Invented ago over thousand years, the erhu (Mandarin二胡of二èr "two" and胡hú "barbarian") is a traditional musical instrument probably from Chinese Central Asia or Mongolia. There is also a Mongolian very close, called mǎtóu (马头, literally "horse head") in Chinese. We find this instrument with different names and variants of forms (including the sounding board) across South Asia: Vietnam (Dan Nhi), Cambodia (ORT), Laos (So), in Korea, Thailand, Indonesia ... it is often the settlements of Chinese merchants who have made.
It is composed of a sounding board open wooden back, covered with a snake skin, a wooden handle decorated with two big ankles, and two strings (and re). There is also a slightly larger and more serious called Zhonghua (中胡). The table resonance may also be made of a thin plank of wood and the fund made a calabash ajoure back (so that the sound could emerge) or with a coconut. The most common models are most often the soundboard made animal skin, which transmits sound more strong. There are several sizes.
With a horsehair bow is stuck between the strings, is used to vibrate them. His tension is achieved by removing it and the four fingers of the hand and by building on the tip of the bow with the thumb.
It is part of the traditional instruments used for the music of Chinese opera. Recently, during the twentieth century, styles and play opportunities have been increased. There are now entire songs for erhu alone, even classical concertos.
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