Symphonia is a much-discussed word, applied at different times to the bagpipe, the drum

Drum

The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...

, the hurdy-gurdy, and finally a kind of clavichord

Clavichord

The clavichord is a European stringed keyboard instrument known from the late Medieval, through the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras. Historically, it was widely used as a practice instrument and as an aid to composition, not being loud enough for larger performances. The clavichord produces...

. The sixth of the musical instruments enumerated in Book of Daniel

Book of Daniel

The Book of Daniel is a book in the Hebrew Bible. The book tells of how Daniel, and his Judean companions, were inducted into Babylon during Jewish exile, and how their positions elevated in the court of Nebuchadnezzar. The court tales span events that occur during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar,...

, (verses 5, 10 and 15), is erroneously translated "dulcimer

Hammered dulcimer

The hammered dulcimer is a stringed musical instrument with the strings stretched over a trapezoidal sounding board. Typically, the hammered dulcimer is set on a stand, at an angle, before the musician, who holds small mallet hammers in each hand to strike the strings...

"; in all probability it refers to the bagpipe.

The symphonia, signifying drum, is mentioned in Isidore of Seville's Etymologiae under the entries for tympanum

Tympanum (hand drum)

In ancient Greece and Rome, the tympanum, Greek tympanon, was a type of frame drum or tambourine. It was circular, shallow, and beaten with the hand. Some representations show decorations or zill-like objects around the rim...

 and sambuca

Sambuca (musical instrument)

The sambuca was an ancient stringed instrument of Asiatic origin.-Form:...

. The reference comparing the tympanum (kettledrum) to half a pearl is borrowed from Pliny.

"Symphonia" or chifonie was applied during the 13th and 14th centuries, in the Latin countries more especially, to the hurdy-gurdy. "Symphonia" is applied by Praetorius

Michael Praetorius

Michael Praetorius was a German composer, organist, and music theorist. He was one of the most versatile composers of his age, being particularly significant in the development of musical forms based on Protestant hymns, many of which reflect an effort to make better the relationship between...

 to an instrument which he classed with the clavichord, spinet

Spinet

A spinet is a smaller type of harpsichord or other keyboard instrument, such as a piano or organ.-Spinets as harpsichords:While the term spinet is used to designate a harpsichord, typically what is meant is the bentside spinet, described in this section...

, regal

Regal (musical instrument)

The regal was a small portable organ, furnished with beating reeds and having two bellows. The instrument enjoyed its greatest popularity during the Renaissance. The name was also sometimes given to the reed stops of a pipe organ, and more especially the vox humana stop.The sound of the regal was...

 and virginals

Virginals

The virginals or virginal is a keyboard instrument of the harpsichord family...

, but without giving any clue to its distinctive characteristics.