Alexander Dubrovskiy is a jaw harp maker and reconstructor of historical musical instruments from Khabarovsk. His work was included in the Russian Jaw Harps exhibition organised by the Museum and Center of the Khomus of the Peoples of the World in Yakutsk in 2023.

Dubrovskiy makes jaw harps by cold forging and draws on historical instrument forms. His work is generally characterised by low registers, decorative metalwork, mineral inlays and individually made cases.

Alexander Dubrovsky from Khabarovsk, a master of rare profession - reconstructor of ancient musical instruments - surprised that gathered at his home a unique collection of trumps.

Apartment Alexander Dubrovsky resembles a museum. On the wall hangs English bow and arrows in the corner - the Australian musical pipe inside of which the "treated" termites. Jew's harp - baby with baby palm - are kept in their cases.
It all started at Dubrovsky, when he first picked up a Yakut mouth harp - khomus. The first impression when pressed it to his lips, stunned: the sound is so expressive that immediately fascinated.
In different parts of the world harp called differently: komuz - Altai, drymba - in Ukraine and Belarus, kubyz - in Bashkortostan, maultrommel - in Germany. Unchanged since ancient times is still a way to extract audio.
- Varga from Old - mouth mouth. Sounds appear thanks to a special "tongue", which is pulled, the articulation of the mouth, - says Alexander, showing the principle of the self-sounding instrument.
What sounded, it looked like ... an organ concert steppes, where you can "hear colors and see sounds." Incidentally, the harp - the great-grandfather of the first.
According to the master, to learn to play the harp can be any person. Contractor should stick with tool energetically. Vargan allows you to extract unimaginable variety of beautiful sounds, and in combination, such as throat singing sounds fantastic. Vibration tools create a "resonant circuit" that affects the rhythms of the brain. Feature vargan that a sound wave enters them in "harmony", which causes a person a kind of trance.
Interestingly, Alexander Dubrovsky (car mechanic by profession. - Comm. Aut.) Manufactures its zubanki of metal by cold forging, which is kept secret. Many of his works - works of art, adorned with carvings, minerals. The more complex manufacturing process, and the more expensive metal, the richer sound of the jew's harp.
Dubrovsky told a funny story: one of his trump stole taking fionity of ... diamonds.
During his life he made several dozen trumps different nations, each with its own sounds.
Alexander was surprised by the fact that at his age he entered the Khabarovsk Institute of Arts and Culture. In order admitted to master the musical culture. It's one thing to play the harp, and the other - to know as much as possible about his favorite instrument. Do Dubrovsky followers?
- The son of Daniel, - says the master. When they both play on the jew's harp solo, then it should be heard!
It is interesting that today trumps Dubrovsky interested psychotherapists who use their sound in their practice.
What Dubrovsky dreams?
Once in a museum, Alexander saw the harp of the XIII century, found during archaeological excavations in Novgorod. Despite all of his requests, museum workers are not given the tools to hand. But he needed only to look at a rare harp, to avoid mistakes in the reconstruction.
- Do I have to compose music? - I asked him.
Master raised his eyebrows, and then picked up the harp. Unusual composition filled the room ...
- According to popular legend, the body jew's harp - is the soul of man, and the tongue - a ray of sunshine. It is believed that the Jew's harp music has healing power.

Alexander Savchenko / Pacific Star.