EUROPEAN BULLETIN
OF
HIMALAY AN RESEARCH
Number 12-13, 1997
Himalayan Music
Slale of Ihe Art
A special double issue edited by Franck Sernede
CNRS, Paris SOAS, London SAlt Heidelberg
EDITORS OF TUE EBIIR journal joundtd by Ricilard Burg/rur/ t
Franu
SU~l BrowI' Pascall Dolljus Cornlillt ju/
Maril Llcom/l·Ti/ouinl Anne dl Salu
Girllrd Tojfin - -£rud.ts himalaylnflll!S~
Cl" UPR 299. CNRS J. plocl A. Briand 92190 Meudon
F~
GrrmallY Marlin Gatns:!l Andras Uti/lr Slidiuitn·/ nslirlll Im Nl!/lnheimer Feld 330 69120 Neidelberg Gtrmbny
U.K.
/Hichat/ !full SOAS
Universiry of London 'l"hornaugh Strut, nussei Sqluue J..ontfon WC/NOXG Il.K.
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Aus/ria
Dr. Michad TorS/ln Mud.
Insirucfor Tibltologie und Buddhismuskundl Univlrsillil Wlen
Maria·Therlsien·Srrassl3111 A· 1090
Ausrria
Russia
Dr. Bods b'ano~
InstifUll 0/ Asian &;
A/rican cOlUllrin MOScowSla/e Universiry
J030D9 Mokhovoya. 8 Moscow
Russia
Ilaly
Dr. Morlilla Nicoltlli
/SlifUlO di £In%gia l )jnrropofagia cull/vai dd/a univenira dlgl/ studi di P/!!nlgia via del/'oquilOllt.7
06100 Perugia flaiy
Swifurland
Dr. Joanna Pfa//.C:ornecka
£Ihn%gisciles Semi""'r der U/U'versittit ZiiTich
FreietlJttil\S/f(J$se S CN· 8032 Zurich Swilur/and
Drawings by M:uie U:cOfme·Tilouine
EDJTORIAL
We would like to start by welcoming the panicipation of a group of researchers, working on the Hindukush, to our Bulletin. Prof. Or. Hermann Kreut7JTlann of Friedrich·Alexander Universitlit in Erlangen·
Niirnberg will coordinate information in this field. Their contributions, which will be published in future issues, will cxtend the Bulletin's geographical scope to the Karakorum range.
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The present issue is our first attempt to offer our readers a number of articles on a specific thcme, music in the Himalayas. This represents a turning point in the evolution of the Bulletin. While keeping our primary objective of providing information about new events, books and projects in our fields of study. we felt the need 10 present European research in greater depth. This need has emerged as a growing number of researchers have indicated their interest in constituting a research network around the Bulletin.
Only a few collective works on Himalayan music have been published so far and none of them includes a compact disc. This subject has prompted a great deal of interest from our readers, which is in itself evidence of its relevance and vitality. We are pleased 10 present contributions from established scholars, both Western and Nepalese, who are pioneers in this domain, as well as from newcomers still working on thcir dissertations.
We would like to take Ihis opportunity to encourage reseachers to pay more attention to music while they are in Ihe field and to publish their observations. We cannot emphasize enough the need to have a good tape recorder, of OAT type, if recordings are to be edited properly. Ideally, recordings should be made bolh in context and in a more controlled environment in order to minimise incidental noise. 11 is important to note down what people say about their music and their instruments. as well as
their own c1assirication of lheir repertoire. Photographs and drawings of the inslruments should not be neglected. It would also be useful to have instruments made.
\VI1;le we were working on this issue, three topics in particular appeared 10 have allracled too little research: music of Himalayan tribal groups, folk-songs of the Indo-NepaJese (",,'edding songs, children's songs.
Badi repertoires, etc.) and non· religious music among Tibetan groups.
We would like to go a little further by mentioning two possible subjects that could be especially interesting 10 pursue within a collective frame ... ork.
The first one concerns chanted epics from farweSlern Himalaya (e.g.
the Chand dynasty epic) and their likely movement lowards western and central Nepal. Some recordings are already available. but much remains to be done. 80th an anthropological study of various sodo-cultural contexts of these epics. and a musicological study of the various performances involving different instruments. rhythms. etc. are necessary.
The second concerns what could be called the Tihar repertoire.
allhough some of the songs belonging to il are also performed outside this specific festival. Among these songs, for example. are the well-known SorOlhi, performed by the Magar. Tharu and Gurung or the bhaifo songs performed throughout the country.
I f you are interested in working on either of these subjects, please contnct us. If there is sufficient interest, a seminar on the subject could be organised.
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•There is still time to submit contributions on the use of photography in research on the Himalayas and the way this is understood by local people. The deadline for submission is June 15. 1998.
EUROPEAN BULLETIN OF IIIMA/.AYA.N RESEA.RCH Numbu 12 -/J
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION: F. Btml:de
A HO.'oIACE TO NAsIII;I DYO: R.K. DuwaJ & M.L. MlhaJjan
CARY,.(; TlfE REVTVAL OF A TRADmON ,; R. Widdess
1997
MUSIC & IDENTITY AMONG MAJIItRJAN FIJUoIERS: F. BemMe RACA BASlWTA; I. Gnndin
MUSIC FOR TlfE ROYAL DASAI :·C. Tingey
TltE MUSIC AT MANAJO,MANA TEMPLE; S. Laurent
MY MUSIC IS MY UFE: H. Weisethaunet
CURUNG CULTURAL MODELS IN TIlE CIf,.{JitrU; P. MoisaJa THE DRUMS OF NEPALESE MEDIUMS: M. Bel(fer
A SKETCII OF TIlE MUSICAL IIERlTAGE OF TIlE 1I1tN1' P B •.
• . OOCnc,>, CIl"~-/lXO !JOU: C. ltst
ARCHIYES
8~bli:'grap1ry of HinuJia),al1 Music; M. l-Ie1ffer 81bi1cgraphy cifN~pafj Music; R. S. Damal
Th~ BhUlattes~ Materials of/he John """'·I I _A. CoIltcn, 11. . . MTreWln '
,
12 21
"
8J 121 136
'"
176 197
219
222 240
'"
BOOK REVIEWS
M. Helfrer: Mchod-rol us irut de I 258
Rccc:m books on l-limaJ~yan
musk:"!s
td ~ m;:rque tibitQill~. by P. Kvaeme -J. Gr~in, Music aIId M~dia il1 LocQ74-~ Y Helffer :~P. M.olsala: CuJru:a.' Cogl1itioll;11 Music
C. TUlgey . AuspICIOUS Music {II Q Chal1gil1g 5Dcitty CONFERENCE REPORT
From India 10t~poIesrar, by M. NiCOletb DISSERTATION ABSTRACT
CORRESPONDENCE NEWS
268
270 272 274
