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| Hit Gardon | ||
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| Description: | the body of instrument it is build from one piece of wood; | |
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| Measurement: | 110x30 cm | |
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The hit-gardon (ütőgardon in Hungarian) is a very special and unique Hungarian folk instrument. It is used by a small ethnic group in the Eastern Carpathians (Transylvania), the "Csángó people of Gymes" (pronounced chango). Its form is similar to the violoncello. The instrument is carved out of a solid piece of wood. All the strings are tuned to only one note, generally the D note. The hit-gardon is played by hitting the strings with a wooden stick held in the right hand. Alternately, the thin side string is "plucked" with the left hand.
The side string is sounded as it slaps against the fingerboard. In a two-piece group, the hit-gardon accompanies the lead violin with a certain drum-like rhythmic beat. The music of Gymes has preserved a very old style of Hungarian folk music that has lived throughout the centuries up to the present time. Both the zither and hit-gardon are easily played and both can be quickly learned even in the absence of a teacher.
