Difference between revisions of "Dulcimer"

<p> A Hebraized Greek name, sumfonia , in &nbsp;Daniel 3:5; &nbsp;Daniel 3:15. A bagpipe, consisting of two pipes thrust through a leather bag, emitting a plaintive sound; the modern [[Italian]] zampogna . Some Greek Ionian of western Asia probably introduced the instrument into Babylon. However, Furst makes the word Semitic ("a tube".) The old spinet resembled its tone. </p>

<p> (Chald. סוּמְפֹּנַיָה, ''Sumponyah''' ; Sept. συμφωνία, Vulg. ''Symphonia'' ), a musical instrument, not in use among the [[Jews]] of Palestine, but mentioned in &nbsp;Daniel 3:5; &nbsp;Daniel 3:15, and at &nbsp;Daniel 3:10 under the shorter form of סַיפֹנְיָא (''Syphonya''' , where the text correctively points סוֹּבּנְיָא ), along with several other instruments, which [[Nebuchadnezzar]] ordered to be sounded before a golden image set up for national worship during the period of the captivity of Judah. Luther translates it lute. [[Grotius]] adopts the view of Servius, who considers simphonia to be the same with the crooked trumpet (tibia obliqua, πλαγίαυλος ); he also quotes Isidore (2:22), who speaks of it as a long drum. Rabbi Saadia [[Gaon]] (Comm. on Dan.) describes the sumphonyah as the bag-pipe, an opinion adopted by the author of Schilte hag-giborim (in Ugolini Thesaur. 32:39-42; see Joel Brill's [[Preface]] to Mendelssohn's version of the Psalms), by Kircher, Bartholoccius, and the majority of Biblical critics. The same instrument is still in use among peasants in the NW of Asia and in Southern Europe, where it is known by the similar name sampogna or zampogna. With respect to the etymology of the word a great difference of opinion prevails. Some trace it to the Gr. συμφωνία (whence Eng. symphony), and Calmet, who inclines to this view, expresses astonishment that a pure Greek word should have made its way into the [[Chaldee]] tongue: it is probable, he thinks, that the instrument dulcimer (A.V.) was introduced into [[Babylon]] by some Greek or Western- Asiatic musician who was taken prisoner by Nebuchadnezzar during one of his campaigns on the coast of the Mediterranean. Geseniuas adopts this derivation (Thes. ''Hebrews'' page 941), and cites [[Polybius]] (''Ap. Athen'' . 10:52, page 439, ed. Casaub.) and Isidore (''Orig'' . 3:21) in confirmation. Others regard it as a Shemitic word, and connect it with סמפן, "a tube" (Furst). The word סמפון occurs in the [[Talmud]] (''Sukka'' , 36 ''A'' ), where it evidently has the meaning of an air-pipe, with a case (Chelim, 16:8); but the explanation (Chelim, 2:6) by סנפים is not clear (Rosenmuller on Daniel 1.c.). Landau (Aruch. Art. סמפון ) considers it synonymous with siphon. Ibn Yahia, in his commentary on &nbsp;Daniel 3:5, renders it by אורגאנוש (ὄργανα ), [[Organ]] , the well known powerful musical instrument composed of a series of pipes. Rabbi Elias, whom [[Buxtorf]] quotes (''Lex. Talm'' . col. 1504), translates it by the German word Leier (lyre). The old-fashioned spinet, the precursor of the harpsichord, is said to have resembled in tone the ancient dulcimer. The modern dulcimer is described by Dr. Busby (Dict. of Music) as a triangular instrument, consisting of a little chest, strung with about fifty wires cast over a bridge fixed at each end; the shortest wire is 18 inches in length, the longest 36; it is played with two small hammers held in the hands of the performer. (See [[Musical Instruments]]). </p>

<p> '''''dul´si''''' -'''''mẽr''''' . See Music under <i> '''''Nebhel''''' </i> and <i> '''''Sumphonia''''' </i> ̌ . </p>