The cobza (koboz in Hungary) is a multi-stringed instrument of the lute family of folk origin popular in Romanian, Moldovan and Hungarian folk music .
It is distinct from the Ukrainian kobza, an instrument of a different construction and origin.[1] Romanian and Moldovan folk
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 end clasp.
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 origins of the Romanian cobza are thought to be 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 Romanian-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:
Grigore Kiazim
Ion Zlotea
Ion Strambeanu
Tudor Gheorghe
Marin Cotoanta
Fabri Geza
Matyas Bolya
Zoltan Katai
Tamas Kobzos Kiss
References [link]
- ^ 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
- ^ https://www.koboz.hu
- ^ https://www.campin.me.uk/Music/Cobza/
- ^ Viorel Cosma (1960), Figuri de Lautari, Musical Printing House, Bucharest, p. 230
- ^ Mizynec, V. - Folk Instruments of Ukraine. Bayda Books, Melbourne, Australia, 1987 - 48с.
References [link]
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https://www.koboziskola.hu/ https://www.friweb.hu/enekmondo/opening.php
