The laouto (Greek: λαούτο, pl. laoutaλαούτα) is a long-neck fretted instrument of the lute family, found in Greece and Cyprus, and similar in appearance to the oud.[1] It has four double-strings. It is played in most respects like the oud (plucked with a long plectrum); in Cyprus the laouto is plucked with a feather.[2] This instrument is known in Albania as "llautë" (indefinite form) or "llauta" (definite form),[3] and in Romania as "lăuta".
Laouto
Different kinds of laouto, from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Unlike the oud and other short-necked lutes, the laouto has a higher string tension due to its steel strings and longer neck, and hence it is brighter in tone than the oud. It also has movable frets to permit the playing of the dromoi, or modes of Greek traditional music. The laouto also tends to have only one sound hole (sometimes two) whereas the oud family tend to have three. Despite this, there are many similarities between the laouto and the oud.
The soundboard is often made of spruce or cedar wood, while the body is usually made of a harder wood such as maple or walnut. This is a practice consonant with the construction of other (round-backed) lutes.
The 11 frets of the neck are removable (and can be re-positioned for differing intervals) and made of nylon (resembling the gut/nylon frets of the lute). Up to 9 wooden frets, mounted on the soundboard, are fixed. The intervals of the frets may be more frequent than that of a guitar to permit the playing of maqams.
The strings of the laouto were traditionally of gut, although modern laoutos have also steel (or steel wound nylon) strings similar to those of the bouzouki.
Tuningedit
Evagoras Karageorgis from Cyprus playing a laouto.
Maria Ploumi playing a laouto as part of an ensemble.
Except for the first (A4A4) strings, which are tuned in unison, the laouto's other strings are paired, tuned an octave apart. The interval from one pair to the next is tuned in fifths (C3C4-G3G4-D3D4-A4A4). The Laouto has a re-entrant tuning, G3G4 tuned a fourth lower than C3C4.
The two primary contemporary variants of the laouto, one somewhat smaller than the other, are to be found on mainland Greece (steriano laouto) and on the island of Crete (Cretan laouto). The larger sized instrument (wider body) is played mainly on the island of Crete and tends to be tuned differently (G2G3 - D2D3 - A2A3 - E3E3), the re-entrant tuning is still a characteristic of the Cretan laouto (or lagouto (Greek: λαγούτο)), because D2D3 is a fourth lower than G2G3. In Cyprus, Cypriot laouto is tuned C - G - D - A.
The role of the laouto in Greek traditional music is primarily that of accompaniment. The laouto is often played in a duo (the one laouto tuned more bass than the other) with the Cretan lyra or with the violin (in Cyprus).
Tole, Vasil (2014), Enciklopedia e iso-polifonisë popullore shqiptare (in Albanian)
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Laouto.
Cretan music
Atlas of plucked musical instruments
April 26, 2024
laouto, laouto, greek, λαούτο, laouta, λαούτα, long, neck, fretted, instrument, lute, family, found, greece, cyprus, similar, appearance, four, double, strings, played, most, respects, like, plucked, with, long, plectrum, cyprus, laouto, plucked, with, feather. The laouto Greek laoyto pl laouta laoyta is a long neck fretted instrument of the lute family found in Greece and Cyprus and similar in appearance to the oud 1 It has four double strings It is played in most respects like the oud plucked with a long plectrum in Cyprus the laouto is plucked with a feather 2 This instrument is known in Albania as llaute indefinite form or llauta definite form 3 and in Romania as lăuta LaoutoDifferent kinds of laouto from the 19th and 20th centuries String instrumentOther nameslaoyto ClassificationNecked bowl lutes String instrumentsHornbostel Sachs classification321 321 Composite chordophone sounded with a plectrum Related instrumentsBarbat lute Baglama Biwa Bouzouki Dombra Domra Dutar Lavta Lute Mandocello Mandola Mandolin Mandolute Oud Pipa Qanbus San apoklhros gyrizw Xarhs amp AnastasiaExample of Laouto playing with a singer Contents 1 Construction 2 Tuning 3 Notable players 4 See also 5 References 6 Literature 7 External linksConstruction editUnlike the oud and other short necked lutes the laouto has a higher string tension due to its steel strings and longer neck and hence it is brighter in tone than the oud It also has movable frets to permit the playing of the dromoi or modes of Greek traditional music The laouto also tends to have only one sound hole sometimes two whereas the oud family tend to have three Despite this there are many similarities between the laouto and the oud The soundboard is often made of spruce or cedar wood while the body is usually made of a harder wood such as maple or walnut This is a practice consonant with the construction of other round backed lutes The 11 frets of the neck are removable and can be re positioned for differing intervals and made of nylon resembling the gut nylon frets of the lute Up to 9 wooden frets mounted on the soundboard are fixed The intervals of the frets may be more frequent than that of a guitar to permit the playing of maqams The strings of the laouto were traditionally of gut although modern laoutos have also steel or steel wound nylon strings similar to those of the bouzouki Tuning edit nbsp Evagoras Karageorgis from Cyprus playing a laouto nbsp Maria Ploumi playing a laouto as part of an ensemble Except for the first A4A4 strings which are tuned in unison the laouto s other strings are paired tuned an octave apart The interval from one pair to the next is tuned in fifths C3C4 G3G4 D3D4 A4A4 The Laouto has a re entrant tuning G3G4 tuned a fourth lower than C3C4 The two primary contemporary variants of the laouto one somewhat smaller than the other are to be found on mainland Greece steriano laouto and on the island of Crete Cretan laouto The larger sized instrument wider body is played mainly on the island of Crete and tends to be tuned differently G2G3 D2D3 A2A3 E3E3 the re entrant tuning is still a characteristic of the Cretan laouto or lagouto Greek lagoyto because D2D3 is a fourth lower than G2G3 In Cyprus Cypriot laouto is tuned C G D A The role of the laouto in Greek traditional music is primarily that of accompaniment The laouto is often played in a duo the one laouto tuned more bass than the other with the Cretan lyra or with the violin in Cyprus Notable players editGiannis Haroulis Evagoras Karageorgis Vasilis Kostas Thanasis Papakonstantinou Yiannis Xylouris also known as Psaroyiannis Giorgos Xylouris Christos Zotos Thor Algren Maria Ploumi Giorgos Manolakis Dimitris Sideris Nikos AggrlopoulosSee also editLavta Politiko laouto Gusle referred to as lahute in Albanian References edit Dawe Kevin 2020 05 26 Island Musics Routledge p 74 ISBN 978 1 000 18364 1 Stenzel Samantha 1999 Cyprus Hunter Publishing Inc p 220 ISBN 978 3 88618 156 8 Tole 2014 p 163 Literature editTole Vasil 2014 Enciklopedia e iso polifonise popullore shqiptare in Albanian External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Laouto Cretan music Atlas of plucked musical instruments Solo Cretan laouto video Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Laouto amp oldid 1217656428, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
