Mbira
David Hahn
About this work:
The mbira is the classic instrument of Zimbabwe, with an entire musical genre developed around it. It consists of approximately 20-24 flattened metal prongs which are fastened at one end to a bridge--usually some sort of box shape. The mbira sits in a calabash, a gourd, which acts as a resonator. The free ends of the metal prongs are plucked with the thumb of the left hand and the thumb and index finger of the right hand. The most important feature of mbira music is its chiming, cyclical nature, with each new repetition varying slightly from the last.
Year composed: 2000
Duration: 00:04:58
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:Percussion Ensembles
Instrumentation: