Ancient Lithuanian Kanklės / Technique of playing

Technique of playing of North Western Aukštaičiai and Žemaičiai

North Western Aukštaičiai and Žemaičiai are held the kanklės on their knees, on the table, hung below the breast (kanklės are played while standing or walking, less typical). The strings are hit with the nail of the second finger of the right hand or with flexible wooden, bone or feather bone. Four fingers of the left hand cover the chords which are needless for sounding. Sometimes the fingers of the left hand gets some melizma.

Picture: Playing position of the North Western Aukštaičiai and Žemaičiai (APV 1994:67)

Notes:

1.		The dance "Tamta tedri" of Western Aukštaičiai (best view). Played by K. Masaitis in 1935 (APV 1994:95). Record fragment (KC 1996);
2.		The dance "Šalabanas" of Žemaičiai (best view). Played by S. Abromavičius in 1937 (APV 1994:98). Record fragment (KC 1996);