Rubab

Infobox Instrument
name= Rubab
names=


classification=
*Necked bowl lutes
*String instruments
range=
related=
*Angélique (instrument)
*Archlute
*Balalaika
*Barbat (lute)
*Bağlama
*Biwa
*Bouzouki
*Charango
*Chitarra Italiana
*Daguangxian
*Đàn tỳ bà
*Dombra
*Domra
*Dutar
*Electric pipa
*Erhu
*Irish bouzouki
*Liuqin
*Lute
*Mandocello
*Mandola
*Mandolin
*Oud
*Pandura
*Pipa
*Rubab
*Setar
*Sitar
*Surbahar
*Tanbur
*Tanbur (Turkish)
*Tembûr
*Theorbo
*Tiorbino
*Tiqin
*Topshur
*Veena
*Zhonghu

Rubab or Robab (PerB|رُباب "Rūbāb", Hindi: रुबाब) is a lute-like musical instrument from Afghanistan. [David Courtney, "Rabab", Chandra & David's Homepage, [http://chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/rabab.html LINK] ] It is not to be confused with the rebab, which is played with a bow. The rubab is mainly used by Afghan and Iranian Kurdish classical musicians. A short-necked lute made of wood, with goatskin covering the body, the "rubab" has three melody strings tuned in fourths, three drone strings, and 11 or 12 sympathetic strings. The instrument is made from the trunk of a mulberry tree and the strings are made from the intestines of young goats, brought to the size of thread.

History

The rubab is attested since the 7th century. It is mentioned in old Persian books, and many Sufi poets mention it in their poems. It is the traditional instrument of Khorasan (Present Afghanistan), and is thus also widely used in countries neighbouring Afghanistan, such as Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Rubabs made in Iran slightly differ from those of Afghanistan, as the Afghan rubab (mostly known as "Kabuli rubab") is known to be the more traditionally modeled. The rubab is known as "The Lion of instruments", and is one of the two National Instruments of Afghanistan (together with the Zerbaghali).

The rubab possibly can be deemed the ancestor of the North Indian "sarod" and "sarangi" [Simon Broughton, "Tools of the Trade: Sarod", Published in Songlines-The World Music Magazine, [http://www.sarod.com/sarod/default.htm LINK] ] [Instruments of Afghanistan, afghanland.com, [http://www.afghanland.com/entertainment/music/instruments/instruments.html LINK] ] , which are often used in Hindustani classical music, but - unlike the sarod - it is a fretted instrument.

Notable Rubab players

Famous players of the rubab are Bijan Kamkar, Ustad Mohammad Omar, Mohammad Rahim Khoshnawaz, Homayun Sakhi and Khaled Arman.

The Pamiri "rubab" (Tajikistan)

In Tajikistan, a similar but somewhat distinct rubab is played containing a shallower body and neck than the Afghan "rubab". The Pamiri rubab has six gut strings, one of which, rather than running from the head to the bridge, is attached partway down the neck, similar to the fifth string of the American banjo. [ [http://www.iis.ac.uk/view_article.asp?ContentID=106106 Music and Poetry from the Pamir Mountains Musical instruments] The Institute of Ismaili Studies.]

ee also

*Music of Afghanistan
*Music of Kurdistan
*Music of Iran
*Music of Central Asia

External links

* World Music Central - Ustad Mohammad Omar [http://worldmusiccentral.org/artists/artist_page.php?id=1578 LINK]
* http://www.amc.org.uk/education/articles/Music%20of%20the%20Uyghurs.htm

References