MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: CONTINENT

Asia

Among the collections made in the 19th century are instruments associated with the following musical traditions from Asia:

• Classical music of Iran, represented by ornately decorated examples of tar and setar (lutes), santur (dulcimer), kamanche (spike fiddle), ney (end-blown flute) and zarb (goblet-shaped drum).
• Classical music of the Indian subcontinent represented by examples of the lutes sitar and tambura, stick-zither bin and tabla drums.
• Japanese gagaku court music and No drama.
• Tibetan Buddhist ritual.

Late 20th century fieldwork collections include:

• Musical instruments (and puppets) from the wayang kulit kelantan puppet theatre tradition of Malaysia
• Musical instruments and costumes associated with the Chhau dance traditions of Bihar and West Bengal, India
• Modern examples of traditional instruments from the Tashkent and Fergana valley regions of Uzbekistan, with associated video and audio recordings
• Modern examples of traditional instruments from Kerala, South India, with extensive audio and video recordings

Since 2000 the Horniman Museum has made five collections illustrating the wealth the wealth of regional musical traditions in India. Researchers commissioned modern examples of traditional instruments from makers in the following states: Arunachal Pradesh. Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Kerala, and Punjab.