The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-11-26
PUERTO RICAN MUSIC.
Rent and Is n Qaeer One
Bat Popular.

Like all other Spanishspeaking peo-
pies. the Puerto Ricans are fond Of
music. Every cafe has its orchestra
for q cafe could hardly do business
without one. Every main stree dur
ing the latter part Of the day has its
little iunerant band OF guitar and vio-
lin players. and the warm nights an
made pleasant 10 the strollers along
the streets by the sound Of stringed il
struments which floats from behind the
latticed, vine-clad screen of private resi-
oences-
Nearly all OF the airs are pitched N
a minor key. which even when intend
ed 10 be Joyous, contains q plant 10
the AnClo-Saxon, fond of SoCsa's TO
bust music. To one who has travelled
in Spanish lands the music Of Puerto
Rico a1 first seems TEL familiar, but
the ear is not long in discovering some
thing novel in the accompaniment 10
the melody
1t sounds al first like the rhythmical
shuttle OF feet upon a sanded floor. and
one might suppose some expert clog
cancer was ninbly stepping 10 the
music made by the Tolins and guitars.
The motion is almost O quick. too
complicated. for this, however. and il
is the defines of fingers and not of
feet that produces it
1t u from the only musical in
strpment native to the West Indies. the
"guira.- which word is pronounced
"huir-r-a" with a soft roll and twist
10 the tongue only possible 10 the ma
tive The guira is a gourd varying in
size in different instruments. On the
inverse curve Of the Courd = cut holes
like those in the back Of a violin On
the other side Of the gourd opposite
the holes is a series Of deep scratches
The player balances the gourd in his
left hand, holding it lightly that none
OF the resonance may be lost.
With the right hand he rapidly rubs
this rouchened side of the gourd with
q two-tined steel fork. In the hands
OF a novice this produces nothing but
a harsh. d~isaCreeable noise. In the
hands Of q native "guira" player a won
derful rhythmic sound N from
this dried vegetable shell. a sound
which. in its place in the orchestra
becomes music, and o certainly
gives splendid time and considerable
volume TO the performance.
The players hand moves with light
ming rapidity. The steel fork at times
makes long sweeps the whole length
OF the gourd and then again vibrates
with incredible swiftness over but an
inch OF two of its surface. There seems
10 be a perfect method in its playing,
though no musical record is before the
player and il seems TO be a matter
merely Of his fancy and his ear as TO
how his part shall harmonic with the
melody Of the stringed instruments.
The guira is found in all the West
Indies. but seems specially popular in
Puerto Rico. The players generally
make their own instruments and APP
PaTently become attached 10 them for
as poor as these strolling PLAYERS are.
they viii hardly part with their guiras.
eve when offered ten times their real
a-1| IAt' AK N>LA-SAH G l GtitO
Rican curio. and, strange as il may
seem. Puerto Rico is probably more
destitute Of tourists loot" than any
foreign country known 10 the travel
ing American. The tourist who can
secure a guira may congratulate him
self. for it will be hard TO get and is
the very thing which can be carried
away from the island as a souvenir
which is distinctly native ard peculiar.
Kansas City Star.