Primitive Music. An Enquiry Into the Origin and Development of Music, Songs, Instruments, Dances and Pantomimes of Savage Races.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1893 edition. Excerpt: ...continue to describe their general character by adding a few examples from Central and South America. The dance of the Klarheywey (Zunian, South Mexico) consists of two parts, distinguished by different songs and different movements. Both parts are danced to vocal music, which is in the first part accompanied by a drum, in the second by a number of horns.3 The Iroquois had thirty-two different dances, twenty-six of which were entirely original, while only twenty-one are still in use.4 They were all accompanied with music, song and dance alternating. During a war-dance a war-whoop was given by the leader and answered by the entire company. It was a prolonged sound upon a high note, with a decadence near the end, followed by an abrupt explosive conclusion, in which the voice was raised again to the original pitch.5 The frequency with which the Iroquois danced in a circle caused Baker to think it was meant to represent the course of the sun, which the Indians worship;x but we have seen this circular dance among so many tribes and on all continents where the sun is not worshipped, that this conclusion does not necessarily follow. It appears to me rather that the circular form is adopted (if intentionally adopted at all) for the same reason that we have adopted it in our games: to keep the company together, and to concentrate in an equal degree the interest of all participants on the object of the play. Moreover, many kinds of birds dance thus in circles 2 (e.g., Tetrao phasianellus) without worshipping the sun. 1 Chamberlain, /. c, p. I5g. a Chamisso, /. c, p. 20. 3 Fewkes, Sum. Cent., p. 47. 4 Morgan, /. c, p. 291. 5 Ibid., p. 272. In ancient Mexico the dances were accompanied by songs and instruments; both began with deep notes which...