Cymbal
Its ”body” is horizontal and trapezoidal box shape. An old, folk version is called the little cymbal which is a rarity in the Hungarian language in our days. Its improved version is a larger pedal cymbal with a silencer pedal. In the first instance, this instrument plays an important role in the Gypsy bands but also known as a folk instrument.
This large pedal cymbal was born in the 1870s at the Schunda Vencel József Musical Instrument Factory in Budapest. The instrument got feet and later it was fitted with silencer pedals, which eliminated one of the most unpleasant shortcomings of the old small cymbal. The volume of the cymbal is similar to the piano.
Sounding the instrument
Two beats made from acacia or walnut are used to sounding the cymbal, which is 34 cm long and its thickness is various. The head of these beaters are bare or have felt or leather strip on its impact surface.
On a Hungarian Dance Performance, you can hear out the sounding of the famous cymbal and it is big enough to recognize it amongst the instruments.
Here is a link to a concert where the cymbal is a must-have instrument.
https://budapestxplore.com/en/hungarian-dance-performance-in-budapest-xpZTUYIMzEYW
Cymbals are mainly used by Gypsy bands. Its role is mainly accompanying the melody, to fill the sound or play cords but this instrument also good for a solo play. Gypsy musicians learned to play on cymbal from each other.
The earliest representation of the cymbal instrument type can be found on the ivory book cover of the Egerton codex from Byzantine of 1139.
Because of the lack of historical data, it is very difficult to know that when and how the cymbal could be localized in Hungary.
sources:
https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cimbalom
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