balalaika (băləlī`kə), Russian stringed musical instrument, with a triangular body and a long fretted neck fretted instrument. Usually there are three strings, which are generally plucked with a pick. The balalaika is made in various sizes, and several may be combined to make a band or orchestra. A similar instrument, the bandura, is found in Ukraine and Russia, and other types are to be found in the countries of the Middle East, where the balalaika almost certainly originated. The instrument did not appear in Russia until c.1700. Like the guitar, it has been much used to accompany folk songs and country dances.

balalaika

Russian stringed instrument with a triangular body, three strings, and movable frets on its fingerboard. It comes in six sizes, from piccolo to double bass. It developed in the 18th century from the dombra. It has been primarily a solo folk instrument for accompanying song and dance, but is also played in large balalaika orchestras.

balalaika

a plucked musical instrument, usually having a triangular body and three strings: used chiefly for Russian folk music

Balalaika

Russian stringed pizzicato instrument. As a rule the body is triangular in shape; the neck has frets and three strings (in earlier models, two). The sound is produced chiefly by strumming all strings with the index finger of the right hand and by plucking separate strings. In the 18th and 19th centuries it was widely used as a solo and ensemble instrument and to accompany singing. In the 1880’s it was perfected by V. V. Andreev and the instrumental masters F. S. Paserbskii and S. I. Nalimov. The family of balalaikas created later forms the basis of Russian folk instruments orchestras. Outstanding performers on the balalaika were V. V. Andreev, B. S. Troianovskii (1883–1951), N. P. Osipov (1896–1945), and P. I. Necheporenko (born in 1916). Major works for balalaika written by Soviet composers include concertos for balalaika and orchestra by S. N. Vasilenko, M. M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, and others.

REFERENCES

Babkin, B. “Balalaika: Ocherki istorii ee razvitiia i usovershen-stvovaniia.” Russkaia muzykal’naia gazeta,1896, nos. 6–7, 9.
Sokolov, F. V. Russkaia narodnaia balalaika. Moscow, 1962.

K. A. VERTKOV

Mentioned in	?		References in classic literature	?		Encyclopedia browser	?		Full browser	?
No references found	All of a sudden there was a great uproar of shouting, singing and the balalaika, and from the tavern a number of big and very drunken peasants came out, wearing red and blue shirts and coats thrown over their shoulders. Crime And Punishment by Dostoyevsky, Fyodor View in context	Balaenidae Balaenopteridae Balagan Balagansk Balagansk Steppes Balaguer, Joaquin Balaguer, Joaquín Balah Balak Balakhany Balakhna Balakhna Culture Balakhna Pulp and Paper Mill Balakhta Balakirev Balakirev Circle Balakirev, Mili Alekseyevich Balakirev, Milii Balakirev, Milii Alekseevich Balakirev, Mily Balaklava Balaklava, Battle Balaklava, Battle of 1854 Balakleia Balakovo Balalaika Balami, Abu Ali Muhammad ibn Muhammad Balan Balance balance arm balance bar Balance Beam balance car balance coil balance control balance equation balance error Balance Meter balance method Balance Method in Planning Balance Method in Statistics Balance Method in the Analysis of Economic Activity Balance of Accounts, Foreign Balance of Enterprise Income and Expenditure Balance of Fixed Capital Stock Balance of Labor Resources Balance of Land Resources Balance of Payments balance of power Balance of Production Capacities Balance of the Monetary Income and Expenditure of the Population	Balai Taman Nasional Lore Lindu Balai Teknik Kesehatan Lingkungan Balaji Institute of Modern Management Balak Balakhany Balakhna Balakhna Culture Balakhna Pulp and Paper Mill Balakhta Balakirev Balakirev Balakirev Circle Balakirev, Mili Alekseyevich Balakirev, Milii Balakirev, Milii Alekseevich Balakirev, Mily Balakirev, Mily Alexeyevich Balaklava Balaklava Balaklava Gliding Club Balaklava, Battle Balaklava, Battle of 1854 Balakleia Balakovo Balakovo Balakrsna Balakrsna Balakrsna Balalae, Solomon Islands Balalaika Balalaika and Domra Association of America balalaikas balalaikas balalaikas Balalayka Balalayka Balalayka Balalika Balalika Balalika Balami, Abu Ali Muhammad ibn Muhammad Balan Balan balan- Balanan Lake Development Authority Balanca de pagamentos balance balance balance balance balance balance balance balance balance 1 balance 2 balance account balance accounts balance against balance against

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Encyclopedia browser

Full browser

No references found

All of a sudden there was a great uproar of shouting, singing and the balalaika, and from the tavern a number of big and very drunken peasants came out, wearing red and blue shirts and coats thrown over their shoulders.

Crime And Punishment by Dostoyevsky, Fyodor View in context