Cobza

Cobza

The cobza is a Romanian and Moldovan folk instrument of the lute family (also known as koboz in Hungary). It is distinct from the Ukrainian kobza, an instrument of a different organology and origin.^[1]

Modern cobza

The Romanian cobza is metal-strung (although nylon-strung models exist, mostly in Hungary), and has a very short neck without frets, with a bent-back pegbox. The back is ribbed. It is usually double or triple strung, and often has a characteristic flat endclasp.

The cobza is played with a plectrum in elaborate and florid melodic passagework, and has a pick-guard similar to that of an oud. Its strings are widely spaced at the bridge to facilitate this technique. It has a soft tone, most often tuned to D-A-D-G (although tuning depends per style, region and player).^[2]

The Romanian cobza is a local adaptation of the Persian barbat or Turkish oud, probably brought to the area by itinerant gypsy musicians in the 15th century^[3] (a gypsy musician is called lăutar, literally lute-player). A cobza player specifically is called a cobzar.^[4]

The Romanina-Hungarian cobza was also played by Ukrainian musicians in various music ensembles in the Bukovyna region in the mid war periods, being replaced totally by the mandolin and 4 stringed domra when this area became incorporated into the Ukrainian SSR^[5].

Etymology

The name of the instrument comes from turkic "kopuz".

Notable players include:

Romania:

Grigore Kiazim

Ion Zlotea

Ion Strambeanu

Tudor Gheorghe

Marin Cotoanta

Hungary:

Fabri Geza

Matyas Bolya

Zoltan Katai

Tamas Kobzos Kiss

References

1. ^ Gregory F. Barz, Timothy J. Cooley (eds.) (1997), Shadows in the Field: New Perspectives for Fieldwork in Ethnomusicology, Oxford University Press, New York, p. 187
2. ^ http://www.koboz.hu
3. ^ http://www.campin.me.uk/Music/Cobza/
4. ^ Viorel Cosma (1960), Figuri de Lautari, Musical Printing House, Bucharest, p. 230
5. ^ Mizynec, V. - Folk Instruments of Ukraine. Bayda Books, Melbourne, Australia, 1987 - 48с.

References

http://www.koboziskola.hu/ http://www.friweb.hu/enekmondo/opening.php