THE BALALAIKA A Russian Icon Balalaika plucked lute

THE BALALAIKA: A Russian Icon Balalaika (plucked lute) from Russia

The Balalaika: A Russian Icon Suggested Grade Levels: 9– 12, 7– 8 Gallery: Europe Culture Group: Russian Instruments: Balalaika, domra, harmoshka, gusli, children’s instrument collection Cocurricular Areas: Language Arts, Music, Science, Social Studies Russia Exhibit at MIM.

Iconic Architecture: “Onion Domes”

Icon Art

The Balalaika: A Folk Instrument Organologists (musical instrument specialists) tell us that the predecessor to the balalaika is the lute, long played in Russian peasant villages as a solo instrument.

Balalaikas (plucked lutes) from Russia

Compare and Contrast Different ensembles can interpret the same piece of music differently. n Compare and contrast among the next three performances of “The Birch Tree. ” n How do musical elements (instrumentation, lyrics and language, tempo, dynamics, melody, and rhythm) influence each musical performance? n

The Birch Tree See the lovely birch in the meadow. Curly leaves all dancing when the wind blows. Loo-lee-loo when the wind blows, Loo-lee-loo when the wind blows. Oh, my little tree I need branches, for three silver flutes I need three branches. Loo-lee-loo three branches, Loo-lee-loo three branches. From another branch I will make now, I will make a tingling balalaika, Loo-lee-loo balalaika, Loo-lee-loo balalaika. When I play my new balalaika, I will think of you, my lovely birch tree. Loo-lee-loo lovely birch tree, Loo-lee-loo lovely birch tree. http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=SKC 4 M 0 d. Q 8 AE http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=ECDich. Gwpgc Solitary Russian birch tree located in Village Kuznetsovo, Klin Raion, Moscow Oblast. Photograph by Carl Bagge.

Evaluating Musical Performances Child’s Voice Red Army Choir Vocal Ensemble

Other Russian Folk Instruments Bajan (button accordion) Prima Domra (plucked lute) Alto Domra ( plucked lute)

Children’s Instruments Gusli (Russian: [ˈguslʲɪ]) is the oldest Russian multi-string plucked instrument. Its exact history is unknown; it may have derived from a Byzantine form of the Greek kythare, which in turn derived from the ancient lyre. It has its relatives throughout the world - kantele in Finland, kannel in Estonia, kanklės and kokle in Lithuania and Latvia. Furthermore, we can find kanun in Arabic countries and the autoharp in the USA. It is also related to such ancient instruments as Chinese gu zheng which has a thousand year history and its Japanese relative koto.

Every Instrument Has a Story

What do you know? Define icon in multiple contexts. Recall the history of the balalaika as an iconic folk instrument of Russia. Summarize the balalaika’s role in Russian history and musical culture. Apply the concepts of musical elements to analyze a recent musical performance.

Extensions Apply these concepts to instrumental works by the following composers: Mily Balakirev César Cui Modest Mussorgsky Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Alexander Borodin