The Balalaika
It is not known when and how the balalaika became part of the musical tradition of the Russian people, but there is no doubt that it occupies a central place in their hearts today.
Though clearly established as a folk instrument since the 17th Century, the balalaika experienced a serious threat to its popularity in the early and middle 19th Century, when the seven-stringed guitar and the concertina were introduced into Russia. Compared to these fashionable European imports the balalaika increasingly fell out of favor. In the 1880's however, Vladimir. V. Andreev, aristocrat, folklorist and musician, came to its rescue. He heard the balalaika while he was collecting folk songs, fell in love with its sound, and decided to become its champion.
With two violin makers and a carpenter, Andreev created a new, improved version of the instrument, took it into the salons of St. Petersburg, and was greatly encouraged by its acceptance. This started him thinking on a grander scale. He went back to his collaborators, created six sizes of the balalaika, and arranged some of the folk songs he had collected for this new ensemble. Wanting to increase the range and versatility of the ensemble, Andreev then revised and added even older folk instruments: the 15thCentury domra (an instrument similar to the balalaika but with a hemispherical body), the gusli (a type of zither), and various folk wind instruments. Together with the balalaika family they became the Great Russian Orchestra capable of playing Western classical music as well as arrangement of the folk literature.
From this prototype the large Russian folk orchestras have been created for concert halls and perform a mixed repertoire. At the same time the tradition of the small balalaika ensemble (consisting of just balalaika, domra, and guitar) kept the traditional folk songs and dance tunes alive on both a wider and more intimate scale.
- Martin Koenig
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