Wednesday, December 22, 2010

What's currently playing in our car?


Another great CD of Ethiopian music! We purchased it at our local music store, Music Millennium, but you can also find it on Amazon.

Ethiopian music has a rich and diverse musical tradition that stretches back thousands of years. Each of Ethiopia's ethnic groups have an identified and unique sound. If you are interested, PBS provides examples of some music across Ethiopia. From the 1950's to the 1970's emerged the Ethio-jazz period. NPR allows you to listen to some music that was a product of this period.

These are just SOME of the instruments that are used in tradition Ethiopian music:

Traditional string instruments include:
The Masengo: a one-string violin
The Krar: a six-string lyre
The Begena: a large ten-string lyre. 
The Dita: a five-string lyre

Traditional horn/flute instruments:
The Washint: a bamboo flute
Malakat: three to four meter long metal trumpet
Holdudwa: an animal horn
Embilta: a flute with no finger holes, producing two tones
Pan flutes: consisting of 5 or more pipes of increasing length

Traditional drum like instruments:
Kebero: double-headed hand drum
Atamo: a small hand drum sometimes made of clay

One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain. 
~Bob Marley


1 comment:

  1. Knowing you will be united with your baby girl is music to my ears!!! A forever family is a sweet sweet song and I am happy for you.

    ReplyDelete