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Dombra
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The dombura ( Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, dambura (also danbura) in northern Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan Bashkir and Tatar dumbira) are long-necked lutes popular in the Central Asian nations. The name arises from the originally Persian tanbur and the instrument shares some of its characteristics, varying from region to region, with the Turkic komuz. It is a traditional instrument of Central Asia, and is especially popular in such countries as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan as well as by Kazakhs living in China.
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The dombura ( Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, dambura (also danbura) in northern Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan Bashkir and Tatar dumbira) are long-necked lutes popular in the Central Asian nations. The name arises from the originally Persian tanbur and the instrument shares some of its characteristics, varying from region to region, with the Turkic komuz. It is a traditional instrument of Central Asia, and is especially popular in such countries as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan as well as by Kazakhs living in China. The dutar of Turkmenistan is also closely related.
The Kazakh dombura has frets and is played by either strumming with the hand, or plucking each string individually, with an occasional tap on the main surface of the instrument. While the strings are traditionally made of sinew, modern domburas are usually produced using nylon strings.
The Kazakh poet Abay Qunanbayuli is often shown holding a dombura at rest and many hold it in high regard as a symbol of nationalism among the post-Soviet nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The dombura is played by Asylbek Ensepov in the Ulytau band.
The Turkestani and Badachstan damburas are fretless. The dambura's body and neck are carved hollow from a single block of wood: the Turkestani dambura's neck is usually made from mulberry or apricot. It is a popular folk instrument, particularly among the Hazara people. Safdar Tawakoli is a notable Afghan dambura players. The dambura is played with much banging and scratching on the instrument to help give a percussive sound. The two strings are made of nylon (in modern times) or gut. They cross a short bridge to a pin at the other end of the body. There is a tiny sound hole in the back of the instrument, while the top is thick wood. It is not finished with any varnish, filing/sanding of any kind, and as with all other Afghan instruments there is some decoration.
The Dumbira is the equivalent instrument of the Tatars and Bashkirs. A performer strikes all the strings at the same time. The upper string performs the bourdon tone and the lower string performs the melody. A dumbira is used as a solo as well as an ensemble instrument.
In the 12-18 centuries the dumbira was used by the Bashkir sasans to accompany their poetic legends and kubairs. There are some lines about a dumbira in the epic poem "Zayatulyak and Hiuhiliu". However, by the beginning of the 20 century, the dumbira was forgotten. The information about the dumbira has come to us from ancient times. Scholars have made a link between the disappearance of the dumbira and Bashkir insurrections. The sasans were often the main ideologists of ethnic insurrections. So when the Russian administration put down a rising, they punished the sasans and destroyed their dumbiras.
In the 2nd part of 20th century, several reconstructions were carried out. At present, the revivalist work continues. Among others, performer V. Shugayupov works on the revival of the dumbira. The modern wooden dumbira has a pear-shaped or an oval form.
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