ancient musical instruments in the struck chordophone family. The
hammered dulcimer family includes the Romanian Cymbalom, Greek Sanduri,
Turkish and Indian santurs and English hammered dulcimers. In China one
finds a hammered dulcimer called a Yang-Chin. In the Middle East the
santur is found in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Egypt and it is also found in
Kashmir and India. The name santur means (san meaning "100" and tur
meaning "strings"). It is debated whether the name maybe of Akkadian or
Aramaic in origin. Both the Assyrians and Babylonians have records of
the existence of the santur since the 669 B.C. Stone tablets have
described in great detail various stringed instruments in one resembled
a harp like instrument played with hammers. Documentation of the
hammered dulcimer in English liturature dates back since 1400 A.D, as a
Christened musical instrument. In Iraq the santur is constructed
slightly differently then its other counter parts and also uses steel
strings. The North Indian santur has its origins in Kashmir and its
design was improved upon by Shiv-Kumar Sharma. He added a lot more
strings to the instrument and increasing the over all size shape and
range for the instrument. In Persia the santur has a very ancient
history. It is also considered one of the great classical instruments.
The body of the santur maybe constructed from of the santur can be
constructed from walnut, rosewood, betel or palm. The santur may have
up to 72 strings arranged in quadruple sets. For each set of four
strings they are closely spaced together and travel across a bridge for
each set. For the lowest register bronze strings are used. The santur
can have up to 23 karak (bridges) under each set of strings. The santur
is tuned diatonically and has a range of 27 diatonic tones and a range
of three octaves.
Citations: Stanley Sadie -New Grove Dictionary of Music P to Z, Santur Page. 291 - Santur.com (Persian santur) > ney-nava.com [santur article] >
Santur article by Kereshmeh Records.com > Korosh Zolani (Chromatic Santur).