The Washington herald., 1910-06-05
LATEST MUSICAL FAD.
The BaIaIaika Has Taken England
by Storm.

Ibc HalaiatkG Has Taken England
by Storm.
The English musical world has fallen
in love with the balalaika. which may
soon be brought TO America. It is
heard in drawing rooms, on concert plat
forms. in army messTooms; hOstesSes find
that Salalaika band IS greater attrac-
ton at a musical "at home than the
most famous of tenors, says the Balu-
more Sun.
The balaiaika is an instrument that can
set your nerves tingling. 1t suggests
moonlight ana serenades. 1t can be plain
tive as the violin and as maddeningly
sweet as the harp.
Russia invented it: for hundreds of
years II has been the national instrument
OF the peasants; its strings ring through
the long, white winters; it is heard at
every summer sunset For generations
voices have blended with its tones. and
dancing feet have tripped to It's music.
Prince Tehagadaeff, the leader of the
imperial court orchestra, showed England
the possibilities Of the instrument last
winter. when NJ. Andren's band per-
formed In London; but 1t is only recently
that amateurs have made the balaIaika a
fashionable craze. To-day half the
world seems to be learning It,
The first attraction about the balaIaika
is the real beauty OF It's tone. It is soft.
sweet, haunting. The second point IN its
favor is that It is the easiest OF ali musi-
cal instruments 10 learn. Mr.. Clifford
Essex, who taught hundreds OF we'll
known folk TO play the banjo when the
fashion for that instrument was at its
height. says that the balalaika is far
easier to play. He has known people who
have practically mastered IL in eight
/ lessons. and some who have been able
to perform quite pleasingly after two
weeks practice.
The instruments, which are all imported
from Russia, are simple. yet handsome in
appearance. Some OF the most ornately
decorated ones ray cost as much as $125,
but they can be obtained at as low a sum
as S.
The keyboard is something Ike that Of
a banjo. but is shorter, and there are only
three strings. The first peculiarity that
strikes the beginner is that two Of the
strings are tuned 10 the same note-E.
The other string is tuned 10 A.
| II is not played like the banjo. the man
dolin, or the guitar but in manner quite
peculiar 20 this one instrument.
The thumb of the left hand slides up
and down the two e strings. while the
other fingers are used for the higher
notes OF the A string:
| The first finger Of the right hand is
passed rapidly and lightly over the three
strings, and as il moves backward and
/ forward a "tremolo" effect is produced.
/ Occasionally all the four fingers OF the
right hand are swept across the strings
to give the effect banjoists call the ''Tasp.
A hundred different effects seem posi-
bic with the balalaika. Cne Of its beau
ties Is the rather plaintive sliding note
produced by the thumb and fingers gid
| ing up and down the strings.
When played as a solo instrument II
sounds well accompanied by a plano, but
/ the possibilities of the balalaika cannot
I be properly understood TIL an entire band
| has been heard.
! A balal6ika aTchestra is composed Of al
most any number Of players, and the IN
struments they use are OF different sizes.
but all OF the same pattern. There are
prima, secnnda alt, bass. and contra bass
balalaikas.