James Burney in Polynesia - the 1770's

from With Captain James Cook in the Antarctic and Pacific, page 84:

They sing in parts, keeping the Same time and varying the 4 notes without ever going beyond them. So many singers & so few notes you always hear the whole together. The difference of Words and Voices make some variety. The Singers (that I heard) were all women. One confined herself entirely to the Lower Note which acted as a Drone. They sing slow and ended with the minor Chord MUSIC NOTATION GIVEN
cite as

James Burney, With Captain James Cook in the Antarctic and Pacific (Canberra, 1975), p. 84. https://led.kmi.open.ac.uk/entity/lexp/1394295202764 accessed: 28 March, 2024

location of experience: Polynesia

Listeners

Listening to

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folk song

Experience Information

Date/Time the 1770's
Medium live
Listening Environment in the company of others, outdoors

Notes

episode observed during Cook’s 2nd voyage 1772-75


Originally submitted by Ivan Hewett on Sat, 08 Mar 2014 16:13:23 +0000