Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-04-09

studying the racial traits Of tn"
Indians, ana VINO recently returned
flom an exploration Of the Pueblo
region Of Arizona ANA New Mexico.
"Cnlikc most music uf s5tvagcS." he
went on, tho music Of the Indians is
not momotunous i'll character. It cX-
presses sometimes infinite gayCty.
again Wailiuss that bring before you
the GrcGorian chant. and even the
fantastic creations of PaEanini In
deed, the melodies that accompany tile
snake dance Of the Hops is, | believe
the most wcrdly. strangely cnthral-
ing that can BE- heard. II is enough
10 make a mans hair stand on end
ana send 4 nervous quivcring through
cut the entire frame.
I'm the summer Of 1896 | had the
good fortune To observe, with pr J.
Walter F"wkcs. the flute ceremony Of
thv Hori pueblo Of WaIri Ariz. In
the course Of the ritual. which is an i'll
vocation for rain. Il series uf songs are
repeated each dIy for several days
II was the first time | had ever heard
Indian music. "ud the sensation was
quite novel,. The chorus Of priests
r1ttl" ia hand. sang ii pnison before
the tlUtr ALTAR. in harrow, low room
without Wi#tjuWs. greatly aUgmcnting
The volume IF suuu5.
'"Th" tim" WAS SIT hy tho speaker
chief, vino uniformly shook his rattle
eight beats u five seconds fur all tn"
songs ami fur each days songs With
TIL" atcurucy IF 4 mo;ruuomn. Thrpr
vcr" three boats in each measure.
aud The dyrp. vibrant voices seemed
t" portray the winds, thunder, rain,
the rushing Of water. ANA tie clc-
mental forces of nature, interviewer
With human lassinn. ANA those emo
tions called forth by the exquisite
melodies of mujrru civilization. at
times the music rnScllblrd tho opera
IT, beauties Of tEc ual!au composers.
Tie notation Of Indi;,u music is
chr"mytir, not capable ut c&lrcsei"..
on any Instrument say" Tile violin or
the Specially constructed flutes. which
later accompanied the singing These
flutes by th, Wav. marr,d the effect Of
the voices. They were played In
unison Oh the UctaVr above tho voices.
I'm GrEnI"ll effect tn. music is
minor but Frequently major motives
OF great beauty spring out IF dead
lcNrl mnnntniuua mianrS. Sometimes
a major motive is followed BY a minor
Counterpart cf the same. There il
much siurliuG ana an occasional ~
duplication comes in with great effect
4 number uf songs ara nnnotouous.
with one" in 4 while Il strong staccato
movement. Th" closing song was
spirited and might truly be- called
beautiful. It consisted Gf several
"gat" vrvs": c"cn closing with
turn, ralid Vibration Of the rattle.
and 4 solemn refrain. IN structure
and melody it rcscmbl"d y Christian
hymn. The music, indeed. reminded
nc Of the Grcgorian chants, ana to
IN" some Of the motives seemed quito
equal 10 thos" upon which Handel
built mis- great oratorios
"Th" Ii"ris arc noted far ana near
over the pueblo region rs song makers.
II is matter of surprise to travellers
To find a cheerful, happy, music loving
pe ople amid III" arid wastes Of
Tusayan. DR. Fcwkcs, VINO was with
ms. remarked: 4 have heard nothing
more effective than this singing Of thc
priests at tn" nutc ceremony. II is a
concert 10 which the most cultivated
could not take exceptions It would
be well To judge the musical capabili-.
tics Of the Indians by these weird and
characteristic songs, not by imarinar.v
war cries ana discnrdant noises which
form tho basis upon which Indiaus
have too often been criticised in this
regard"