Cithara

The kithara (Greek κιθάρα - now also in Greek term for the classical guitar ') is a stringed instrument of ancient Greek civilization. She was one of the finest instruments, which was preferably played on festive occasions, especially when cult in honor of the god Apollo. Despite the similarity of the two lyres lyre and kithara were different instruments. The lyre was usually small and had no foot. From cithara and lyre, the instrument names in common use today guitar, zither and hurdy-gurdy derived.

History

The kithara was a five-to zwölfsaitiges instrument and developed in 8 / 7 Century BC from the mostly four-stringed Phorminx ( φόρμιγξ ). The Ependichter Homer called playing with the Phorminx kitharis or kitharizein. Both instruments were dedicated to the god Apollo. He plays the lyre in the music contest with Pan. In the early translations of the Old Testament was rendered with the Greek kithara, the Hebrew word for kinnor the ancient Biblical lyre.

Mythology

In Greek mythology, the lyre invented by Hermes. On the day of his birth, he rose from his cradle and hit outside his cave on a sea turtle. Since he was interested in the tank, he killed the turtle, and ripped the flesh. When he noticed that the tank was hollow, he was looking for a cow and killed it. The intestines of cattle he stretched over the tank. Thus, the kithara was invented. Later, Hermes gave Apollo this to placate him for killing his cattle.

Construction

Central to this was a fabricated wooden sound box. Front he was flat, arched back (after Münzdarstellungen and sculptures ), down he was finishing off. Laterally, the orchestra went on in two mutually curved, oval -shaping ( hollow ) arms, which expired in parallel ends. The instrument thus had a certain resemblance to an upside-down, big omega ( Ω ). A transverse bar ( yoke ) connected the parallel arm ends and served as strings tensioner. From there went the strings of a V-shape on the sound body and a guide bar tailpiece at the bottom of the instrument.

Play

The Kitharistes ( κιθαριστής ), the kithara player, standing in the instrument held vertically in front of him mostly by fixed it with a running over the left wrist strap against your chest. The right hand plucked the strings with a plectrum (percussion flakes of metal, ivory, wood). The left hand dampened the string or the string by shortening was higher fundamental frequencies. With some ( later ) forms the instrument was maintained with a continuous shoulder strap.