No matter how ubiquitous electronically generated music becomes, it cannot erase its ties to ancient relatives. Although modern instruments did not actually emerge in their present form until the 18th century, many of them owe their existence to ancient forebears. Early versions made sounds by hammering or plucking gut strings, and bows emerged much later. The bowed psaltery is actually a relatively young example of an old idea.
The sounds they produce often remind listeners of harp music, with the added tonality of a dulcimer and violin. Some Biblical passages mention the instrument by name, but that was a result of translators seeking to popularize ancient texts, not a verbatim description. It is true that psalteries originated partially in the Middle East, but they are now grouped with other members of he 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.
Fortunately, they did not vanish, but merely changed. If musical instruments had DNA, it could be discovered today in the genetic makeup of hammered dulcimers and their cousins. The harpsichord is primarily a hammered dulcimer with a keyboard, which later evolved into the familiar piano. Keyboards allowed greater personal expression, but could not reproduce the same ethereal, mystical sounds.
The sizes, shapes and sounds available today are a recent development. There is no literal date given to the emergence of modern versions, but popular historical accounts place it in Germany little more than one hundred years ago. The most obvious improvement was the addition of a short bow, making it simpler to play. It may produce medieval musical sounds, but has an industrial-age design.
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.
When the bow is placed between pegs and slowly drawn across tuned strings, the results can be lovely. Musicians can play from either side, not just from the highest point of the strings. There is not a specifically wrong way to hold one, and many players simply lay them on a table, or cradle them in their laps. There is a growing body of sheet music and psaltery sound-bites on line for those interested in honing their skills.
The sounds they produce often remind listeners of harp music, with the added tonality of a dulcimer and violin. Some Biblical passages mention the instrument by name, but that was a result of translators seeking to popularize ancient texts, not a verbatim description. It is true that psalteries originated partially in the Middle East, but they are now grouped with other members of he 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.
Fortunately, they did not vanish, but merely changed. If musical instruments had DNA, it could be discovered today in the genetic makeup of hammered dulcimers and their cousins. The harpsichord is primarily a hammered dulcimer with a keyboard, which later evolved into the familiar piano. Keyboards allowed greater personal expression, but could not reproduce the same ethereal, mystical sounds.
The sizes, shapes and sounds available today are a recent development. There is no literal date given to the emergence of modern versions, but popular historical accounts place it in Germany little more than one hundred years ago. The most obvious improvement was the addition of a short bow, making it simpler to play. It may produce medieval musical sounds, but has an industrial-age design.
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.
When the bow is placed between pegs and slowly drawn across tuned strings, the results can be lovely. Musicians can play from either side, not just from the highest point of the strings. There is not a specifically wrong way to hold one, and many players simply lay them on a table, or cradle them in their laps. There is a growing body of sheet music and psaltery sound-bites on line for those interested in honing their skills.