Kontra

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For the album by the Basque metal band Eraso!, see Kontra (album).

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Kontra

Haromhuros bracsa.png

A kontra shown from the front and the side

String instrument

Other names Hungarian: Háromhúros brácsa, Estonian: Kolmekeelne vioola

Hornbostel–Sachs classification

(Composite chordophone sounded by a bow)

Playing range

g–d–a

Related instruments

Violin family (viola, violin, cello)

Viol family (includes double bass)

A kontra is a Hungarian (Hungarian: háromhúros brácsa, 'three-stringed viola'), Czech, Polish,

Romanian, Slovak and Romani instrument common in Transylvania.

Contents

1 Construction

2 Tuning

3 Technique

4 Ensemble playing

5 See also
6 References

Construction

The kontra can be constructed new, but is most often classical viola which has undergone several
organological changes, for example, thinning ("regraduating") the top, back, and sides to increase
the amplitude, and flattening the bridge, which allows the player to sound all three strings at once in
order to produce chords. In addition, unlike the viola, they are only strung with three strings.[1]

Tuning

The kontra is tuned like a viola, though lacking its low c string: g – d' – a' and frequently the a' string
is replaced with a second g string tuned to a, a major second above the g, in a form of re-entrant
tuning.

Technique

Due to the flattened bridge, the standard method of play is to play double stops and three-note
chords and let the fiddle play melody lines.

Ensemble playing

The kontra has a defined role within dance band music. Its range lies between that of the fiddle or
Vioara cu goarnă on the high-end and the double bass on the low-end. Many Hungarian and
Romanian bands also feature the cimbalom or citera, clarinet, accordion, and Ütőgardon or cello.

See also

Music of Hungary

Music of Romania

Music of Slovakia

Vioara cu goarnă

References

"Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-05-19. Retrieved 2012-04-21.

vte

Hungarian folk music

Categories: String instrumentsRomanian musical instruments

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This page was last edited on 21 April 2021, at 17:55 (UTC).

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