The lyre was played with a bow as early as in the European Middle Ages. In the area around the Baltic Sea we find evidence of both bowed and plucked lyres. In Estonia and Eastern Finland the bowed lyre - jouhikko - remained in use until the beginning of the 20th century.

Then, towards the end of the 20th century the jouhikko tradition experienced a revival. Jouhiorkesteri - the Horse-Hair Orchestra - was founded in the beginning of the third millenium and the members span three generations of players. Jouhiorkesteri is devoted to the drone music traditions of Nothern Europe.


Jouhiorkesteri MySpace.