MID-EAST PRIMA BALALAKIA
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Our Balalaika Prima is crafted with the traditional three strings and measures approximately 27 inches in length. The scale length is 430 millimetres. The body possesses the classical triangular shape. The back is slightly bowed and constructed using alternating staves made of ROSEWOOD & LACEWOOD. The darker back contrasts with the light-coloured wood of the soundboard.
The Balalaika strings are tuned above middle C to A, E, E (1st-3rd). The first string is the thinnest and lies over more frets than the second and third strings. Use a piano or electronic tuner as a reference for tuning. The tension on each tuning peg can be adjusted by tightening or loosening the screw on the top of the peg. To play, the left hand notes the strings while the index finger of the right-hand strums high on the soundboard near the neck. The dark ROSEWOOD on the soundboard is decorative but also protects the soundboard from the strumming.
The Balalaika most likely evolved from the Oriental dombra, which is still played in present-day Kazakhstan. Knowledge of the dombra most likely spread to Russia by Mongol trade and conquest. After undergoing structural changes, the Balalaika was embraced by Russians. It is said that the Balalaika embodies the Russian people's character, with its ability to switch from happiness to sadness with ease. It was common for the peasant ballads, composed for the Balalaika, to irreverently poke fun at the authority of the times. For this reason, there were times when the Balalaika was banned by both the Orthodox Church and the State. The instrument enjoyed its greatest folk popularity in the early 18th century.
In the latter half of the 19th century, the balalaika underwent several transformations, notably the adoption of its iconic triangular shape. Notably, Vassily Vasilievich Andreyev is credited with the transition from a folk instrument to a concert instrument. Andreyev’s chamber ensemble, subsequently renamed The Great Russian Imperial Balalaika Orchestra, played a pivotal role in introducing the instrument to various cultures beyond Russia. Additionally, the balalaika was a symbol of resilience, carried by the common people during periods of war as they sought refuge from Russia.