The Arvada enterprise., 1911-08-10
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there is tremendous wealth of Indian music to
be studied and chronicled In permanent FORM
each individual tribe having had from time I'm
memorial its distinctive songs and chants. A
man who is attempting to compile a complete pic
torial record of the Indians has already spent
twenty years in the work and it is likely that
as much time will be required If there is to be
mirrored for the benefit of future generations the
distinctive music of all the various tribes.
Private individuals, musicians or scientists. have
from time to time in the past made effort in
small way to perpetuate American Indian music
and while they deserve credit for what they
have accomplished it is an undertaking which
through It's sheer magnitude, II for other rea
son. needs the resources OF the national govern
ment. That 1t is pre-eminently government func
ton is likewise attested by the fact that 1t has
promise of success only when prosecuted through
the organized channels of intercourse with the
Indans-channels which enable federal officials
to get into the confidence Of the more intellectual
men of all the various tribes in degree that
would scarcely be possible except in the of
an individual who lived for many years among
the Indians whose secrets he sought
The governmental study and perpetuaton OF
Indian music is being conducted under the aus
pces OF the Smithsonian Institution and National
Museum at Washington The bureau Of Ethnol
ogy is the particular branch of this great seat
of research which has the Indian music investi
CATION in charge. Probably the most interesting
phase of the whole undertaking is that which
has to do with the activities of Miss Frances
Densmore. Miss Densmore, who is accom-
pshed student of music, has spent much time
among the Chippewas and other tribes whose
music is at once notable and representative and
has recorded as many as two hundred songs be
longing to a single tribe.
Oddly enough the phonograph has been the
chief means Of capturing the songs of the for
est There is system of written music among
most OF the tribes and the phonograph was hit
upon the only possible means of providing
the means of studying the music carefully and
leisurey. AS may be surmsed 1t was anything
but an easy task to induce some of the more su
perstitious OF the red to sing into the strange
machine to induce them to even permit the
recording apparatus to be set up within earshot
Of theE camp fires when there was in progress
those ceremonial rites and dances which call up
the musical lore OF the savages.
Finally after much perseverance, however, at
Indian agencies and elsewhere the music hunters
have succeeded In making creditabe beginning
in securing the priceless phonograph RECORDS OF
Indian music. In the case OF one or two tribes
the song collection Of canned music is prac
tically complete After records of Indian songs
or music are secured they are transcribed in p
ano score and studied scientifically. Meanwhile
the collection of records W. be kept on file for
the benefit OF the musical students of future
generations who will find 1t priceless boon to
hear the Indian music originally rendered
The researches which have been mad show that
Indian music is as complex as is the tribal life
OF the original Americans An accompaniment OF
song is provided for every public ceremony as
we'll as for every important act In the career OF an
individual The music Of each ceremony mas i's
peculiar rhythm, have also the classes OF songs
which pertain to individual acts such as iasths
and prayer hunting. courtship, the playing OF
games and the facing or defying OF death An
Indian person thoroughly versed In indian