A Day at the MIM - 3

We continue our "travels" through the Music Instrument Museum in Phoenix with a visit to one of the Geographical Galleries. In the Asia Gallery, we were drawn to this exhibit. Here the identity of the instrument was secondary.

A komusō was a Japanese mendicant monk of the Fuke school of Zen Buddhism, during the Edo period of 1600-1868. Komusō were characterised by the straw basket worn on the head, manifesting the absence of specific ego.

They are also known for playing solo pieces on the shakuhachi (a type of Japanese bamboo flute). These pieces were played during a meditative practice called suizen, for alms, as a method of attaining enlightenment, and as a healing modality. The Japanese government introduced reforms after the Edo period, abolishing the Fuke sect. Records of the musical repertoire survived, and are being revived in the 21st century.

Binzasara , (rattle), Japan

This is one of a variety of rattles used in Japanese folk music. The binzasara consists of plates of wood that are strung together to produce a sharper tone.

The next three photos show a gamelan ensemble that for a shadow puppet theater.

Gamelan Ensemble, Indonesia

The ensemble consists mainly of percussion instruments such as gongs and metallophones.

Kulintang, (gong chime), Mindanao

The kulintang instrument consists of a row of small brass or bronze gongs horizontally laid upon a wooden rack;

A display of bamboo instruments from Viet Nam

Bamboo instruments, Western Luzon

These instruments above are identified as trombone (kazoo) and trumpet (kazoo).

Pat waing, (double-headed barrel drums), Burma

This is a set of 21 drums in a circle. The player sits in the middle of a horseshoe-shaped shell (see below) made of elaborately carved wood and decorated with gold leaf. The drums are played with the bare hands.

Saung-gauk, (arched harp), Burma

A display of instruments from Northwest China.

Dung-chen, (trumpet) and sgra-snyan, (two types of plucked lutes), Tibet

O, (scraper), South Korea

A close-up view of the scraper.

Pyeongyeong, a traditional Korean percussion instrument

A kind of stone chime or lithophone formed of sixteen L-shaped stone slabs suspended from a frame. Although all the stones have the same shape they vary in pitch according to thickness.

The video above shows a person playing this instrument.

Pyeonjong, (bells), Korea

A pyeonjong consistd of a set of 16 bronze bells, played melodically. The bells are hung in a wooden frame and struck with a mallet. Along with the stone chimes called pyeongyeong, they were an important instrument in Korea's ritual and court music going back to ancient times.

Although all the bells have the same shape they vary in pitch according to thickness;

The two photos below show some details of this instrument.

Yu, (scraper) and Bianzhong, (bells), China

Jiangu, (barrel drum), China

One final stop at a most unusual orchestra is next.