Music

One of the earliest instruments was the drum – originally probably a hollow tree trunk, beaten with a stick. – Drumming is attractive to almost all people, appealing to our deepest instincts. This Taiwanese child clearly enjoys drumming. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Orchestras from various villages, gathered at a music festival in the village of Prägraten, Virgen Valley, Tirol, Austria. Most members are clad in traditional dress. Note the white feathers in some of the hats, which are meant to create an illusion of chamois feathers – a tuft of hairs from the back of the chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), which Alpine hunters in former days would attach to their Tyrolian hat. (Photos copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

At Fort Ticonderoga, Lake Champlain, New York State, volunteers perform as English troops, marching into battle, re-enacting a scene from the American Revolution (top). This boy performs as a flutist, marching with revolutionary troops (bottom). (Photos copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

During a Buddhist initiation ceremony in a Tibetan monastery near the Bodhnath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal, monks blow on huge horns. – Read more about the Bodhnath Stupa – and about Buddhism in general – elsewhere on this website, see Religion: Buddhism. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Mural in Povls Church, Bornholm, Denmark, depicting serious sins, such as playing music, dancing, and playing games – at least according to certain puritanical Christian sects. – Read more about Christianity on this website, see Religion: Christianity. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

These men in the city of Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, India, celebrate the Hindu festival Dassera, or Durga Puja, by blowing on huge brass horns. – Read more about Hindu festivals elsewhere on this website, see Travel episodes: India 1991 – Attending Hindu festivals in Rajasthan. – About Hinduism in general, see Religion: Hinduism. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

This man from Zaire is playing on a mbira (also called kalimba or thumb piano), a musical instrument, consisting of a wooden board, fitted with a resonator. On the board are attached metal tines of uneven length, and you play by holding the instrument in both hands and plucking at the tines with your thumbs. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Klokkestenen (‘The Bell Stone’), a dolmen from the Stone Age (c. 3000 B.C.), Lyø, Funen, Denmark. The small depressions are made over time by thousands of people, hitting the stone with a small rock, hereby producing a bell-like sound. – Read more about megalithic structures on this website, see Culture: Megaliths. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Celebrating The Buddha’s birthday at the Bodhnath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal, these monks play on flutes, made from human femurs. – Read more about the Bodhnath Stupa – and about Buddhism in general – elsewhere on this website, see Religion: Buddhism. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

During a Daoist festival, dedicated to the god of medicine, Bao Shang, old men are playing on clarinet-like instruments (top), while women are beating a huge drum (bottom), Longde Temple (‘Dragon Virtue’), Fenyuan, western Taiwan. – Read more about Daoism on this website, see Religion: Daoism in Taiwan. (Photos copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

Street performing blind musician and his assistant, of the Shona tribe, Harare, Zimbabwe. While playing a guitar, the man is moving the puppet with his toes, making it ‘dance’ in time with the music. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

In Ancient Egypt, the god Bes was the defender of good and the enemy of evil. In this relief in the temple of Hathor, Philae, Aswan, he is depicted, playing a harp. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

During a Daoist festival, a lion dance, accompanied by drums, is performed in front of a shop in Taichung, Taiwan. Such ceremonies are said to bring good luck. – Read more about Daoism on this website, see Religion: Daoism in Taiwan. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

A wandering musician and his son enjoy a break outside the Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. The musician has only one leg – the artificial one is seen to the right. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

White marble column with a carving, depicting tabla players, Vimal Vasahi Jain temple, Dilwara, Mount Abu, Rajasthan, India. – Read more about this marvelous temple – and about Jainism in general – elsewhere on this website, see Religion: Jainism. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

In certain Taiwanese fishing societies, like here in Jiading, Kaoshiung, people still celebrate the Daoist Boat Burning Festival, during which a complete wooden boat is built, then burned as an offering to the god of diseases, Wang-yeh, hoping that he will spare the people of the plague and other dreadful diseases. In former times, the burning boat was pushed out to sea, ceremonially carrying the diseases away, but this practice has now been abandoned, and the boat is burned on land. In this picture, musicians march in front of the boat, prior to the burning. – Read more about the Boat Burning Festival – and about Daoism in general – elsewhere on this website, see Religion: Daoism in Taiwan. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

This carving in the Hindu temple Brihadisvara, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, South India, depicts a being, blowing into a bag-pipe. It acts as support for a drainage pipe for rain water – i.e. somewhat similar to the European gargoyle. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

During the Orthodox Christian festival of Timkat, celebrated in the town of Lalibela, Ethiopia, this priest is blowing a horn. – Read more about the Timkat festival elsewhere on this website, see Travel episodes: Ethiopia 1996: Timkat – a Christian festival. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

This carving, depicting female flutist and tabla players, adorns the Jain temple on top of the Shetrunjaya Hill, near Palitana, Gujarat, India. – Read more about Jainism elsewhere on this website, see Religion: Jainism. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

During a Daoist festival, dedicated to the Mother Goddess Mazu, celebrated in the town of Pitou, Taiwan, these men blow on long brass horns. – Read more about Mazu – and about Daoism in general – elsewhere on this website, see Religion: Daoism in Taiwan. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

During the Hindu festival of Bisket Jatra, celebrated in Bhaktapur, Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, this Newar is beating a tabla. Note that the tika mark on his forehead, consisting of mustard oil, mixed with red powder, also contains rice kernels, indicating that an important festival is taking place. His hat, called a topi, is typical of the Newar people. (Photo copyright © by Kaj Halberg)

(Uploaded September 2017)

(Revised continuously)

Kaj Halberg - writer & photographer

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Music