Introduction to the Baltic Psalteries

The Finnish Kantele and its relatives (Estonian Kannel, Latvian Kankle, Lithuanian Kokle, Slav Gusli) are ancient members of the zither family. Archeologists have found examples basically identical to modern instruments in deposits dated to around a thousand years ago, though this type of instrument is believed by many experts to be significantly older than that, and may even date back to the Bronze Age. There are written references to the Gusli from the 6th century AD.

These psalteries have been strung variously with horsehair, gut, sinew or metal. The Novgorod Gusli's were found in association with metal wire, whilst the pegs of some early instruments from elsewhere show little signs of wear, suggesting gut or horsehair was used. Ancient Finnish poetry recounts how the first wooden Kantele was strung with tailhair from the God Hiisi's stallion. Horsehair is the traditional Finnish string material.

The Kantele (Finland) and Kannel (Estonia):

Finland and Estonia are close neighbours, with linguistic and cultural links. Their national instruments are similar too, with only minor differences between the Kantele and the Kannel (basically the number of strings, usually 5 in Finland and 6 in Estonia, though more strings is common even in old instruments in both countries).

In ancient Finland and Estonia playing Kantele was an essential skill for every man, and each household had an instrument. The Kantele was believed to have magical properties, and it was played for the ill, for its healing powers. It was said that no-one would die in a house while someone was playing. Before nightfall a Kantele would be carried around the outside of the house, or held up before each door and window , since its very presence was a powerful force against evil. It was considered best to make a new instrument just after the death of a loved one, as something of their soul would come to inhabit it and give it power.

The Kantele was also played for dancing, to accompany song, or as a meditation. The songs may have been performed for magical effect, and there is a large body of spell songs preserved in the Finnish Kanteletar. The Kalevala preserves another type of runo-laulu (spell song), that telling of the epic deeds of the Gods and Ancestors.

Fortunately many ancient traditional melodies from Finland and the Baltic states were recorded before the tradition of playing was disrupted by the arrival of modernity, the efforts of Puritanical Christianity in Finland and the descent of the Iron Curtain in the Baltic.

Click here to see and hear the types of Kantele we make, and Kantele in stock now.

The Gusli

The word Gusli is in modern times used by Russians and other Slavic peoples for a range of stringed instruments (rather like the word harpa in Swedish), but we use the word as it is used in the early Bylinys (early Russian literature) to refer to Kantele type instruments, both with and without a playing window. What distinguishes these from true Kantele is the type of string holder, being two seperate pieces attached through or to the soundboard, rather than a single piece that circles round to hold both ends of the string holding rod.

The earliest Guslis have playing windows, so one hand can stop the strings sounding whilst the other strums, or so they can be plucked from both sides, like a harp. It is not known whether this type of instrument arose as a response to contact with lyres (and the Gusli previously had no window) or whether they had always had a window. Arguments can be made for both opinions. The earliest Guslis, dating from around 1050, were found in Russ settlements which had a multi-ethnic mix of Finns, Slavs and Scandinavians.

Click here to see the types of Gusli we make, and Gusli in stock now. .

Choosing Your Psaltery:

All of the instruments in this family are easy to play, and make especially good first instruments for those new to music. The Gusli variants that have a playing window can be played both upright and on the lap, and so are useful for those wishing to perform standing or walking. The others are best played on the lap or on a table. Metal strung instruments are louder and keep their tuning better, though some will love the distinctive sound of horsehair or gut strings. Instruments can be strung with artificial substitutes for horsehair (nylon fishing line) or gut (nylgut) if tuning reliability is needed (for an instrument used in live stage performance, for example).

Notes for Re-enactors:

Viking re-enactors will be pleased to discover that Gusli with playing windows have been found in Russ Viking settlements (Novgorod, Gdansk and Opole) from as early as 1050, and most experts agree that they were probably present in similar form hundreds of years before. There were close trading links between Russ and Swedish settlements, so these instruments were probably more widespread outside Slavic areas than the archaeology suggests. Kantele, or Guslis without a window are not so well represented in the archaeological record, with pictorial evidence and archaeological finds only from the 12th century, but it is generally thought that they date to at least the 11th century if not before. Though the Kantele is thought of as a Finnish instrument it is also known from northern Sweden, where it was called a Sotharpa (Soot-Harp) probably reflecting its use as a meditative instrument played in the smoke house or sauna.

Some style of Baltic Psaltery is probably a more accurate choice of musical instrument than a lyre for a re-enactor portraying a Russ or Finnish Viking, and a possible choice for those recreating Swedish Vikings. A Gusli makes a good talking point in a Russ encampment, and underlines the multi-cultural nature of the eastern Scandinavian settlements.

Zither pins are not historically accurate for re-enactors, but are the easiest to keep in tune. Metal harp pegs are a good compromise, but wooden pegs are truest to the archaeology. Before 200 years ago all these instruments were made with a hollowed out construction, but a piece built construction changes the sound and appearance very little whilst reducing the cost, which may be a compromise worth making if the instrument will not be examined closely by your audience.

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