Pre Columbian Music
A brainstorm landing pad and Resource center for a Pre Columbian Music recreation project.
Monday, February 21, 2011
The Friction Drum - 1907- by Henry Balfour- Cliff Notes
-Published in Journal Anthropological Institute 37, 1907- A pdf can be dowloaded here and below my notes is the google books embed. Above are the diagrams that were at the end of the article that I found very helpful.
This was a very informative article (although biased and bigoted by today's standards, and at times has incorrect information) and has great detail and pictures on the size/shape/construction of friction drums, especially in Africa. It also gives a great amount of detail on various local names of the instrument. If I get to the point of constructing a friction drum, the dimensions listed in the article will be of much help. This article does focus only a little on Central and South America, however as with other instruments (like the marimba), there are similar simultaneous progressions of ideas with unique origins seen between the continents.
-Intro-
-He hesitates to describe the friction drum as a musical instrument. I gives off a loud and unpleasant sound, intensified by the resonance of the drum shell.
-The earliest mention of this that he knows of is 1636AD- (Note- I disagree as a codex from Meso-America dating 900AD show a friction drum)
-Names-
-Dutch- romme le pot or rummelpott- earth ware based with a stretched bladder- shown in a Peasant Wedding painting by Jan Havicks Steen-
-Germany- tvaldtevfel, an waldteufel- a toy
-France- "cri de la belle mire" and arran- Horse Hair and Resin on hand friction induced noises.
-Romania- bicii, eron, bitsch, and buhai- similiar to French version
-Italian- pan-bomba
-Spain- zam-bomba, la zamiomba- tin can based body
-England- hummer, hoo'r
-North America- a toy version called "Locust"
-Venezuala- furuco- works like a butter churn
-Honduras- "Agricultural Guanjiqueros of Western Honduras" had earthward based shells with attached sticks
-India- a toy version called a frog (tavalaika or ?nemghi)
-N. India- called girgira and dugdugi
-Japan- has a twirling stick version
-African Notes- names, constructions, tribes used
-Barotseland- wupuvjaupu and namalua
-Angola- used as accompaniment to drums and marimbas
-Congo- Tribes that use it = Ba-yaka, Ba-Kwese, Ba-Mbala (named puita),
-Baluba Tribe (named tambue meaning Lion)- 54 cm tall globe shape with a cylindrical base
It was used only by the Chief's Orchestras.
-Wanika- called muanza- friction created by human hands wrapped in cocanut fibres.
- West Sudan- a two skinned version
-Ashanti- Friction created by a stick rubbed on head, similar to a Westernized tambourine roll.
- Egypt- baked clay and horse hair based
Labels:
Cliff Notes,
Henry Balfour,
native music,
summary,
the friction drum
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Henrietta Yurchenco- The Ethnic Music Alan Lomax
This lady did some cool field recordings in various places. The recordings from the 40's in Latin America caught my interest as I am researching some native indigenous music from Central America for a music project I am working on. Her interview with Down Home Radio is a great source of information on both Latin American indigenous music as well as portable recording techniques from the 1940's. Below are some links that I found while looking into this fabulous lady a little more.
NY Times Obituary-
Wikipedia Link-
Down Home Radio Tribute to her- includes a good blog post and mp3 of the show. She co-founded this radio program.
Down Home Radio Interview on Pre-Columbian Music- Focusing on Mexico and Guatemala, this is mad dope, and is the avenue I found out about this wonderful lady. This interview included musical samples she recorded and the experiences around them. She used a Presto Model K Aluminum Disk Recorder to make her recordings in the 40's. This lady was hardcore.
Smithsonian Folkways Collection "Music of the Maya-Quiches of Guatemala"- has preview tracks and was recorded by Henrietta in 1978.
Labels:
1940's,
down home radio,
field recording,
Henrietta Yurchenco,
indigenous,
latin america,
native music
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Vase Picture
From Northern Petén, Guatemala -source-
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