Donald and Velma Lentz, the founders of the Lentz Center for Asian Culture, traveled to Asia on various expeditions.
Donald Lentz was a professor of Music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as well as the band director. His specialty was Asian music. Mrs. Lentz was a pianist. Thus, the Lentz's started their collection with musical instruments. The Lentz Center for Asian Culture has many different and unusual instruments from Tibet, China, Burma, and elsewhere.
Examples and information about the instruments.
Sitar, India
The sitar is a North Indian instrument related to the vina, an Indian zither. Played strings run over arched metal frets to the peg-box. Sympathetic strings run under the frets in the troughed neck to lateral pegs.
Gift of Donald and Velma Lentz
Erhu, China
The Chinese erh-hu has a bow threaded between the strings.
Gift of Donald and Velma Lentz
Khen, Laos
Mouth organs, such as the Khen, were first described in China about 3,000 years ago. They are free-reed instruments with a vibrating reed fitted in each pipe.
The player blows into the wind chamber and sounds individual pipes by covering the finger holes. The Khen has six, fourteen, or sixteen bamboo pipes in a wood or ivory wind chamber. The largest of these instruments have pipes that are ten feet long.
Gift of Donald and Velma Lentz
Rag Dun, Tibet
The rag-dun is a trumpet-type instrument used in special ritual by an esoteric sect of the Karma Kaputa monks in Tibet. The largest form has a length of about sixteen feet and sounds the drone or "aum" for chants.
There are rag-duns of lesser lengths of which the one shown here is the shortest. These are used for higher overtones. Early 20th century.
Gift of Donald and Velma Lentz
Saung Kauk, Burma
The saung kauk, named after its curved arch, is commonly used throughout Burma for solo playing, for accompanying singers, or for chamber playing by either professional or amateur musicians.
The arch is the natural root of the "sha" tree (a form of acacia); consequently each instrument varies in shape. During the British occupation only a few harps were made, but after World War II the Burmese government took an active part in reviving its use and tradition. The harps were made only during the monsoon season (from June to October) so that the skin will tighten naturally with the coming of the dry period.
Gift of Donald and Velma Lentz
Two String Fiddle and Bow, Indonesia
The thin-bowled wooden resonator (coconut shells are sometimes used) of this instrument is covered with water buffalo hide. On the back of the resonator is carved a human face.
The bone finger-board and peg box are ornamented with seven varying bands of a predominately triangluar motif. At the top of the finger-board is another face very different from the one on the resonator. The strings are tuned a fifth apart and are played with a loose bow.
From Sumatra, Indonesia; Menengkabau region. Possibly early 20th centry.
Gift of Donald and Velma Lentz
Yang Chin, China
The yang chin, or "foreign zither," was introduced into China from the West around 1800. In the same catagory as a dulcimer, it is played by striking the strings with hammers or beaters. Moveable bridges are used to divide its strings into different vibrating lengths.
Gift of Donald and Velma Lentz
Sheng, China
The sheng from China is a more sophisticated style of the mouth organ. The player blows into the wind chamber and sounds individual pipes by covering the finger holes.
Gift of Donald and Velma Lentz
Gangsa, Indonesia
The frame of this gangsa is carved with an elaborate depiction of animals from Balinese legends, and topped with six metal bars over bamboo resonators. The gangsa is part of Indonesian gamelon orchestras.
From Bali, near Klungkung. 20th century.
Gift of Donald and Velma Lentz
© 2008 Lentz Center for Asian Culture
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