Lira (Ukrainian instrument)

The lira is a Ukrainian folk musical instrument of the hurdy-gurdy family. It is a wheeled string instrument played by turning a crank which rubs a rosined wheel against the strings, producing a drone-like sound.

The Ukrainian lira typically has drone strings and melody strings, the number of which can vary. Historically, the lira was associated with blind wandering minstrels known as lirnyky (лирники) who travelled the countryside singing religious songs, ballads, and historical epics (dumas). They often played a role similar to that of kobzars, though kobzars traditionally played the kobza or bandura.

The lira’s construction generally involves a wooden body, a soundboard, a wheel, strings (typically tuned to a drone), and keys or levers that allow the player to stop the melody strings against the wheel, producing different notes.

The lira tradition in Ukraine faced persecution during the Soviet era, with many lirnyky and kobzars being targeted and their instruments destroyed. However, there has been a revival of interest in the instrument and its traditions since Ukrainian independence, with efforts to preserve and promote lira playing and construction. The instrument continues to be a symbol of Ukrainian cultural identity and heritage.