The domra (Russian: домра, Russian pronunciation: [ˈdɔmrɑ], plural: domry) is a Russian folk string instrument from the lute family. It has a round body and three or four metal strings.

History

The first written record of the domra appears in Admonitions of Metropolitan Daniel (1530). This instrument became very popular during the 16th and 17th centuries, replacing the gusli. Many historical documents from this time mention the domra. For example, Alphabet (1654), found in the Moscow Synodal Library, states: "Music includes playing the gusli, lyres, and domra, along with similar instruments."

Medieval Russian illustrated books, such as the Psalter, show pictures of musicians playing stringed instruments with necks. Some of these drawings are labeled "depiction of domras." From these images, late medieval Russian domras can be divided into two types: lute-shaped domras, which had five to six strings, a large body, and a curved pegbox, and tanbur-shaped domras, which had three to four strings, a small body, and a straight pegbox.

After Tsar Alexis of Russia issued an order in 1648 to punish Russian folk musicians and destroy their instruments, the domra was no longer widely used and was replaced by the balalaika, which was simpler to make and play. According to the order:

In 1896, a student of Vasily Vasilievich Andreyev discovered a broken instrument in a stable in rural Russia. It was believed this might be a domra, though no pictures or examples of the traditional domra were known at the time (the traditional domra was only described in stories and songs, while the dombra, a similar instrument from Turkic cultures, was known). A three-string version of this instrument was redesigned in 1896, patented, and later added to the orchestra of Russian folk instruments.

Orchestral instruments

The domra is usually tuned in the following ways:

• Three strings: EAD tuning.
• Four strings: GDAE tuning (similar to the mandolin or the violin).

Domras come in different sizes, such as piccolo, prima, alto, tenor, bass, and contrabass.

• Piccolo: B1, E2, A2
• Prima: E1, A1, D2
• Mezzo-Soprano: B, E1, A1
• Alto: E, A, D1
• Tenor: B, E, A
• Bass: E, A, D
• Contrabass (minor): 1E, 1A, D
• Contrabass (major): 1A, D, G

Performers

Tamara Volskaya is known as one of the important modern performers of the domra.

Aleksandr Tsygankov is known as one of the important modern performers, teachers, and composers of the 3-string domra.