2003-12-18

Royal Commonwealth Society Library. Cambridge University Library. University of Cambridge.

Image

158 x 112 mm. Showing two Mandingo or Mandinka men, a Mohammedan group in West Africa, posing for their portraits with their wooden xylophones: 'This instrument is known as the balenjeh, or African piano. It is about three feet long, and consists of some fifteen short pieces of wood, mounted over small hollow gourds, the whole set in a frame and played like a dulcimer, with two small sticks with rubber knobs to them...The effect was very fine, as the tones produced are soft and melodious. Generally the musicians wear over the backs of their hands a small piece of skin or leather to which are fastened hollow iron cylinders; to these again are attached little rings, and as the hands work the strikers, these jingling irons make a pleasant tinkling sound which harmonises well with the music.' (Alldridge, T.J. (1901), 'The Sherbo and its hinterland', London: Macmillan and Company, p.289).

Sierra Leone (Africa)

start=1890; end=1899; scheme=DCTERMS.W3CDTF