Drumming with kūlelė in Eastern Aukštaitija

Having joined the instrumental ensembles in the 19th century, the frame drums in Eastern Aukštaitija have been an integral part of the instrumental ensembles and countryside bands to this day – they are played next to the fiddle, hammer dulcimer or button accordion, especially the Petersburg accordion.

The frame drum consists of a wooden frame covered with leather, to which bells are often attached. In comparison with other regions, the drummers of Eastern Aukštaitija use a more sophisticated technique by playing with a palm-sized wooden stick with burrows at both ends, called kūlelė, moving the drum with the palm to make the bells ring. Rhythmic formulas are complex, emphasizing the composition’s rhythmic structure and accents, and embellishing the composition with virtuoso details and rhythmic improvisations. That is showcased in performances of traditional musicians from Utena, Zarasai, Molėtai, Rokiškis, Ukmergė, Anykščiai, Švenčionys and Ignalina districts.

The old Aukštaitian tradition of playing the frame drum is characterized by masterful control of the kūlelė. The drummer beats one of its ends both by lowering and raising the stick, thus producing two additional sub-beats and various combinations thereof. Sometimes musicians draw figure of eight on the drum’s skin or swipe up along the left edge of the frame producing low-register sound, reminiscent of a double bass. Similar playing is practiced in Latvia, Belarus, Poland and elsewhere.

The frame drum is not a solo instrument. As many other instruments’, its repertoire features polkas, waltzes, marches, foxtrots and other folk dances.

Since 2009, the great efforts are being taken to keep the Aukštaitian frame drum-playing tradition alive in Lithuania. Tutoring is offered in annual music courses and seminars organised by Utena Art School. Many educational sessions are led by ethnomusicologist Rima Garsonienė, who has taken over the tradition from the musician Rimas Valentas Trainys and developed the teaching methodology. The tradition is gaining popularity, securing its place in various concerts, festivals, musicians’ gatherings and competitions.

Submitter – Utena Local Lore Museum, 2021

Tradition bearers – the drummers of Eastern Aukštaitija