The Hungarian word cimbalom is derived from the Greek kymbalon, a type of cymbal. The word was expanded to apply to a string instrument because of the way it was struck to make sound. The cimbalom is played with two sticks made from the wood of walnut or acacia trees. The ancestors of today's pedal cimbaloms were small instruments with no pedal that were placed on an empty barrel or the table when played. The large pedal cimbaloms we know today were created in the 1870s. These days, the instrument is used primarily in Gypsy bands, to accompany melodies or to fill out harmonies.

Age: 8-12 year
Presented by: Müpa Budapest