Post by Bandura on Jan 16, 2006 1:01:24 GMT -5
THE CONCERT BANDURA
The Concert bandura manufactured by the Chernihiv factory initially received
mixed acclaim when it first made its appearance in North America in the late
70's and early 80's and in some areas, this controversy continues to this
day. Much of this criticism is unjust, and is often due to a poor
understanding of the instrument and its potential.
The Concert Bandura is based on the design of the so-called "Prima" bandura
often refereed to in North America as the "Chernihivka". The main difference
between these two instruments is the fact that the concert bandura has a
mechanism housed in the upper pegbox. Sometimes the Concert Bandura has a
slightly larger body (wider by 1 cm). The Concert bandura also has
additional strings which fill in the spaces left in the secondary row, so
that two full diatonic rows are now available to the player. These two rows
cross at an angle in such a way that the main row strings are easy to strike
just below the centre line nearer the bridge and the secondary row strings
are easy to strike nearer the upper pegbox.
The mechanism inside the upper pegbox has been designed in such a way that
each of the strings in both rows can be raised by a semitone with the flick
of a lever. There are seven levers. Each one activates one note of the
diatonic scale in each octave in both the main and secondary rows,
simultaneously.
In the standard Prima instrument, the main row is tuned to a scale of G
major, with an incomplete secondary row made up of the five chromatic notes
of the octave. On the Concert Bandura, with all the mechanism levers
disengaged, the main row is tuned to the E flat major scale The secondary
row, which is filled in with additional strings, is tuned to a diatonic
scale a semi-tone below the tuning of the strings of the main row i.e. in
this case to the scale of D major.
By engaging the lever closest to the neck and twisting it to an angle 80
degrees away from the neck the mechanism presses down on the A flat string
in each of the octaves of the main row and raises it by a semitone to A
natural, thus the scale of B flat major is produced. Simultaneously the
mechanism on the note a semitone below the A flat, which is G in the
secondary row, is raised in each octave producing the scale of A major in
the secondary row.
By engaging the second lever, the E flat is raised to E giving the scale of
F major in the main row. This continues up the cycle of fifths as
illustrated by the following table:
EX 1
MAIN ROW
lever no. note altered scale
0 E flat major
1 A flat- A B flat major
2 E flat - E F major
3 B flat - B C major
4 F - F sharp G major
5 C - C sharp D major
6 G - G sharp A major
7 D - D sharp E major
By altering and turning the levers of the Concert Band
e Prima instrument and named it the "secondary row", rather than "chromatic
row".
When all the levers are disengaged, the secondary row is tuned to the scale
of D major, which is a semitone lower than the E flat major tuning of the
main row.
EX 2
Notice that both scales complement each other to produce all the notes of
the chromatic row. Notice also that two notes in each octave are doubled.
The mechanism was designed to retune the notes of the secondary row along
with those of the main row so that a full chromatic scale is always
available in every key.
EX 3
SECONDARY ROW
lever no. note altered scale
0 D major
1 G - G sharp A major
2 D - D sharp E major
3 A - A sharp B major
4 E - E sharp F sharp major
G flat major
5 B - B sharp C sharp major
D flat major
6 F# - F double sharp G sharp major
A flat major
7 C# - C double sharp D sharp major
E flat major
Eight major scales and their relative minors are available on the secondary
row, four of which (D, A, E, and E flat) are already available on the main
row, however four are new. The Concert Bandura consequently now has access
to all twelve major scales and all twelve relative minor scales.
Apart from the standard major and minor scales it is possible to adjust the
mechanism to obtain a harmonic minor i.e. a natural minor with the raised
7th degree.
EX 4
In the case above, with the bandura tuned to the key of C major i.e. with
the first three mechanisms engaged, the 6th mechanism was activated which
raised the G to a G sharp. It should be noted that the G natural is now
available in the secondary row and can be played as an accidental. The above
diagram illustrates a fundamental and common technique used by composers and
performers to play difficult passages, such as rapid scales in thirds or
sixths and chords, in the harmonic minor.
As well as the harmonic minor, the melodic minor is also available by
raising the 6th degree.
EX 5
By using the levers of the mechanism as in the previous two examples, other
scales can be created, some which occur in the performance of Ukrainian
Dumy.
EX 6: Harmonic Major Scale
EX 7: Duma row #1
EX 8: Duma row #2
The two existing whole tone scales used in French Impressionistic music and
occasionally in contemporary compositions are also easily available. Both
scales are available simultaneously as their only difference is that they
are separated by a semitone.
EX 9: Whole tone scales
Another device used by professional bandura players is the playing of notes
from the Dominant chord of the relative harmonic minor on the secondary row.
In the key of G major the three notes of the dominant chord of the relative
harmonic minor are B - D#- F#. The D# is in the secondary row and the B and
F# and available in both the main and secondary row. Having all the notes of
this constantly used chord on the one playing level makes the performance of
arpeggios and broken chord passages easier, as the performer does not have
to reach out of his playing area for these accidentals.
In recent times the technique of playing the secondary row has become quite
common and whole passages are now played on the secondary row. These
passages are often marked by the letters B. P. followed by a dotted line
placed above the music. The letters come from the Ukrainian words "Verkhnyj
riad " meaning upper row.
EX 10
The Concert bandura manufactured by the Chernihiv factory initially received
mixed acclaim when it first made its appearance in North America in the late
70's and early 80's and in some areas, this controversy continues to this
day. Much of this criticism is unjust, and is often due to a poor
understanding of the instrument and its potential.
The Concert Bandura is based on the design of the so-called "Prima" bandura
often refereed to in North America as the "Chernihivka". The main difference
between these two instruments is the fact that the concert bandura has a
mechanism housed in the upper pegbox. Sometimes the Concert Bandura has a
slightly larger body (wider by 1 cm). The Concert bandura also has
additional strings which fill in the spaces left in the secondary row, so
that two full diatonic rows are now available to the player. These two rows
cross at an angle in such a way that the main row strings are easy to strike
just below the centre line nearer the bridge and the secondary row strings
are easy to strike nearer the upper pegbox.
The mechanism inside the upper pegbox has been designed in such a way that
each of the strings in both rows can be raised by a semitone with the flick
of a lever. There are seven levers. Each one activates one note of the
diatonic scale in each octave in both the main and secondary rows,
simultaneously.
In the standard Prima instrument, the main row is tuned to a scale of G
major, with an incomplete secondary row made up of the five chromatic notes
of the octave. On the Concert Bandura, with all the mechanism levers
disengaged, the main row is tuned to the E flat major scale The secondary
row, which is filled in with additional strings, is tuned to a diatonic
scale a semi-tone below the tuning of the strings of the main row i.e. in
this case to the scale of D major.
By engaging the lever closest to the neck and twisting it to an angle 80
degrees away from the neck the mechanism presses down on the A flat string
in each of the octaves of the main row and raises it by a semitone to A
natural, thus the scale of B flat major is produced. Simultaneously the
mechanism on the note a semitone below the A flat, which is G in the
secondary row, is raised in each octave producing the scale of A major in
the secondary row.
By engaging the second lever, the E flat is raised to E giving the scale of
F major in the main row. This continues up the cycle of fifths as
illustrated by the following table:
EX 1
MAIN ROW
lever no. note altered scale
0 E flat major
1 A flat- A B flat major
2 E flat - E F major
3 B flat - B C major
4 F - F sharp G major
5 C - C sharp D major
6 G - G sharp A major
7 D - D sharp E major
By altering and turning the levers of the Concert Band
e Prima instrument and named it the "secondary row", rather than "chromatic
row".
When all the levers are disengaged, the secondary row is tuned to the scale
of D major, which is a semitone lower than the E flat major tuning of the
main row.
EX 2
Notice that both scales complement each other to produce all the notes of
the chromatic row. Notice also that two notes in each octave are doubled.
The mechanism was designed to retune the notes of the secondary row along
with those of the main row so that a full chromatic scale is always
available in every key.
EX 3
SECONDARY ROW
lever no. note altered scale
0 D major
1 G - G sharp A major
2 D - D sharp E major
3 A - A sharp B major
4 E - E sharp F sharp major
G flat major
5 B - B sharp C sharp major
D flat major
6 F# - F double sharp G sharp major
A flat major
7 C# - C double sharp D sharp major
E flat major
Eight major scales and their relative minors are available on the secondary
row, four of which (D, A, E, and E flat) are already available on the main
row, however four are new. The Concert Bandura consequently now has access
to all twelve major scales and all twelve relative minor scales.
Apart from the standard major and minor scales it is possible to adjust the
mechanism to obtain a harmonic minor i.e. a natural minor with the raised
7th degree.
EX 4
In the case above, with the bandura tuned to the key of C major i.e. with
the first three mechanisms engaged, the 6th mechanism was activated which
raised the G to a G sharp. It should be noted that the G natural is now
available in the secondary row and can be played as an accidental. The above
diagram illustrates a fundamental and common technique used by composers and
performers to play difficult passages, such as rapid scales in thirds or
sixths and chords, in the harmonic minor.
As well as the harmonic minor, the melodic minor is also available by
raising the 6th degree.
EX 5
By using the levers of the mechanism as in the previous two examples, other
scales can be created, some which occur in the performance of Ukrainian
Dumy.
EX 6: Harmonic Major Scale
EX 7: Duma row #1
EX 8: Duma row #2
The two existing whole tone scales used in French Impressionistic music and
occasionally in contemporary compositions are also easily available. Both
scales are available simultaneously as their only difference is that they
are separated by a semitone.
EX 9: Whole tone scales
Another device used by professional bandura players is the playing of notes
from the Dominant chord of the relative harmonic minor on the secondary row.
In the key of G major the three notes of the dominant chord of the relative
harmonic minor are B - D#- F#. The D# is in the secondary row and the B and
F# and available in both the main and secondary row. Having all the notes of
this constantly used chord on the one playing level makes the performance of
arpeggios and broken chord passages easier, as the performer does not have
to reach out of his playing area for these accidentals.
In recent times the technique of playing the secondary row has become quite
common and whole passages are now played on the secondary row. These
passages are often marked by the letters B. P. followed by a dotted line
placed above the music. The letters come from the Ukrainian words "Verkhnyj
riad " meaning upper row.
EX 10