Problems of reconstruction and using ethnic musical instruments in Lithuania. Part 2: estimation of the standard of the ensembles

Process of reconstruction of the ethnic musical instruments in Lithuania, which began at the end of the 19th century and was continued in the 1900sñ 1940s made a possibility to use new models of these instruments to play not only solo, but as well to develop the traditions of folk instrumental performing. According to the new purpose, the ensembles of these instruments were estimated using the model of the ensembles of European classical musical instruments. Thus, ensemble of very popular stringed instrument kanklÎs in the 1930s was oriented to the classical string quartet, and there were the kanklÎs-prima, kanklÎs-seconda, kanklÎs-viola and kanklÎs-bass (Figure 1). Later this quartet was modified: viola was changed to the bass, and bass ñ to the double-bass (Figure 4). The ensemble of skuduËiai ñ multi-pipe whistles in the 1930s ñ consisted of three sections using various number: from 14 to 30 pipes played by six performers (Figures 2, 3). The ensemble of birbynÎ (reed-pipes) for the first time as the group of newly formed orchestra of Lithuanian folk instruments was found in 1941. It was consisting of six instruments: two sopranos in D, two ñ in C, alto and bass (Figure 5). In 1950ñ1956 the quintet of these modified instruments included three sopranos, tenor and double-bass (Figure 6). The orchestra of Lithuanian folk instruments in 1941 united all the ensembles of modified ethnic musical instruments and was directly oriented to the constitution of the classical symphony orchestra. The wind instruments were two lumzdeliai, flutes, six birbynÎs, skuduËiai (six parts), four daudytÎs (trumpets), string instruments (quartet of the kanklÎs) and the drums (kelmas and skrabalai). [...]Kultūrų studijų katedraVytauto Didžiojo universiteta