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Man's Early Musical Instruments

Various Artists
Man's Early Musical Instruments

This 1956 educational compilation was edited by famed German musicologist Curt Sachs (1881–1959). Sachs was a co–creator of the Sachs–Hornbostel system of musical instrument classification, which the album showcases using examples from previous Folkways recordings. The album begins with the most basic percussion, foot–stamping and hand–clapping. It continues with various membranophones (skin–sounders), idiophones (self–sounders), aerophones (wind instruments), and chordophones (stringed instruments), and finishes with various examples of orchestral combinations of them all. The liner notes include an introductory essay by Sachs along with photographs and a discography of the source material used.

EN ESPAÑOL

Esta compilación educativa de 1956 fue editada por el famoso musicólogo alemán Curt Sachs (1881–1959). Sachs fue un co-creador del sistema de Sachs-Hornbostel de clasificación de instrumentos musicales, que el álbum muestra usando ejemplos de anteriores grabaciones de Folkways.

El álbum comienza con la percusión, más básica, taconeo y palmas. Continúa con diversos membranófonos (resonadores), idiófonos (auto sonidos), y aerófonos (instrumentos de viento) y cordófonos (instrumentos de cuerda) y termina con varios ejemplos de combinaciones orquestales de todos ellos. Las notas incluyen un ensayo introductorio de Sachs, junto con fotografías y una discografía de la materia prima utilizada.

*Content Advisory: This album’s title and liner notes contain dated language and concepts. We are aware that presenting Indigenous music as “primitive” is harmful to the communities that create it, their descendants, and to public discourse in general. Smithsonian Folkways has chosen to keep this album in circulation because of the value of the unique musical performances it presents. The liner notes, however, reflect a now-discredited school of thought in early-twentieth-century scholarship that assumed that communities not characterized by Western cultural patterns and processes were “pure” reflections of earlier stages of cultural evolution. We have chosen to post the album and liner notes in their original form, as they are historical documents. However, we also acknowledge that this school of thought has perpetuated racist views and policies toward the Indigenous peoples it characterizes. We encourage the reader to learn more by clicking here.
For our policy on controversial recordings, please see our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Track Listing

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101
Membranophones and Idiophones: Foot Stamping n/a 00:35
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102
Membranophones and Idiophones: Tap Dancing n/a 00:35
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103
Membranophones and Idiophones: Hand Clapping n/a 00:44
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104
Membranophones and Idiophones: Tapping Sticks n/a 00:21
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105
Membranophones and Idiophones: Tuned Sticks n/a 00:31
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106
Membranophones and Idiophones: Metal Cymbals n/a 00:52
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107
Membranophones and Idiophones: Pounding Bamboos n/a 00:41
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108
Membranophones and Idiophones: Beaten Pots n/a 00:21
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109
Membranophones and Idiophones: Rattles n/a 00:31
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110
Membranophones and Idiophones: Scrapers n/a 00:34
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111
Membranophones and Idiophones: Slit Drum n/a 00:55
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112
Membranophones and Idiophones: Finger Drum n/a 00:38
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113
Membranophones and Idiophones: Water Drum n/a 00:46
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114
Membranophones and Idiophones: Frame Drums (1) n/a 01:38
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115
Membranophones and Idiophones: Frame Drums (2) n/a 01:05
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116
Membranophones and Idiophones: Hollow-Log Drums (1) n/a 01:52
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117
Membranophones and Idiophones: Hollow-Log Drums (2) n/a 00:35
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118
Membranophones and Idiophones: Hollow-Log Drums (3) n/a 02:03
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119
Membranophones and Idiophones: Drum Chimes n/a 01:28
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201
Membranophones and Idiophones: Gong Chimes (1) n/a 01:59
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202
Membranophones and Idiophones: Gong Chimes (2) n/a 00:37
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203
Membranophones and Idiophones: Bell n/a 00:25
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204
Membranophones and Idiophones: Inverted Bells n/a 02:33
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205
Membranophones and Idiophones: Xylophone n/a 01:34
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206
Membranophones and Idiophones: Sansa n/a 00:44
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207
Membranophones and Idiophones: Jew's Harp n/a 00:33
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208
Aerophones: Trumpets n/a 00:39
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209
Aerophones: Horns n/a 00:31
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210
Aerophones: Oboe n/a 01:22
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211
Aerophones: Clarinet n/a 01:15
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212
Aerophones: Double Clarinet n/a 01:08
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213
Aerophones: Bagpipe n/a 00:44
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214
Aerophones: Accordion n/a 01:02
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215
Aerophones: Vertical Flute n/a 01:21
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216
Aerophones: Transverse Flute n/a 00:40
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217
Aerophones: Whistle Flute n/a 00:48
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218
Aerophones: Giant Double Whistle Flutes n/a 00:45
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219
Aerophones: One-Hand Flute n/a 00:43
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220
Aerophones: Panpipes n/a 01:04
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221
Aerophones: Nose Flute n/a 01:31
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301
Chordophones: Ground Harp n/a 00:47
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302
Chordophones: Musical Bow n/a 00:55
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303
Chordophones: Arched Harp n/a 01:09
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304
Chordophones: Harp n/a 01:09
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305
Chordophones: Stick Zither n/a 01:36
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306
Chordophones: Tubular Zither n/a 01:06
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307
Chordophones: Bowl Zither n/a 01:14
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308
Chordophones: Langleik n/a 01:08
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309
Chordophones: Lyre n/a 01:40
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310
Chordophones: Long Lutes (1) n/a 01:20
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311
Chordophones: Long Lutes (2) n/a 01:16
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312
Chordophones: Samisen n/a 02:00
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313
Chordophones: Banjo n/a 01:19
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314
Chordophones: Guitars (1) n/a 02:38
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315
Chordophones: Guitars (2) n/a 00:27
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316
Chordophones: Diminutive Guitar n/a 01:13
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401
Chordophones: Gusla n/a 01:15
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402
Chordophones: Sarinda n/a 01:38
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403
Chordophones: Hu Ch'in n/a 01:25
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404
Chordophones: Spike Fiddle n/a 01:05
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405
Chordophones: Lira n/a 00:58
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406
Chordophones: Hardangerfele n/a 01:20
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407
Chordophones: Hurdy-Gurdy n/a 01:35
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408
Orchestral Combinations: Balinese Gamelan n/a 02:57
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409
Orchestral Combinations: Burmese Orchestra n/a 01:30
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410
Orchestral Combinations: Thai Orchestra n/a 03:14
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411
Orchestral Combinations: Rumanian Orchestra n/a 03:06
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412
Orchestral Combinations: Spanish Cobla n/a 03:08