Lira

Lira [Gk. lyra], 1. bowed instr. of modern Greece, also of Bulgaria and Dalmatia, characterized by its piriform body, wooden belly, pegdisc with rear pegs and 3 strings. The body tapers toward the pegdisc without distinct neck. The lira is played in vertical position, resting on the player's knees, the strings being stopped laterally by the player's fingernails, thus obviating the need for a fingerboard. The Cretan lira is tuned g0 d1 a1, the Dodecanese lira either is tuned c1 g0 d1, the center…