 Yemeniqanbūs with 6 strings running in pairs, and an additional base string. | |
| String instrument | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Gambus |
| Hornbostel–Sachs classification | 321.321 (Necked-bowl lute, instruments in which sound is produced by one or more vibrating strings (chordophones,string instruments), in which the resonator and string bearer are physically united and can not be separated without destroying the instrument, in which the strings run in a plane parallel to the sound table (lutes), in which the string bearer is a plain handle (handle lutes), whose body is shaped like a bowl (necked bowl lutes).) |
| Developed | Developed in Yemen, possibly frombarbat. Transferred toIndonesia (and to a wider extent includingMalay world countries), where further developed into new forms. |
| Musicians | |
| Hussein Moheb | |
| Composers | |
| Mohamed Al-Ghoom | |
Aqanbūs (Arabic:قنبوس) is a short-neckedlute that originated inYemen[1] and spread throughout theArabian Peninsula. Sachs considered that it derived its name from the Turkickomuz, but it is more comparable to theoud.[2] The instrument was related to or a descendant of thebarbat, a (possibly) skin-topped lute fromCentral Asia.[3] The qanbūs has 6 or 7nylon strings that are plucked with aplectrum to generate sound. Unlike many other lute-family instruments, thegambus has nofrets. Its popularity declined in Yemen during the early 20th century reign ofImam Yahya; by the beginning of the 21st century, the oud had replaced the qanbūs as the instrument of choice for Middle-Eastern lutenists.
Yemen migration saw the instrument spread to different parts of theIndian Ocean. InMuslim Southeast Asia (especiallyIndonesia,Malaysia andBrunei), called thegambus, it sparked a whole musical genre of its own. Nowadays it is played in the traditional dance ofZapin and other genres, such as theMalayghazal and an ensemble known askumpulan gambus ("gambus group"). In theComoros it is known asgabusi,[4] and inZanzibar asgabbus.
Theqanbus is a traditional instrument from Yemen carved from a single block of wood. It is also played in Oman, where it is calledgabbus. The lower half of the top is covered in skin, and the upper half has a wooden soundboard, often with small soundholes. It has a floating bridge, a sickle-shaped pegbox and usually 7 nylon or gut strings in 4 courses, with the lowest course single. There also exist 3-course versions, with 6 or 5 strings, though these are less common.[5]
The Yemeni lute has 7 strings in four courses, tuned low note to highC DD GG CC. The first C string is a single string; strings D G and C are all pairs.[6]
InKenya andTanzania, a related instrument was called theKibangala. It used to be built and strung in the same way as the Qanbus. In theComoros islands, a related instrument called theGambusi is played, which is built in the same way but often has a flat-shaped pegbox, rather than the sickle-shape, and sometimes has a differently shaped soundbox. Both usually have 4 courses of strings, which can be double or single.[7][8][9] Several structural nuances exist between the original design (Anjouan,Mwali) and the later avatars inMayotte.[9] The corrupted pronunciationsGaboussi,Gabusi, orGaboussa are also found inMayotte, and obviously preaches for a joined etymology with theKabosy chordophone in N-W Madagascar.
The wordgambus (Jawi:ݢمبوس) covers a variety of instruments, some with skin soundboards, some with wooden soundboards, some that are shaped like theYemeniquanbūs, and some that are shaped like the Arabianoud. The instruments may have 3, 4 or 5 courses of strings, plus a single base string. To avoid confusion, various descriptors are used in the names by academic researchers.
In theMalay world there are two types ofgambus: thegambus Melayu and thegambus Hadhramaut. "Gambus" can be used to refer simply to either type of instrument, however The instruments are different than theHasapi boat lutes. The instruments were "transmitted" from theMuslim world to theMalay world at an undermined time. Links to theMiddle East begin as early as the 5th-6th centuries C.E., with trading networks and occupation in the 15th century. Experts have tentatively given dates for the instruments' arrival between the 9th and 15th centuries C.E. In looking for origins, musicologists have also noted some similarities with the Chinesepipa.[10][11]
The two types ofgambus likely arrived at different times; thegambus Melayu likely arriving as thequanbus orbarbat and developing over centuries. Thegambus Hadhramaut likely developed in the 19th century after the arrival of theoud.[11]
Some modern luthiers in Indonesia andother countries have begun to make hybrid instruments, combining thegambus ordambus (?) with other instruments, such as the ud (Sabah), the Hawaiian ukulele (Flores) or the bluegrass mandoline (Lombok)[9][12][13] The pronunciationdambus is met inBangka Belitung Islands[14] and also in a limited area fromSukamara Regency andPangkalan Bun (Central Kalimantan).[15] Elsewhere in Indonesia, some other well known corruptions areGambusu andGambusi, respectively observed inSulawesi andGorontalo[16]..In Lombok, the mandoline-shaped gambus - actually a vague, fretless copy of Gibson's A-type bluegrass mandoline - is also locally named Manolin[17] which used to accompany Kemidi Rudat plays or Kecimol entertainment.
Thegambus Melayu –also known asgambus Hijaz ("Hijazi gambus"),panting,gita nangka,gambus seludang ("palmspathe gambus"),gambus perahu ("perahu gambus"), andgambus biawak – retains a shape similar to the original qanbūs, but equipped with a skin soundboard.[18] The sounds of this gambus accommodate to native Malay music more than its more conservative Hadhramaut counterpart.[10]
Tuning:
Thegambus Hadhramaut is a gambus that resembles anoud. The nameHadhramaut refers to Eastern Yemen, and this form of the instrument may have arrived inIndonesia (and a wider extent to anotherMalay world countries) with immigrants from there in the 19th century, joining Muslim communities already established centuries earlier. The bowl is made of light woods, the neck of a hardwood. It has a wooden soundboard.[18] It is a fretless instrument with 11 strings in 6courses, tuned low note to high:
The Gambus Seludang was another name for the gambus Hijaz with a specific reference to its monoxyle (like boat constructed from a single piece of timber) structure. The name came with the revival inBrunei,Riau andSabah. InSabah, this is similar in shape and size to the gambus Hijaz, but features a wooden resonator.[21]
![Myanmar. (top row from left): Gambus (or Indonesian: saludang bunta), gambus Melayu, gambus Hadhramaut and gambus Hadhramaut (bottom).[22]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a%25DA%2586%25D9%2586%25D8%25AF_%25D9%2582%25D9%2586%25D8%25A8%25D9%2588%25D8%25B3_%25D8%25AC%25D9%2586%25D9%2588%25D8%25A8_%25D8%25B4%25D8%25B1%25D9%2582_%25D8%25A2%25D8%25B3%25DB%258C%25D8%25A7%25DB%258C%25DB%258C.jpg)
![c. 1939 in Lombok, Indonesia. Penting. "Panting" is another word for the gambus Melayu in South Kalimantan, Indonesia.[10]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aCOLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Tokkelluit_met_zes_snaren_TMnr_1330-379.jpg)
El gambus melayu que ahí llegó podría ser, o bien un descendiente directo del barbat persa, o del qanbus yemenita, que a su vez evolucionó del barbat.[translation: The malay gambus that arrived there could be either a direct descendant of the Persian barbat, or the Yemenite qanbus, which in turn evolved from the barbat.]
3 chœurs de cordes doubles + une simple pour le qanbûs...do-ré-sol-do pour le qanbûs...Jean LAMBERT a précisé dans son ouvrage que les cordes sont accordées comme suit, dans le sens croissant: Do, métal – Re, boyau (chœur de 2 à l'unisson) – Sol, boyau (chœur de 2 à l'unisson) – Do, boyau (chœur de 2 à l'unisson).
[translation: 3 pairs of double strings + one simple for the qanbûs...do-ré-sol-do for the qanbûs...Jean LAMBERT specified in his book that the strings are tuned as follows, in increasing direction: Do, metal - Re, gut (choir of 2 in unison) - G, gut (choir of 2 in unison) - C, gut (choir of 2 in unison).]
The gambus may have developed over the centuries in Malay world, however, the striking resemblance to qanbus or barbat, supports the theory that it was an "imported" instrument rather than being indigenous to Malay world albeit now modified and adapted...the gambus Hadhramaut was a later arrival to Malay world as the 'ud only arrived inYemen in the 19th century.
Bruneian monoxyle Gambus Seludang is a local crossover design family in Brunei and Sabah. This name "Seludang" is reported by HILARIAN as a former vernacular nickname of the Gambus Hijaz, but the Bruneian making technics and organology – obvious specific feature is a 100% wooden soundboard...