Fiddles of the World. The Erhu, Morin Khur, Rebab, Rebec, Kemence, Lyra, , Hardingfele and many more

A tour of many of the different fiddles which have evolved across the world since the invention of the bow in central Asia. Based largely on the text of the opening chapter of my Fiddle Handbook, this video tells the story of how bowed instruments travelled both west and east along the silk road. This quickly giving rise to a fascinating range of fiddles which were soon embedded deep in the culture of people across the world. Among the instruments mentioned and described are the Ravanastron (Sri Lanka), Morin Khur (Mongolia), the Erhu (China), the Rebab (Persia, and throughout the middle and far east), Sarangi (India), the Kemence (the same), the Cretan Lyra, Pontic Lyra (Black Sea), Politiki Lyra (Turkey), Gadulka (Bulgaria), Lijerica (Dalmatia), Rebec, Vielle, Viola de Braccio (all western europe), crwth (Wales), Hardanger fiddle (Norway), Gourd Fiddle and Apache Fiddle (America), Raweali (Mexico), Gue (Shetland), Suka and Plock fiddle (Poland), Nyckelharpa (Sweden), Jouhikko (Finland).