MESENQO
Mesenqo is a single-stringed bowed lute commonly found in Different Mezmurs. It is symbolizes our lady the Virgin mary as it is found in St Yared’s chants. The square- or diamond-shaped resonator is made of four small wooden boards glued together, then covered with a stretched parchment or rawhide. The single string is typically made of horse hair, and passes over a bridge. The instrument is tuned by means of a large tuning peg to fit the range of the singer's voice. It may be bowed by either the right or left hand, and the non-bow hand sits lightly on top of the upper part of the string.
Symbolical Representations of Mesenqo
The square or diamond-shaped resonator is made of four small wooden boards glued together, then covered with a stretched parchment or rawhide. The single string is typically made of horse hair, and passes over a bridge. The instrument is tuned by means of a large tuning peg to fit the range of the singer's voice.[3] It may be bowed by either the right or left hand, and the non-bow hand sits lightly on top of the upper part of the string.
The Masenqo
The Masenqo (Amharic: ማሲንቆ; Tigrinya: ጭራ-ዋጣ (ዋጣ); Oromo: Xiimboo) is a single-stringed bowed lute commonly found in the musical traditions of Ethiopia.[1] As with the kirar, this instrument is used by Ethiopian minstrels called azmaris ("singer" in Amharic) .[2] Although it functions in a purely accompaniment capacity in songs, the masenqo requires considerable virtuosity,[1] as azmaris accompany themselves while singing.
