The Handbook of European Folk Music Instruments

Abstract

A t the invitation of the Institut ffir deutsche Volkskunde at the Deutsche Akademie der Wissenschaften in Berlin, a number of contributors to the Handbuch der europaiischen Volksmusik-instrumente met for a work conference from the 15th to the 17th of May, 1962. Although the plan was published two years ago in Acta Musicologia, vol. 32 (1960) by the editors-in-chief, Dr. Ernst Emscheimer (Musikhistoriska museet, Stockholm) and Dr. Erich Stockmann (Institut fUir deutsche Volkskunde, Berlin), the project is still in a preparatory state. The reason for the delay is that both editors have the strong conviction that it would not make sense to proceed with such a comprehensive work before determining practical questions relating to editorial work, and to the work-research methods which form the basis for such a project. Communications with the collaborators, sample articles, and the above mentioned conference served this purpose. Dr. Stockmann opened the conference with a speech, illuminating the various aspects and problems of the handbook and laying the foundation for further discussion. In general, this discussion led to an affirmation of the editors' point of view concerning the layout of the work. Accordingly, the work shall consist of six volumes, each containing a group of articles involving various countries. The sixth volume will deal with European folk music instruments in exclusively non-European countries such as the United States. In addition it will have two indices, one arranged by types of instruments, thus provising a general view of all folk music instruments and their appearance in different countires, while the other index will list the local terms used in the handbook. In order to hasten publication the six volumes will be written and prepared simultaneously. After an article about a country is completed it will be published immediately as a complete fascicle. The entire work will be edited in German only, for the present. The editors' suggestion that the instruments treated in each article about a country be arranged according to the Systematik der Musikinstrumente by E. M. von Hornbostel and Curt Sachs was accepted. Also accepted were the various approaches and procedures which are to be used in the presentation of each instrument, and this in the following order: 1) Terminology, 2) Ergology and technology, 3) Performance technique and musical possibilities, 4) Repertoire, 5) Folkloristic function, 6) History and distribution. Each article therefore will deal with the instrument in the form of a small monograph, giving equal attention to philological linguistics, folklore, physical acoustics, phonetics and organology. The various typical ensembles of each country and their combinations and repertoires will be listed at the end of each article. Schematic and realistic drawings will be used to describe the instruments and photographs will illustrate ethnological functions. If possible, map