About the book
A detailed collection of information about the playing and making of the instruments of indigenous peoples' in South Africa.
Percival Kirby was a musician and ethnomusicologist and for many years head of the music department at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Between 1923 and 1933 he undertook more than nine expeditions as well as many shorter excursions around South Africa. He was hosted by local chiefs and taught to play the instruments he encountered. He managed to purchase many of them, and this collection, now known as the Kirby Collection, is housed at the South African College of Music, University of Cape Town. First published as Musical Instruments of the Native Races of South Africa in 1934, the book was the culmination of research trips undertaken by Percival Kirby. It became the standard reference on indigenous South African musical instruments. The bulk of the material is concerned with detailed information on the making and playing of each instrument, and is accompanied by a large number of musical examples. This third edition contains an introduction by Mike Nixon, Head of the Ethnomusicology and African Music at the South African College of Music, and new reproductions of the valuable historic photographs, but leaves Kirby's original text unchanged.
Editions of The Musical Instruments of the Indigenous People of South Africa
- AltFormat
- ISBN 9781868146055
Read an Excerpt
A detailed collection of information about the playing and making of the instruments of indigenous peoples' in South Africa.
Percival Kirby was a musician and ethnomusicologist and for many years head of the music department at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Between 1923 and 1933 he undertook more than nine expeditions as well as many shorter excursions around South Africa. He was hosted by local chiefs and taught to play the instruments he encountered. He managed to purchase many of them, and this collection, now known as the Kirby Collection, is housed at the South African College of Music, University of Cape Town. First published as Musical Instruments of the Native Races of South Africa in 1934, the book was the culmination of research trips undertaken by Percival Kirby. It became the standard reference on indigenous South African musical instruments. The bulk of the material is concerned with detailed information on the making and playing of each instrument, and is accompanied by a large number of musical examples. This third edition contains an introduction by Mike Nixon, Head of the Ethnomusicology and African Music at the South African College of Music, and new reproductions of the valuable historic photographs, but leaves Kirby's original text unchanged.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Musical Instruments of the Indigenous People of South Africa about?
A detailed collection of information about the playing and making of the instruments of indigenous peoples' in South Africa.
Percival Kirby was a musician and ethnomusicologist and for many years head of the music department at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Between 1923 and 1933 he undertook more than nine expeditions as well as many shorter excursions around South Africa. He was hosted by local chiefs and taught to play the instruments he encountered. He managed to purchase many of them, and this collection, now known as the Kirby Collection, is housed at the South African College of Music, University of Cape Town. First published as Musical Instruments of the Native Races of South Africa in 1934, the book was the culmination of research trips undertaken by Percival Kirby. It became the standard reference on indigenous South African musical instruments. The bulk of the material is concerned with detailed information on the making and playing of each instrument, and is accompanied by a large number of musical examples. This third edition contains an introduction by Mike Nixon, Head of the Ethnomusicology and African Music at the South African College of Music, and new reproductions of the valuable historic photographs, but leaves Kirby's original text unchanged.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Musical Instruments of the Indigenous People of South Africa?
The Arts > Music > Theory of music and musicology
Where can I read a sample of The Musical Instruments of the Indigenous People of South Africa?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781868146055
How long is The Musical Instruments of the Indigenous People of South Africa and how many pages does it have?
The Musical Instruments of the Indigenous People of South Africa has 432 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Musical Instruments of the Indigenous People of South Africa?
Percival Kirby
Who is the Publisher of the book The Musical Instruments of the Indigenous People of South Africa?
Wits University Press
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
The Musical Instruments of the Indigenous People of South Africa is available as altformat(ISBN 9781868146055)
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