History of the Marimba - 544 Words

Like the instrument itself, the name †marimba† originated in Africa; the words rimba (= xylophone with a single bar) and ma (= a great number of objects) are Bantu. In many African languages the term ma-rimba is used to describe instruments with several bars. Technically the marimba could also be described as a low-pitched xylophone. But the cultural backgrounds of the two instruments are vastly different; the marimba originated in central Africa but developed independently, this allowed it to gain its own identity and significance. The marimba has a mind-boggling theory of its fabrication, an interesting relationship with xylophones, and a ravishing tone that is used in a variety of present-day concerts. The history of the marimba is a mystery that boggles the minds of many musicians. The origin of Marimba is not known, but it seems it started off as wooden bars laid over a hole on the ground which was struck with sticks. In the myth of Zulus, there is a tale about a god dess called Marimba who made an instrument by hanging gourds below wooden bars. This fable is sometimes referred to as the source of the instrument’s name. The marimba was brought to South America in the early 16th century by the Africans who were taken there as slaves. There, a Guatemalan called Sebastian Hurtado made a Marimba with a wooden resonator pipe instead of gourd. This formed the parent structure of the modern-day marimba. Even with this makeshift history, the marimba continues to fascinate usShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Darius Milhaud, A French Composer882 Words   |  4 Pagesand 17th centuries, they continued to make marimbas there. The instruments underwent further development on the American continent, especially in Mexico, Guatemala and Brazil (â€Å"Marimbaphone†, 2003). In these countries the calabashes were replaced by precisely tuned wood resonator chambers. In Latin America, the name â€Å"marimba† refers to every kind of large xylophone with calabashes as resonators of the type that originated from Africa. The name â€Å"marimba† was eventually applied to the concert andRead MoreAnalysis Of The Ttoa Initiative1219 Words   |  5 Pagesdominate culture of the nation. Each of the eight workshops intently focused on this narrative. The discourse on Marimba in the fifth workshop highlights this dynamic. Marimba is a type of wooden xylophen played in South America. Scholars suggest that the origins of the instrument are African brought either through slavery or through pre-colonial contact (Johnson, 2014). In Ecuador, the Marimba is played exclusively in Esmeraldas. Garcia uses the musical form to illustrate the richness of the oral traditionRead MoreDifferent Styles Of Traditional Thai Ensembles808 Words   |  4 Pages(Cherrett, 2011) Marimba. If the xylophone is the upper or soprano instrument of the wooden keyed pitched percussion section, then it’s lower relation is the marimba (Cherrett, 2015). The marimba A Brief History of Drums. (2015, February 20). Retrieved April 17, 2017, from http://www.scienceofrock.com/a-brief-history-of-drums Beethoven, J., Davidson, J., Nadon-Gabrion, C. (1991). World of Music. Morristown, NJ: Silver Burdett Ginn. Blades, J. (1970). Percussion Instruments and Their History. London:Read MoreThe Performance Practice Techniques That Dominated Musical Performance1808 Words   |  8 Pagescommonly performed and acclaimed solo string compositions, having been adapted for many instruments throughout history. This investigation will explore a number of key performance practice issues related to the â€Å"Gigue† from J.S. Bach’s Cello Suite No. 2 and discuss the most effective methods to create a historically informed performance of the piece. The performance of the Cello Suites on marimba will be examined in depth by discussing the historical context of the piece and analysing scholarly opinionsRead MoreHistory of Percussion Essay3972 Words   |  16 Pagesand were hung as decorations on animals about to be sacrifices in religious ceremonies. As you can see, the bell was used in all cultures with all different meaning and symbolism. Another particular drum that has evolved extremely through out history would be the snare drum. The snare drum dates back to Medieval Europe in 1300, but was heavily influenced by African drums. What modernized it and made it into the â€Å"snare† drum was that the Europeans would put a â€Å"snare† or snares on the bottom orRead MoreThe Origins Of The Percussion Family1310 Words   |  6 Pagestimpani are the most important percussion instrument in early Western Music history. However, the rest of the Janissary classification all have interesting origins. First, the bass drum is rooted in the Turkish Duval, an instrument used in Turkish military bands. It is of little importance in the Classical period, but rises to use in the Romantic period. Second, the tambourine as a member of the frame drum family has a long history that dates to the Middle Age civilizations in the Balkan and Middle EastRead MoreThe Board Of Heritage Christian Academy1087 Words   |  5 Pagesb and. This is a program that engages students of all learning levels and helps them be a part of a team and work together with other students on shared goals. Students are not only learning instrumental music but they are receiving music theory and history lessons in addition to their normal instrumental instruction. As much as possible the band program takes a holistic approach to teaching music with the goal of life long music participation and appreciating. Students are encourage to attend outsideRead MoreThe Musical Exploration Of Isms1770 Words   |  8 Pagesas a means of getting exotic and unusual sounds for composers; however, the twentieth century works brought a unique gravitation to percussion. Twentieth century composers, such as Edgar Varese and John Cage, helped pave a way for an era of music history marked by advances in percussion literature and engagement. Even though the percussion family flourished in the climax of twentieth century musical exploration of isms, there is still a rich historical and cultural affinity for the percussion familyRead MoreThe Tragedy Of The Trans Atlantic Trade Of Africa2476 Words   |  10 Pages- Maafa Throughout history, Africa has been subjugated to multiple waves of its that clash at its innate sense of oneness. No more had one wave caused as much damage, than that of the disaster of the Trans Atlantic trade of Africans. This disaster has been unequivocally understood as one of the worst acts against humanity in recorded history. One of the many scholars that have come to study the traumas left behind by this episode in history, has been Mama Marimba Ani. Marimba Ani coined the termRead MoreMusic And The Second World War1666 Words   |  7 Pagesthen in the Cold War, behind the Iron Curtain, same thing. It was all underground, but they needed the food of freedom that jazz offered† – Herbie Hancock. Looking back into history, you could create a timeline of events with nothing but song titles. Music was not just music, it was a lifestyle. Every major event in history has numerous songs that go along with or describe the happening. In the following paragraphs, I will describe aspects and elements of music for pre-World War II, World War II