source file: m1585.txt
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1998 13:36:22 -0500 (EST)

Subject: Re: TUNING digest 1582

From: Judith Conrad <jconrad@tiac.net>

> From: Kraig Grady <kraiggrady@anaphoria.com>
> The question of Native American tuning is something I have been looking
> into for quite a while having a potent amount of Chipewa blood. For
> years I have been collecting transcriptions (mainly Francis Densmore) as
> well as listening to the recordings at the southwest museum which is
> about 3 miles from where I am. There they have tape from the edison
> cylinders. Still by the time these recordings were done, she was only
> able to get solo recordings where as much of this music was sung in
> groups. This music is gone for the most part or greatly corrupted by
> 12et.etc.

I once read a 19th century book on native american music out of my public
library. It was written by some missionary, who brought a piano out to
North Dakotah or some such place. He would have the native singers sing
him their favorite songs, and then he would figure out how to 'harmonise
them properly.' So thrilled would they be by finding out thereby what
their music was supposed to sound like,  he reported, that they would
immediately begin to drum along. Sometimes, they would be so transported
into ecstasies by the revelation of his piano playing, that they would
drum louder and louder -- sometimes to the point where he could no longer
HEAR his piano playing!

Judy