Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-07-28
CHINESE ORCHESTRAS.
REMARKABLE INSTRUMENTS OF EAR
SPLITTING BANDS.

Descriptions Of some Of the uuesr Look
Ing Inventions from which Chinese
Musicians Extract Deisctable melody.
Prices Of the Musieai Devices.
Tho ordinary Monaghan orchestra,
such a. IL 10 DO found usually dis.
pcnsing tunes for tho delcctaiion Of the
Celestial ears az tho Chinese theators In
this city, Is composed Of ten pieces. and
each player has his peculiar instrument,
on which he Il an adept. He also per-
forms upon 1t with an apparent stoicnl
Indifference M 10 tho scores Of his fellow
musicians
Thoroughly to equip nn orchestra
with proper instruments entails q cost
of 5000. which amount any nervous
Householder who has ever had The mis-
fortune 10 reside within onrshot Of one
at paciico would DO willing 10 advance
twice over In order 10 have u moved On.
After purchasing the instruments play.
cra arc needed. and their services vary
IN price, according 10 ability. oxpcrtne.a
and reputation. The Monaghan must
elan values his ability at from q to s.
per night. but II be- has climbed the lad.
der Of fame he Will demand from g. 10
so per night
Tho drum. In tho estimation " the
Chinese musician. Is tho most important
instrumont, which opinion s. shared liko-
WHO By the juvenile American. A
Chinese drum costs twelve dollar, and
has much the same appearance A. a keg
constructed Of Light wood. covered with
cowhiic. This instrument Is beaten
with pair OF heavy wooden sticks, and
produces q booming sound. which grows
extremely monoionous when It Is con.
tinuod for several hours.
the cinNEsE ooSd.
Tho alarm, or taps. Is Chinese must.
onl device Of peculiar construction. II
consists Of n framework Of wood. upon
which Il vet u conical top Of hard wood
covered with cnlialdn. Projecting from
the top Of the franc IA hollow square
tho sizo OF a cigar box, covered with
rawhide. Sounds ie produced by stril,-
ing the top. which omlts bass notes, and
the projecting hide covered square with
drumsticAa. This tunoful instrument
costs $3.50.
Tho cymbals OF tho Chinese nro OF
hammered brass, similar IN design 90
those used by American bands, aud costs
eighteen dollars.
Brnss gongs shaped much like tam
BORNE arr used by Mongolian muicians
IA the makeup Of their orchestra. A
first class gong can be bought for hftecn
dollars.
A gong Of cencave form and OF very
light weight, that gives forth a tingling
sound. Is another orchestral instrument.
It costs $3.50. Mongolian hddles are Of
peculiar construction aud emit sounds
which, from musical point Of Wow, arc
rs inharmouious as the instrument Is un-
couth Ia appearance. Diyostcd Of It's
strings Chinese fiddle has the same up
pcaranco aa nallot, with tho handle
long and nattened 10 about au inci In
width and an eighth Of an inch In thick
ncm.
In the lower part Of tho handle are in.
serted two keys, ono above the other.
To each Of tho keya are attached two
strings OF horsohair or catguti tho other
ends are firmly wound about tho mallci
head. What varied and discorlnn,
sounds are produced whom tho Chinese
fiddler runs his bow across the s,ungsl
And besides the Chinese have tho tcmor.
ity to ask 800 for such device,
THE nAsJo, FLUTE. LrC.
Tho banjo the heathcn may be- very
appropriate Hkened TO small sized
frying pan with very long handle. The
drum is covered with snakcsldn drawn
tight Three keys and four strings com,
pletc the instrument, which Is sold fol
fyo dollars.
Tho has, banjo Is the size OF larg,
sized snare drum and about half ia,
depth. Four keys and the same number
of strings arc used. The sum Of g, q
will buy ono for ordinary use.
A Chinese flute Is purchaseahlo ri
Heyonty'iive cents, II Of ordinary max,
and without ornnmentation. II has tel
finger holes and gives vent to shrill aud
discordant notes, which delight Chimes,
cara but CRATE upon those OF the eau
casiun.
In some cases Chinese orchcstras con
tain several Autifts, who, when together
appear TO vic with ch other in tn,
emitting OF the most dismal and shril
tunes that ever lacorated human nerves
The clarinet is to tho Monaghan whA
tho cornot Is 10 u.s. Its evident use Is /,
add variety TO tho clamors OF tho drum
and cymbals and the discordant sound
Of flute and fiddle, 1t Ia u sort OF medi
ator between all those revolutionary in
ftrumcnts, and has a tendency TO yrneei
the discord, which apparently is tho ba
sis OF all Chinese music.
Tho Monaghan ear has become inurel
10 such strains, aud TO the child Of IN,
Flowcry Kingdom 1t speaks Of home
tragedy, love and revenge 50 long a.
no does not tako summary yongeanc,
upon his unsteady inclined follow coun
trymen let him enjoy TO the full the ag
onics OF sound which Monaghan orches
tras produce. Francisco Chronicle
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