Chippewa Music (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Chippewa MusicThe purpose of the present work is to determine what constitutes the music of the Chippewa Indiana, and to record results in such a manner that they will be available for reference. By means of the phonograph it is possible to obtain an accurate record of Indian song, which, though permanent, is of necessity limited in scope. To the phonograph record and its analysis must therefore be added abundant field notes, giving the results of observations of the musical performances, together with descriptions of circumstances and surroundings. These three - phonograph record, analysis, and field notes are the necessary data of this branch of research.The study of Indian music is more than the collection of Indian songs. It includes a consideration of the vocal expression of a mental concept; therefore incorrect repetitions of a song are as significant as correct repetitions. Into their value enters a human element - the personality of the singer. A person of musical gifts and proficiency frequently presents a rendition of a song which contains embellishments. These reveal the succession of tones especially pleasing to the native singer. A person of little musical talent presents an imperfect rendition of a song, yet these imperfections are interesting. They indicate which phase of the song was most difficult for him to acquire and remember, the melody or the rhythm.The analysis of the Chippewa songs from the land of June trees, lakes, and hills, in northern Minnesota, shows that in them the descending interval of the minor third occurs with special prominence and frequency; that the majority of the songs begin with a downward progression; and that the intervals of melodic progression are smaller in the older songs. A classification of the songs as melodic and harmonic reveals a possibility that the mental concept of the song has a direct bearing on the form assumed by the melody. The songs said to have been composed during…