Stringed-Instrument (Kinnari Vina)
name: label: Collector
content: Rajah Sourindro M. Tagore
label: Donor Name
content: Accession Number Unknown
notes: label: Notes
content: FROM CARD: "A FORM OF THE VINA, AN INSTRUMENT IN GENERAL FAVOR IN MANY DISTRICTS OF HINDUSTAN. FIVE WIRE STRINGS. BODY OF SILVER, NECK COVERED WITH A FABRIC OF SILK AND SILVER. 16 FRETS. THIS INSTRUMENT IS PLAYED WITH A "MIZRAB" OR STEEL PLECTRUM. IT IS A MODIFICATION OF THE KACHHAPI VINA, A VERY ANCIENT INSTRUMENT, WHICH DERIVED ITS NAME FROM THE SHAPE OF THE GOURD OF WHICH THE BODY IS MADE, WHICH IS FLAT LIKE THE BACK OF THE TORTOISE OR "KACHHAPA." "IT IS AN INSTRUMENT OF THE GREATEST CAPACITY AND POWER, AND A REALLY SUPERIOR VINA, IN THE HANDS OF AN EXPERT PERFORMER, IS LITTLE INFERIOR TO A FINE TONED PIANOFORTE. ALTHOUGH THE VINA HAS A FINGER BOARD AND FRETS IT IS NOT STRICTLY UNIFORM IN ITS INTONATION, AS A GUITAR OR PIANOFORTE OR AN ORGAN IS, FOR IT IS SO DELICATE AN INSTRUMENT THAT THE SLIGHTEST DIFFERENCE IN THE PRESSURE OF THE FINGER, OR ITS DISTANCE FROM THE FRETS, WILL CAUSE A SENSIBLE VARIATION IN THE TONE, OF WHICH A GOOD PERFORMER AVAILS HIMSELF. HENCE RESULTS THAT BEAUTIFUL NICETY OF JUST INTONATION IN EVERY MODE WHICH CLAIMS THE MUSICAL EAR." (WILLARD, MUSIC OF HINDOOSTAN, CALCUTTA, 1834; P. 85)."
label: Record Last Modified
content: 21 Apr 2025
label: Specimen Count
content: 1
place: label: Place
content: Bengal, India, Asia
topic: label: Topic
content: Ethnology
culture: label: Culture
content: Bengali
setName: label: See more items in
content: Anthropology
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: NMNH - Anthropology Dept.
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: 000000
label: USNM Number
content: E54071-0
objectType: label: Object Type
content: Stringed Instrument