Musical Instruments and Their Homes

^)f-iir^î^.^ ^..^y^^'îift^':^-] ' ''3:wîiW£a:rr:Sl£î^^ MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND THEIR HOMES BY MARY E. BROWN AND WM. ADAMS BROWN WITH TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY ILLUSTRATIONS IN PEN AND INK BY WM. ADAMS BROWN THE WHOLE FORMING A COMPLETE CATALOGUE OF THE COLLECTION OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS NOW IN THE POSSESSION OF MRS. J. CROSBY BROWN OF NEW YORK NEW YORK DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY 1888 K^ Copyright, iSS8, By DODD, mead AND COMPANY. All riirhis reserved. Press of J. J. Little & Co., Astor Place, New York. ICo the iDne WHO HAS NOT ONLY GIVEN THE TRUE KEYNOTE TO OUR HOME, BUT WHOSE FIRM YET GENTLE TOUCH HAS RESOLVED ALL ITS TRANSIENT DISCORDS INTO HARMONY, Ihis Booh IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED BY HIS WIFE AND ELDEST SON. PREFACE. ^^HE present volume consists of two parts, distinct, yet complementary. The first is a complete catalogue of the collection of musical instruments in the possession of Mrs. John Crosby Brown of New York, consisting of a drawing and description of each of the two hundred and sixty-six specimens in that collection. To this catalogue has been added a series of explanatory essays on subjects connected with the music and musical instruments of savage and Oriental peoples. The history of European instruments has often been treated by competent authorities. But no comprehensive work on the musical instruments of the East and of savage races has yet appeared. Special subjects, indeed, have been treated with great learning and fulness. But such monographs, as a rule, are inaccessible to the general reader. The sections devoted to the musical instruments of different countries in the general histories of music, are of very unequal value ; some going into unnecessary detail, while others are superficial and unsatisfactory. The magnificent work of Hipkins and Gibb, on " Musical Instruments, Rare, Historic, and Unique," devotes only nine of its fifty plates to extra-European countries. The best single volume on the subject in question is still Engel's " Catalogue of the Musical Instruments in the South Kensington Museum." But this work, while indispensable to the student, is not adapted for general use. In the very nature of the case, the treatment lacks unity, and many of the most important points are passed over without notice. The present book, while far from claiming to give an exhaustive account vi Preface. of all the musical instruments of Oriental and savage races, aims to put within the reach of the general reader the most important facts connected with this interesting subject. In the plan of the work as originally conceived, the composition of the letterpress was undertaken by Mrs. Brown, while the present writer was to be responsible only for the drawings and the accompanying descriptions. The following words, written by Mrs. Brown as a preface, six months ago, will explain at once the origin of the book and its design as first contemplated : — " Some years ago I became very much interested in the subject of musical instruments, and a friend kindly procured for me from Florence two or three fine old specimens. To these, others were added from time to time, until I found myself really aspiring to make a collection, in which the more important instruments of the different countries of the world should all be represented. With the growth of this collection came naturally a desire for definite intormation both as to the instruments themselves, and the music of the countries from which they came. Finding that no one book con- tained the desired material, I was forced to gather it from many scattered sources, — volumes of travel and history, as well as of more special musical research. The results of my reading and study were embodied for my own use in a series of short papers. It has occurred to me that these sketches, designed primarily for my own reference, might be helpful to others, who, though interested in the subject, may not have the time or the opportunity to collect the information for themselves. They are fragmentary and incom- plete in character, consisting largely of quotations from the best authorities, to whom full credit is given. In the words of Montaigne, ' I have here only made a nosegay of culled flowers, and have brought nothing of my own but the thread that ties them toeether.' " In view of the many applications which have been made by those interested in musical subjects, for a description of the instruments in my possession, it seemed very important to prepare a careful catalogue of the Preface. vii collection. Accurate drawings have been made of each instrument by my son ; and it is believed that these illustrations, with the accompanying descriptions, will prove a valuable contribution to the study of the history of musical instruments, which, in this country, is still in its infancy. The most important collections of this kind in the United States — those of the National Museum in Washington, and of the Conservatory of Music in Boston, as well as the Drexel Collection in the Metropolitan Museum in New York — are still uncatalogued. It is hoped that the present volume may serve as a stimulus both to the speedy carrying out of this important work, and to the making of more complete collections, both private and national. " I wish in this connection to express my great indebtedness to the many friends who have assisted me in making this collection, and especially to those missionaries in distant lands who have secured and forwarded many of the most valuable specimens, often at great expense of time and trouble. I desire also to express my obligation to my friend Miss Ella Russel, who has not only assisted me in my musical studies, but who has been their real inspiration." Since these words were written, it has been found necessary in some respects to modify the original plan of the book. Circumstances having rendered it impossible for my mother to continue the preparation of the sketches above referred to, the completion of the letterpress as well as of the illustrations fell into my hands. As the work progressed, I became convinced of the advisability of a somewhat more comprehensive and careful treatment than had at first been contemplated. I was obliged, therefore, largely to re-write the earlier chapters, in order to make them conform to the method of treatment employed in the latter part of the work. It is believed that the book in its present form will fill a useful place in musical literature. It does not lay claim to the merit of original research, the time and circumstances of the writer having rendered this impossible. At the same time, all accessible authorities have been conscientiously con- sulted ; and a free use has been made of several manuscript sources, of viii Preface. which special acknowledgment will be made in the proper place. For the convenience of those who may desire for special purposes to verify any of the statements made in the text, full references have been given in foot- has been added at the back notes ; and a complete list of authorities quoted of the book. It has been the aim of the writer to make more than a mere compilation. While for convenience the separate chapters have been arranged in sets corresponding to the divisions of the catalogue, it will be found that they form by themselves a connected whole. For a reason which has already been explained, the subject of European instruments has been passed over in silence. The musical instruments of the ancient Assyrians, Egyptians, and Hebrews, as well as of the Greeks and Romans, have like- wise been passed by without notice, as not properly falling within the scope of the present work. With these exceptions, the writer has aimed to give some account of the principal musical instruments in use the world over, — particular attention being given to those specimens which are represented in the catalogue. A brief account of the character, history, and place of music in each of the more important extra-European countries, has been given in a special chapter. An additional word of explanation is needed as to the chapters on savage music and musical instruments. The interest and importance of this subject are so great, that I need not apologize for devoting to it considerable space. In the chapter on savage music, I acknowledge my special indebtedness to Mr. J. F. Rowbotham, who has brought together in the first volume of his " History of Music " a vast number of suggestive examples, in illustration of the ingenious theory there developed. In the later chapters I have relied more upon my own independent reading. The chapter on the instruments of North America especially contains a considerable amount of information which has never before appeared in print. The drawings of the catalogue were originally undertaken solely for private use, and without any idea of publication. As they were made at different times during a period extending over more than three years, there Preface. ix are necessarily many inequalities in the accuracy and the artistic quality of the work. Such corrections as were possible have, however, been faith- fully made. Not a few of the instruments have been redrawn specially for the book. Slight inaccuracies in the representation, which could not other- wise be corrected, have been noticed as far as possible in the accompanying description. It has not been possible to follow any uniform system in the spelling of names. Whenever possible, I have used the anglicized form given by Engel, adding in parentheses the more exact spelling.

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