How many names does a Cimbalom have?

[Dick Glasgow]

The Cimbalom



OK So how many names does a Cimbalom have?

Well, according to trusty old Wikipedia:

The instrument is known by different names in different countries and when played in different styles.
A partial list includes the following:

Belarus: Tsymbal
Czech Republic: Cimbál
Greece: Sandouri
Hungary: Cimbalom
France: Cymbalum
Iran: ? ?
Klezmer & Jewish music: Tsimbl
Poland: cymbal
Romania: Tambal (the large cimbalom is called Tambal mare)
Russia: Tsymbal
Slovenia: Cembale
Turkey: Santur
Ukraine: Tsymbal
Slovakia: Cimbal

Wikipedia - Cimbalom

[Dick Glasgow]

N.B. This reply was posted by Nikita, over on the European Dulcimer thread, before I started this Cimbalom thread.

It's strange that wikipedia doesn't give a name for iran : I definitely sure it's called Santur over there : it was the court instrument at the time of the Shahs, and is still very representative of Iranian music. In India it's spelled Santoor most of the time. But of course all of you know that, and it's already written somewhere on this site...

[dulcimer42]

Wikipedia says in the Ukraine it is a tsymbaly. When I bought mine, I did a little research and what I have found is that one is a tsymbal and the plural is tsymbaly. Is that correct? Sort of like Ukrainian decorated eggs. One is a pysanka and two or more are pysanky. (Need I tell you, this is my current new hobby.)

[Dick Glasgow]

Hey 42, that makes good sense to me, so I've corrected the list above.

Following that logic I've also changed Poland's instrument from a cymbaly to a cymbal.

Cheers
Dick

[juliette]

You guys have probably discussed this - but have you seen the Chinese hammer dulcimer? It's got 6 bridges and you can play it chromatically. They do alot of Western Classical-type stuff over there as well as Chinese music.

[Dick Glasgow]

If your thinking of the Yangqin Juliette, then you might like to check out these boards:

Yangqin

The fact is, some members here have actually been to China & seen these wonderful instruments in situ.
Others have seen them being played by experts at the annual congress of the Cimbalom World Association.
So if you have any questions about them please ask away, cause I know they would be well able & only too pleased, to answer any questions you might have.

Cheers
Dick

[juliette]

Thanks, Dick. It's amazing to me that for so many years I heard the sound of this Yangquin in Chinese restaurants, travelogs & whatnot...... but never really connected it in my brain --that it was a type of h.dulcimer. They play it with sort of a tremelo going on one note in alot of the tunes, don't they?..... it's a very typical chinese sound, that yangquin. I'll go check out the yangqin theads now. Cheers yourself! :-)