I haven't found the top of this thread yet but it seems to have deteriorated into a discussion of the origins of instruments. In that vein may I suggest a book I found at the Somerset Harp Festival a month ago.
It doesn't pretend to be a scholarly text, it is a book of drawings with minimal description. The subtitle says "over 4000 original drawings", and I ain't gonna count. To bring it into context in the section on Chordophones: folk lutes there is a half page set of four drawings of "Flat backed lutes from Europe". A balalaika, a fish shaped machete (Portuguese folk guitar), a Ukrainian Bandoura, and a Spanish Bandurria. The next half page is drawings of Southern African Ramkies which are rather primitive. All forms of instruments are covered (horns separated from trumpets, etc.) with some pretty damned good guesses as to their origins (along with references to museums where existing originals can be found). From the Digeredoo to the Dobro guitar, from the earliest "bow string" mouth harps to the latest orchestral harp. Even a treatise on the geometry of the Carribean Steel Drum, as designed in the forties. (And the shapes of such esoteric instruments as bowed lutes - remembering that the lute is not only an instrument but also a category). I strongly recommend the book to those who are curious about instruments other than their own (BTW, it shows the Romanian Cobza among the folk lutes, with the Yugoslavian Uti - just above the Yogo. Tambura, the modern Turkish Saz and waisted Tar (with tied gut frets). This for the Balkans among us. I could go on with examples, but that would clog the internet. Suffice to say I've never seen a more complete, or accurate, compendium of almost all the possibilities of instruments, from the primitive origins to the modern executions. And the damned book only cost me $20US over the counter at the Festival (which is not known for discounts). The best bargain I've ever bought, even if I only read a few pages (and if perhaps a few entries might be incomplete or a bit off). OK, Musical Instruments of the World (An Illustrated Encyclopedia with more than 4000 original drawings) Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. New York ISBN 0-8069-9847-4 BTW RT, I fully support your analysis. It was all a Scottish plot by the masons. The Incans and Jews used the same double triangular symbol, but as the Incans (like their cousins; the Mayans, Aztecs and Egyptians) could only make their pyramids with the base down (all known attempts to build a pyramid point down have failed - but archeologists are still looking) they couldn't preserve the form of the superimposed and reversed triangles we know as the Star of David. Luckily for the Jews they only inscribed the symbol instead of trying to build it, so it was preserved. As to the involvement of the Scots, it is a little known fact. But those deeply involved in the real history of the Western cultures realize that when the heirs of Christ were driven out of Palestine they went to Scotland, founding the "Scottish Rite" of the Society of Masons (and bringing a bit of the "true Cross"). And the celebration of the Resurrection got the name Easter as the red headed Scots were to the East of the black haired Irish Celts. Had the Irish prevailed it would be called Wester. And that brings us to Easter Island, discovered by the Scots when they rounded Cape Horn in their skin boats, long preceding Brendan the Navigator's discovery of North America and founding of Los Vegas (a long forgotten event). Have I offended anyone? Or everyone? Who cares! But I hope I've amused someone. Best, Jon (And Russians aren't cheesy, Wisconsonites are cheesy - and they don't play Balalaika, they play football). > > music they play on it may be south american but the tuning > > (gg-cc-eE-aa-ee) and the basic design (designs, actually ... including > > a charango with a triangular shaped body ... does that make it a > > balalaika?) > Triangular balalaika is a fairly late invention (late 18th cent.), and in > all likelihood a South American import, spread by seafaring Incan Jews (long > eared red-haired people of Easter (Passover) Island myth) on rafts, then > across Siberia, in order to make Russians look and sound cheesy. > RT
