MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS: COUNTRIES

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