Rebab

Rebab
 
Rebab (Arabic ربابة الربابة or - "arc (instrument)"), also rebap, rabab, rebeb, rababah, or al-rababa) is a type of stringed instrument so named no later than the 8th century and spread through Islamic trading routes over much of North Africa, Middle East, parts of Europe, and Far East. Some varieties often have a handle on the bottom that can fiddle resting on the ground, and so-called stalk fiddle in certain areas, but there are versions that are picked as Kabuli rebab (sometimes referred to as robab or rubab).

Rebab size is usually small, round body, the front covered by a membrane such as parchment or sheepskin and has a long neck attached. There is a long thin neck with a pegbox at the end and there is one, two or three strings. There is no tone board. This instrument was made upright, either resting on the lap or on the floor. Arc is usually more curved than the violin.

Rebab, though valued for tone, but it has a very limited range (little more than an octave), and gradually replaced in many of the Arab world by the violin and kemenche. It is associated with the instruments of Iraq, Joza, which has four strings.

Fiddle to the introduction of Western Europe have been possible in conjunction with the conquest of Spain by the Moors, in the Iberian Peninsula. However, there is evidence of this instrument in the 9th century also in Eastern Europe: Persian geographer of the 9th century Ibn Khurradadhbih quoting the Byzantine lira (or Lura) as typical of Byzantine musical arc and is equivalent to the Arab rabab.


Construction
Rebab is used in a variety of musical ensembles and genres, in accordance with a broad distribution, and built and played somewhat differently in different regions. In Southeast Asia, the rebab is a great instrument with a range of viola da Gamba similar, while the version of the instrument further west tend to be smaller and higher pitched. Body varies with ornate carvings, such as in Java, to simpler models such as the "fiddle of the Nile" Egypt 2 strings may have a body made from half a coconut shell. A more advanced version has a metal ballot box and the front may be half-covered with beaten copper, and half with cowhide.

Arab, Persia, and Ottoman
Rebab is widely used, and continues to be used, in traditional Persian music. There is also a bow instrument in Persian music called Kamanche which has the same shape and structure. Also played fiddle in other countries such as India, are likely to trace the origin of the Iranian Kingdom because of its use in the Sassanid court. It was adopted as a key instrument in Arab classical music and in Morocco, Arab-Andalusian music tradition has been kept alive by the descendants of Muslims who left Spain as refugees following the Reconquista. Rebab became a favorite instrument in the tea house of the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) until the arrival of the violin, the only musical instrument bow in the Ottoman Empire.


Inland Asia
Stalk fiddle variants are very commonly used by many ethnic groups of East and Central Asia and their diaspora around the world, such as various Huqin used by the majority ethnic group of China, Morin Khuur of Mongolia, Byzaanchy of Tuva, kokyu of Japan, Haegeum of Korea, Kyl Kiak of Kyrgyzstan, Saw sam sai from Thailand and many others. It is commonly used in playing the traditional folk song, but also became popular in contemporary musical settings, including genres such as classical, jazz, and rock.

Indonesia and Malaysia
In the Indonesian gamelan the rebab is an important instrument in elaborating the basic melody and adorn. This does not necessarily correspond exactly to the scale of the other gamelan instruments and can be played in a relatively free, the completion of the phrase after the boom of the gong ageng (large gong that "regulate" the ensemble). Also often play a fiddle that opened when it was part of the ensemble.

In the eastern Malaysian state, Kelantan and Terengganu, fiddle used in healing rituals, called "Main Puteri". Musicians healers sometimes taken to the hospital in cases where doctors can not cure a sick patient.


Reference:
http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebab