Scan 89
The American history and encyclopedia of music .., 1908
8 lines. Read by computer on 11 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1act of life has some religious significance or is regulated by some rule or superstition, which has its root in their religious belief, and this religiousness gives a wealth of motive to musical expression.
3Scarcely to be classed as music is the chanting of the coolies as they work together; and the songs of the palanquin bearers and the oarsmen on the boats. One, apparently the leader, will begin the chant alone and the others will respond in unison. Some of the words are meaningless, as "Hum-go-gum, oh-ho!" repeated, then followed by an improvised verse of a personal nature in which they make comments on the passengers whom they are bearing, or the circumstances of the day, and speculation as to the present they will receive.
5A recent Tamil writer upon the subject of Hindu music gives a three-fold classification which we may adopt, grouping it under the heads of auspicious music, funeral music and concert music. The so-called "auspicious music" corresponds to our band music, and is used on all sorts of joyous occasions, as temple festivals, marriages, the ceremony of boring the ears of children for earrings, the first feeding of children with boiled rice, and many other functions of a happy nature. At all such times the same class of music is used, the instruments are the same and the musicians are men of a certain caste. There is only this difference, that at the temple festivals less variety of music is given, while at weddings a great variety of selections and lively airs may be heard. This music is never learned or practised by the upper classes.
7The instruments of auspicious music are: a large drum; cymbals; a sort of clarinet, which plays the air but has only a limited range; the drone-pipe, which gives a continuous sound on a single key; and an instrument which consists of two half-drums joined together. Of these, the clarinet requires the greatest skill and when well played the player is allowed a silver or even a golden pipe, and the music is very sweet if heard without the accompaniments. The movements of the musicians while playing are no less interesting than the music itself. The drummers shake their heads and their
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