Musical instruments depicted in medieval Serbian art under oriental and western influences Cover Image

Сагледавање музичких инструмената ha споменицима српских средњовековних владара у оријенталном и западноевропском окружењу
Musical instruments depicted in medieval Serbian art under oriental and western influences

Author(s): Roksanda Pejović
Subject(s): Music, Visual Arts, Sociology of Art, History of Art
Published by: Muzikološki institut SANU
Keywords: musical instruments; idiophones; membranophones; stringed instruments; stringed instruments; Orient (East); West;

Summary/Abstract: Researching musical instruments on frescoes, miniatures, icons and sculptural decorations of mediaeval Serbian art, painted and sculptured in the manner of Byzantine art, we discover Oriental and Western influences. Musical instruments arriving from the Orient were unchanged for centuries and those from West Europe were mainly used in the Middle Ages or the Renaissance. Oriental and Western influences can be observed on instruments of all families-idiophones, membranophones, bowed and string instruments, as well as on aero phones. The same form of some crotales and cymbals can be found both in Oriental and Western art, the majority of membranophones are of Oriental origin, but the tambourine on Bodani frescoes originated in West Europe. Lyres and angular harps are close to Antique tradition. Some bowed instruments, psalteries, lutes, harps, short horns, business and shawms have Oriental patterns and other instruments of these families accepted Western shapes. There are, as well, same kinds of bowed instruments and S-trumpets peculiar for both continents.

  • Issue Year: 1/2005
  • Issue No: 5
  • Page Range: 15-26
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: Serbian
Toggle Accessibility Mode