EurasianStudies_0110..

January-March 2010 JOURNAL OF EURASIAN STUDIES Volume II., Issue 1.
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1327 – Johannes dictus Kobzos de Zabadi, 1364 – Nicolaus dictus Kobzos, 1470 – Michael Kobzos. In the
word-index of Codex Cumanicus the sonator – musician’s Cumanian correspondent is cobuxci – luteplayer.
It can be found in various forms among the nations of Central Asia. Instead of using a
bottle-gourd, the instrument was carved from wood. It can be found in Western Europe in the 14 th
century, it is mentioned by a German source as “die Kobus mit der Luten” and also in the Wartburg
Castle a lute-like example can be found. Polish sources also mention it. The Don Cossacks accompany
their heroic songs with lutes in the 17-18 th century. The lute's Turkish “ut” and Arab “ud” version was
used in court music.
In the lay (romance) written in 1560, Mihály Szilágyi is sitting in the window of his cell, “lute in his
hand, played his sad song beautifully”. Miklós Zrínyi also played the lute. In the all-time lute-player
Sebestyén Tinódi Lantos' (1505-1556) self-drawn coat-of-arms a Caucasian long-necked lute can be seen.
The strings of the lute are tuned in fifths or fourths with which pentatonic tunes can be easily played.
The Székely lute-players that came to play in the Saxon villages of Barcaság (1550), the soldiers that
occasionally appear in the fortresses of Felvidék, the blow-pipe-players of Nyírség, who are also
mentioned by Mélius (1565) and pub-musicians of Transylvania whom bishop Liszti mentions (1568) all
either made their instruments or bought them from traditional craftsmen. The zither, the beggars'
musical instrument in the 16-17 th century in Western Europe is the organistrum – popularly called
hurdy-gurdy – alongside the ancient flute and bag-pipe, enriches the old-time Hungarian folk music's
empire with lyrical and epic elements of songs (of which authors are known) at the initiative of the
aristocratic and bourgeois literature. These instruments were also popular in the villages of Barcaság, the
family names Sipos, Dudás, Dobos still exist up until today, but in the previous century family names
such as Kobzás and Citerás were also known. When the Vienna-court started to disliked the Hungarian
music they took away the lute (“elkobozták”, Hung.). This is our “confiscate” (“elkobozták”, Hung.)
word. In several Asian countries the Koboz name is still present as family name, company name,
newspaper name etc.
The zither is an ancient Hungarian musical instrument, its roots reach back to 19,500 BC to the
Athaisian culture. The stretched bow, as a musical instrument also used horsehair to create sound. Later
by stretching the cords onto a flat piece of wood we discover the zither. In Ordos, the shaman-center,
there already existed well developed versions; it was the 24 Hun Union's religious, entertaining
accessory. According to existing documents in Ordos the zither was already made in 2785 BC by
arrowhead-smiths and through Shaman Bihar it reached India. The Hun, Scythe, Avar, Hungarian
continuity can also be observed on this instrument. For example, in the Avar centers, in the Viennese
Depression, around Pozsony, in the once Bács-Bodrog County, Baranya, Bihar and around us in the area
of Bácsfalu and Zajzon. The reconquering Hungarians brought it with them and Anonymus mentions
this in his Gesta Hungarorum as “citharédi”. The Hungarian people that remained in Asia up to this day
sing their songs accompanied with zither-like “dombrava”. In Inner-Mongolia the “huija” (“hungzseia”),
the Huns musical instrument still exists of which some Hungarian musical instruments originate and the
Uyghurs still play it today. Starting from 1100 the Cziterás family name is mentioned and in the
documents the “cituár”, “zedoária”, “zwitter, “zitwer, “chituár” names appear. From the Huns it
reached the Chinese, too, it still exists today under the name of “guzeng”. On Chinese paintings dating
from the 4 th century the zither can be seen. The Japanese also get acquainted with it through the Huns
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