Kobyz

The Koby, also Qobyz, Qyl qobyz ( " horse hair Koby " ), Kazakh қобыз; is a string instrument in the folk music of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The two-stringed lute are attributed magical abilities.

Design

The type of instrument manufactured in very different designs belongs to the oriental short- necked lutes, its most famous representative of the oud, and has two strings made of horsehair and a sound box made of wood. In comparison to the music of the Uzbeks and Turkmen Kazakh music has preserved more Turkish musical forms.

The body may be elongated Fitted divided from one piece or in an upper and lower chamber. Two-part models are covered in the lower part with a camel or goat skin, wearing a body blanket the web. The upper part of the sound produced from a block of wood has an open to the strings sound chamber and shows a similarity with the Afghan and North Indian stringed lute Sarinda. Other instruments have a glued and closed at the top corpus. The woods used are birch or sycamore tree. The bow is also made of horse hair.

The two strings are tuned in fourths or fifths distance and create a soft blurred sound with lots of overtones.

Cultural Significance

The Koby is used because of its magical powers awarded in the rituals of the shaman ( Baqsy ) and is used in a healing ritual to expel evil spirits. The instrument is usually played by men, women with Koby's are generally regarded as shamans.

At the same time he is the accompanying instrument of the Kazakh epic poems, which date back to the 15th century. Carriers and agents of the great epics was formerly the Jyrau (of JYR, " epic poetry "). He was like the Turkish and Azerbaijani Aşık to widespread throughout Central Asia tradition of poet - singers. Similarly, the shaman he could contact the spirits of the dead, the souls of the departed heroes and guardian spirits. The Jyrau did not participate in the social changes in the 20th century during the period of Soviet rule. For the Soviet Communists, he represented to overcome feudal and superstition. In its place today Jyršy is active. In contrast to Jyrau he has no political power and can not see into the future, but mediated by the presentation of smaller epics as moral values ​​and enjoys a certain respect.

Originally Jyrau argued the epic texts without accompaniment, later he played his, presented in a throaty voice, overtone singing the Koby. He has for a fixed melody repertoire and specific performance techniques available. Was he came into contact with spirits and ancestors in the course of his lecture, he was not allowed to be interrupted. Jyršy, which tie back to the traditions of the epics after independence from the Soviet Union, do so within the timeframe of Western performance practice and are limited to short, put forward an impromptu verses ( terme ). Singer of songs that are specialized in hot Termeši.

The Koby is also the typical accompanying instrument in the folk songs of the Karakalpaks. In contrast to the Koby -playing singers and poets who Aqyn who accompanied themselves on the Dombra, during the Soviet era favored as folk singers were.

In Almaty, the cultural capital of the country, Kazakh pieces of music as well as adaptations of Western Classical by major orchestras are presented in concert. In conjunction with violins Koby may take on according to their pitch the part of cellos.