Politiki lyra (Constantinople lyra)

The Constantinopolitan lyra, also called the lyra of the City or Romaic lyra (in Turkish klasik kemençe or armudî kemençe, 'pear-shaped kemenche'), is a bowed string instrument descended from the Byzantine lyra. It plays a wide repertoire, from the classical music of the East (the art music of Constantinople) to the folk music of Asia Minor and the Aegean islands. It is the leading instrument of Constantinople, where it flourished in the hands of Greek masters as well as musicians of other origins in the multicultural world of the City. The first recordings of the Constantinopolitan lyra date from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with songs from both the classical and the tavern repertoire of the City, including demanding instrumental pieces. In the 1920s and 1930s it was recorded in many well-known Smyrna, rebetiko and Constantinopolitan Greek songs. It is usually played together with another instrument. Its main difference from the Pontic lyra is its shape: the Constantinopolitan lyra is pear-shaped, like the Cretan, Thracian and island lyras and the Bulgarian gadulka, while the Pontic lyra (kemenche) is bottle-shaped, like the lyra of Cappadocia (kemane).