View source for Engineering:Dahu (instrument)

{{Infobox Instrument
|name=Dahu
|names=
|image=Dadihu.jpg
|caption= Dahu, (center).
|classification=
* [[Engineering:Bowed string instrument|Bowed string instrument]]
|range=
|related=
* Erhu
* Huqin
}}

The '''dahu''' ({{zh|c=大胡|p=dàhú}}) is a large bowed [[Engineering:String instrument|string instrument]] from {{wipe|China}}. It has a large soundbox covered on one end with [[Biology:Pythonidae|python]] skin. Like most other members of the huqin family of instruments, it has two strings and is held vertically. The instrument is generally pitched one octave below the ''erhu'', and is considerably larger than the ''erhu''. Its name derives from the Chinese word for "large" (''dà''), and the word ''hú'' (short for ''huqin''). Its bridge is often placed somewhat above the center of the snakeskin to avoid stretching the skin.

The ''dahu'' is sometimes also called '''''cizhonghu'''''.  It is also referred to as '''''xiaodihu''''', being the same instrument as the smallest of the three sizes of ''dihu'' (large ''huqin'' instruments), the others being the ''zhongdihu'' and ''dadihu''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.soomal.com/gb/002/001/00000015.htm |title=00000015  |access-date=2006-02-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060118223331/http://www.soomal.com/gb/002/001/00000015.htm |archive-date=2006-01-18 }}</ref>

==History==
The ''dahu'' was developed in the 1930s as the tenor member of the ''erhu'' family (the ''erhu'' being the soprano member and the ''zhonghu'' being the alto member) to increase the pitch range of the instruments used in a Chinese orchestra and allow music with harmony to be played.<ref name="tsao">{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m823BqcZpVQC&pg=PA23 |title=Tradition and Change in the Performance of Chinese Music, Part 2|editor= Tsao Penyeh |author=Tsui Yingfai |chapter=The Modern Chinese Folk Orchestra: A Brief History| publisher=Routledge |date=16 September 1998 |isbn=978-9057550416 |pages=22–24 }}</ref>  However, by the late 20th century it had largely fallen into disuse.  Part of the reason for this is that it is unwieldy to play. Also, that (like other instruments in the ''huqin'' family) the bow passes between the instrument's two strings means that playing pizzicato is difficult; thus, the larger ''gehu'' and ''[[Engineering:Diyingehu|diyingehu]]'', ''laruan'', or [[Engineering:Cello|cello]] and [[Engineering:Double bass|double bass]] are generally used in Chinese orchestras for the lower bowed string voices instead.

==See also==
*Dihu
*Huqin
* Chinese music
* [[Engineering:List of Chinese musical instruments|List of Chinese musical instruments]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051220142011/http://www.paulnoll.com/China/Music/mus-dahu.html Dahu page] from Paul and Bernice Noll site

===Video===
*[http://www.56.com/u19/v_NDA0MTA3NTI.html Video of ''ban dahu'' (板大胡)]


[[Category:String instruments]]


{{Sourceattribution|Dahu (instrument)}}