kemanche

Kemanche is a variant spelling of kamancheh, a traditional bowed string instrument used in Persianate and Caucasian music. The instrument features a small, rounded bowl-shaped body, usually carved from mulberry wood, skin stretched over the resonator, a long neck, and typically four or five strings. It is played with a hair bow drawn across the strings, held upright on the knee or in a supported position, and fingered with the left hand to produce microtonal pitches and expressive vibrato. The timbre is bright and penetrating, capable of rapid melodic ornaments.

Origins and distribution: The kamancheh originated on the Iranian plateau and spread across the Caucasus and Anatolia. It is a central instrument in ensembles of Iran and Azerbaijan and also appears in Armenian, Georgian, and Kurdish musical traditions. In Turkey, a closely related instrument known as kemençe is played in the Black Sea region, with distinct regional techniques and tuning.

Tuning and repertoire: Traditionally four strings are tuned to pentatonic or modal scales, though tunings vary by region and tradition. Repertoire spans secular and ceremonial music, folk tunes, and contemporary compositions, with both solo and ensemble contexts.

Name and spellings: The term is variably transliterated as kemanche, kamancheh, kamāncheh, or kamānsheh; regional languages may render the name differently.

See also: Kamancheh, Kemençe, Mugham, Bowed string instrument.