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The African Piano

The African Piano image
Parent Issue
Day
1
Month
July
Year
1897
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Amon$ tlis musical icstruments UMd on the Oongo we noüce the long and ehort ó?im, says the Journal of American F'olk Loro. Some drums are used to beat the time of the dance. Somt other drums are used as telephone.; for the transmissinii o( messages to neighboring viliages. The stringed Instruments represent the African harp. The ivoiy horns are used for the convocation of popular assemblies. The doublé bell is used to cali the attention of the people to some proclamaron of the chiaf. The Africans everywhere are very musical, but their rnusic df es not always suit European taste. The Afrioan dance is not always indulged in for amusement alone. Dancing enters into some of the most solemn ceremonies- as, for instance, the inauguration of a new king. Then the ehief-elect of the tribe dances very gravely before the assembled elders and the people. The madimba has been called the African piano. It is made of calabashes of graded sizes, which are surmounted by boards, of graded sizes also, all being attached te a semicircular frame Each board representa a note or half note and emits its appointed sound when strnck by one of the two rubber balls at the end of the two sticks which are cleverly handled by the musician. While almost every native can beat the drum or play some of the minor musical instruments, the playing of the riadimba is an ' art which only a few specialists learn. They must be pald for playing at festlvitie.i ceremonies and thelr art support; them, either partly or entlrely.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Register