Musical Instruments: Traditions and Craftsmanship from Prehistory to the Present

by Lucie Rault

At once a sumptuous gift for the music lover and a complete and authoritative reference that fills a major gap in our knowledge of music history, this beautifully illustrated book traces the evolution of musical instruments and their importance in different world cultures. Starting with prehistoric drums, the text sheds new light on the varied ways in which people have used musical instruments throughout history, from tools of communication to mediums of artistic expression. From the human vocal chords to precision string instruments, from the cai trong kuan (Vietnamese zither) to the edungu (Ugandan lyre), this book details an astonishing array of instruments and provides unique anthropological insights into the relationship between ethnography and music. The only work currently in print that displays photographs of the world's musical instruments along with their history, this volume offers vital information for teachers, students, scholars, dealers, and collectors. LUCIE RAULT is an ethnologist who lectures at the Muse National d'Histoire Naturelle and heads the Department of Ethnomusicology at the Muse de l'Homme in Paris, where she lives. 200 illustrations, 150 in full color, 93/4 x 121/2"

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published November 1, 2000

Reviews

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book, but there was a lot of thick jargon in places, which kept making my eyes glaze over. I do like the many pictures, though some of the captions are inadequate.
Chapters are: The voices of nature; The body as instrument; Religious and ritual uses; Instruments in society; Giving matter a soul. There's also a glossary for some terms, a list of collections of musical instruments & a Select Bibliography. I wish the glossary were more extensive.