Travel
Events descriptions
Source
Short Description
Richard Jobson notes that the people of the River Gambra were making a lot of noise when the crew decided to give them some fish. He said the noise resembled the sound of a deep well.
Richard Jobson describes hearing drums playing every night in the Royal Guard palace of the Kingdom of Cassan. He describes those drums as war drums. The entertainment function of these drums, though, cannot be excluded because they would play them every night after eating dinner. They also had a practical function, that of scaring away predators.
Richard Jobson describes the funeral of the Marybrucke, the chief religious man in the town where they stayed in. The ritual comprised of the improvised repetition of verses. The musical part of this burying ritual involved the women of the town. They would sing and cry repeating the same verses spoken by the religious man.
Richard Jobson describes shooting a gun and the reaction of Buckor Sano, an important local merchant. The latter described the sound as the "white man's thunder".
Richard Jobson describes the party at the house of the merchant Buckor Sano, who will provide trade with the King of Iacolot. Both parties showed each other their music: the inhabitants showed their dance and the English showed their marching.
Richard Jobson describes a chordophone he encountered during his travel. This seems to me to be the khalam instrument.
Richard Jobson describes many of the instruments he came across during his travel. There is a description of a drummer playing a drum and singing at the same time. This seems to me to be the kalangu, or talking drum. Then there is a description of a "ballard", which I think is the balafon.
Richard Jobson describes the many musical elements of the circumcision party. There are people dancing and balafons.
Richard Jobson describes the main character of the ritual of circumcision, the Ho-re. He is an evil spirit who shouts and scares the inhabitants of towns, then takes the uncircumcised boys to the forest.
Richard Jobson describes the lion and its typical roar
In the roof of a house someone sings with a melancholic voice.
The inhabitants dedicate much of their time to dance, using drums made from barrels and some kind of leather. These drums are played with the hands and complemented by clapping, especially at night around large bonfires. The social pressure to adequately house and feed participants in these dances is mentioned.
Description of the musical instruments made from gourds and elephant teeth, as well as how they are played and utilized in various cultural and celebratory events as described in the diary
The traveller tells how frightened local nomads were by the sound of firing muskets and infers about their ignorance of the actual working of guns.
On the occasion of the celebrations for the end of the month of Ramadan, the Muslim travel group performs congregational prayer in a public place and the traditional sermon of the holiday is delivered in Arabic.
Noises are heard made by four elephants drinking in the nearby wadis, muskets are fired to scare the animals. At the same time, the sound of firing muskets scare the nomads gathering and preparing to assault the travellers.
The local governor (sulṭān) who is accompanying the travellers has the naqqāra beaten to celebrate that they received an answer to their letter from the king. The term naqqāra commonly refers to kettledrums.
Under the threat of assault from the nomad Gallas, the troops of the governor fire against them. The Gallas are frightened and bow down.
The Muslim travellers perform the ritual prayer the day after the end of ʿīd al-aḍḥā (Festival of the Sacrifice) with the local fellow believers in the village's square in front of the Christian population.
Local nomads are terrified by seeing the muskets' firepower.
During the navigation, there is a moment of celebration where there are artillery shots and sounds of trumpets and flutes.
Arrived in Lisbon, friar Michelangelo Guattini describes a choir of voices and instruments singing solemn hymns
During the navigation to reach the cty of Pernambuch, friar Michelangelo Guattini describes the typical day on the vessel.
Friar Michelangelo Guattini describes the arrival of a fleet of ships in the harbor of the city
Friar Michelangelo Guattini describes liturgical chants in the church where he is
Friar Dionigi de Carli describes some dances and the use of a particular instrument, which is the balafon
Friar Dionigi de Carli describes the arrival of three lions
Friar Dionigi de Carli describes the wounding of a lion
After the baptism of a young woman, there is a small moment of celebration
Friar Dionigi de Carli describes the arrival in Bamba and the sound of a church bell
During his return journey to Bamba, friar Dionigi de Carli describes a typical bird
Friar Dionigi de Carli describes a choir of sad voices which sing some religious chants
Friar Dionigi de Carli hears some voices in the darkness
Firar Dionigi de Carli describes some laments from the people outside the castle
Friar Dionigi de Carli describes a moment of celebration
Firar Dionigi de Carli describes a typical day in the vessel on his journey back to Portugal
An uproar of a prisoner who is trying to escape
Noise of some cannonballs
Friar Dionigi de Carli describes the noise that winds makes.
Fermo Carrara recounts the severe storms experienced in Cyprus while traveling with Giovanni Antonio Soderini.
Fermo Carrara recounts the annoying cawing of crows heard while traveling with Giovanni Antonio Soderini.
Fermo Carrara recounts the silence of the gnats noticed while traveling with Giovanni Antonio Soderini.
Fermo Carrara writes about the Turkish muezzins heard while traveling with Giovanni Antonio Soderini.
Fermo Carrara recounts having listened with Giovanni Antonio Soderini to cries and chants of Kyrie Eleison.
Fermo Carrara recounts musicians at a wedding he attended with Giovanni Antonio Soderini.
Fermo Carrara tells of the dances he attended with Giovanni Antonio Soderini at a wedding.
Fermo Carrara bears witness to the cries of the Reis while traveling to Corfu with Giovanni Antonio Soderini.
Fermo Carrara and Giovanni Battista Soderini listen to the sailors' confusion.
Fermo Carrara attends together with Giuseppe Antonio Soderini the songs for the growth of the Nile.
Fermo Carrara tells of the guards' shouts at night heard while traveling with Giovanni Antonio Soderini.
Fermo Carrara and Giovanni Antonio Soderini saw the Janissaries shouting at two men who appeared to be thieves and therefore shot them with their muskets.
Fermo Carrara witnesses, along with Giovanni Antonio Soderini, the weeping and cries of women mourning the death of one child.
Fermo Carrara writes about the muezzins he hears shouting from the tops of the towers while traveling with Giovanni Antonio Soderini.
Fermo Carrara writes about the muezzins he hears shouting at specific times from the tops of the towers while traveling with Giovanni Antonio Soderini.
Fermo Carrara and Giovanni Antonio Soderini see the large number of barking dogs in Cairo, Carrara points out that the Arabs do not harm them, whereas the Turks do.
Fermo Carrara hears, while traveling with Giovanni Antonio Soderini, the zaġrūṭa of the women in Cairo and the cries of the saints in the mosques chanting "Hù Hù", a term that translates to "he."
Fermo Carrara describes the naked saints and other clothed men he sees in the procession to Mecca during the journey with Giovanni Antonio Soderini. All the men continuously sing the usual "Hù Hù".
Fermo Carrara, traveling with Giovanni Antonio Soderini, recounts the presence of several drummers in the procession to Mecca, each representing different schools.
Fermo Carrara recounts witnessing with Giovanni Antonio Soderini the shouts of men who no longer announce the rising levels of the Nile, but rather the attainment of the mark indicated by the nilometer with songs and drums.
Fermo Carrara and Giovanni Antonio Soderini witness the cutting of the Khalīj accompanied by the music of drummers and flutes.
Fermo Carrara recounts a funeral burial ceremony with dances and songs, which he attends with Giovanni Antonio Soderini.
Fermo Carrara listens with Giovanni Antonio Soderini to a Mass accompanied by organ music for St. Francis Day.
Fermo Cararra and Giovanni Antonio Soderini see the pedestal where the cock crowed that made St Peter repent.
Fermo Carrara, while traveling with Giovanni Antonio Soderini, recounts that at Hagia Sophia, no Christians were allowed to enter anymore because once the sound of a bell interrupted their prayer.
Some peoples in Africa do strange movements and sounds when they speak.
In wedding rituals, the Griots sing aloud to celebrate the confirmation of a woman’s virginity.
In his description of the behavior of armies during the war, Barbot talks about musical instruments being played.
Among the goods used as a commercial commodity, there are also small musical instruments.
Blacks are very superstitious and if one of their talismans is damaged or stolen, they can react by making horrible sounds.
At funerals, the Blacks produce particular sounds with their voice and cutlaces to manifest the suffering caused by the death of one of them.
During the dances, the Blacks produce sounds beating their feet on the ground; the dances are accompanied with makeshift instruments, made with everyday objects. Men are trained in the fight and encouraged by drums. If they win the fight, they are incited by the Griot who praises them loudly.
Even during the period of Ramadan, Blacks usually accompany the festive moments with the sound of drums.
During his visit to Viceroy Conde, Barbot recounts how he was accompanied by two Griots, who all along sang his praises, making strange gestures and grimaces.
Barbot describes a series of musical instruments used by the Griots.
Blacks use the voice by singing and producing particular verses to ward off the devil.
During the feasts of Muhammad, the participants sing and pray incessantly.
During the feasts dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and other saints, you can hear different voices praying and making noise.
Kings dress up with various objects including small musical instruments.
During the ritual of the burial of the king, you can hear the sound of instruments similar to flutes and oboes. You can also hear the voice of a crowd of Blacks crying and shouting as loud as they can.
Young girls are sent to a kind of public school to learn to sing dance and perform in general. After a year of lessons they perform in public and can be chosen as brides.
In legal disputes, lawyers are disguised in unusual ways.
In the village there are great festivities where you can listen to music when a leopard is killed.
Blacks are very superstitious and have particular beliefs about bird singing.
There is a particular type of fly, the shrill sound of which can be heard both day and night.
The ceremony in which the name is given to a newborn is accompanied both by the sound of voices that scream and sing and by musical instruments.
The sound of drums accompanies the person accused of misdemeanor in the presence of the king.
When an ambassador arrives, there is an important ceremony accompanied by music and dance.
A man saved by the spirits of dead people during the hunt returns home, makes sacrifices and celebrates with the dead’s relatives singing.
The fellowship of the sect of the Belly is a school established every 20/25 years, by order of the king for training up young men and boys to dance, to skirmish, to plant, to fish, and to sing often, in a noisy manner.
It is possible to hear voices and particular noises when a woman is accused of adultery.
Men wear bells that make sounds when they walk and especially when they dance.
It is possible to hear the voices of the Blacks during the funeral that scream, cry and make lamentations.
Gold Coast birds sing in a pleasant way.
In the Gold Coast, there is a bird with a very particular voice.
Description of a particular type of insect that sings day and night.
Music is used as a healing remedy for spider bites.
Even in adversity, nothing disturbs their singing and dancing.
In wedding ceremonies, there is great abundance of music and dancing.
During the ceremony of transition from one social class to another, you can listen to songs, attend dances and hear the sound of musical instruments.
Description of particular types of horn made with elephant tusks and special customs related to the consecration of musical instruments.
Use of elephant tusks for making wind musical instruments.
Gold Coast smiths make hunting horns.
The author represented several objects, including several musical instruments.
Description of some types of drums: their shape, the material they are made of and the way they are played.
Blowing horns, tinkling bells, castagnets, flutes, a sort of cittern, drums, tongs
The author heard a group of women singing when they were returning from the market.
The author describes musical and dance performances observed at the market.
Music and dance performance at the feast made by the Danish general, who invited the author.
During funerals, you can hear the voice of women crying and many musical instruments being played.
Among the officers there are also musicians, who occupy a prominent position.
The arrival of kings is accompanied by the sound of musical instruments.
Music is present during the war. During the military marches, you can hear the soldiers shouting; the big consecrated drum is brought, which you can listen to along with other wind musical instruments. They preserve bones with which they adorn their drums.
You can hear voices of women screaming and crying during the executions.
Blacks believe that the sound of thunder is caused by Jan-Goeman’s musical instruments, which they identify as God
In rituals made during the days that Blacks consider sacred, you can attend to songs, dances, and listen to the sound of musical instruments.
The priest makes sound with his voice, his body and a small drum.
The priest uses his voice in a particular way when he has to consult an idol.
In the consecrated wood that is usually located near an inhabited area, the priest plays musical instruments and sings.
Blacks have rituals to banish the devil in which you can see them dancing, listen to them singing and produce particular sounds with their voice.
On the Slave Coast they have different types of musical instruments and, according to the author, the sounds they produce are less annoying than those heard at the Gold Coast.
The Blacks sing and dance around the grave of a deceased person.