Musical Myths and Facts, Volume 2 (of 2)Engel, Carl
History
Musical Myths and Facts, Volume 2 (of 2)
Engel, Carl
Music -- History and criticism
A modern writer on Arabic music, as it is practised in Algiers and
Tunis, mentions among the various Modes used at the present day a
peculiarly impressive one, called Asbein, which the Mohammedans believe
to have been especially appropriated by Satan for the purpose of
tempting man. They have a long story respecting its origin and demoniac
effects. The writer alluded to, a Frenchman, had the gratification of
hearing a piece or two played in this Mode by a musician, who had the
reputation of being one of the best performers in Tunis, and who used to
entertain the frequenters of a certain coffee-house in a suburb. To this
place the Frenchman repaired, and induced the musician to play in the
Mode Asbein. To surmise from his description of the performance, there
must have been something really frightful in the degree of ecstacy which
the player exhibited. But there is something funny in the Frenchman's
mode of reasoning, which deserves to be noticed, because it shows how
opinions like the above are sometimes adopted readily enough even by
professed sceptics. The Frenchman was a sceptic, and had made up his
mind before he proceeded to examine the matter, that the impression of
the Arabs respecting the Mode Asbein was due entirely to their religious
enthusiasm. They are, of course, Mohammedans. Now, after the
performance, the Frenchman accidentally learnt that the musician was a
Jew. Then he no longer doubted the demoniac power of the Mode Asbein.
WITCHES.
Respecting the music of witches, a few short remarks may suffice. Every
one knows that witches, at their meetings, amuse themselves especially
with music and dancing. In Germany, the largest assemblages of these
objectionable beings take place in the night of the first of May
(Walpurgis), and the most favourite resort for their festivities is the
summit of the Harz mountain, called Brocken, or Blocksberg. The
musicians sit on old stumps of trees, or on projecting rocks, and fiddle
upon skulls of horses.
Whoever desires to witness these ghastly scenes must provide himself
with the upper board of an old coffin in which a knot has been forced
out, and must peep through the hole.
THE CHANGELING.
According to an old superstition, which was widely spread during the
Middle Ages, the elves sometimes steal a handsome, new-born child from
its cradle, and substitute an ill-formed, ugly child of their own. The
little Irish prodigy who is the hero of an event which happened in the
county of Tipperary, was such a Changeling. The story told of him, it
will be seen, is stamped with the peculiar wildness of fancy which
generally characterizes Irish fairy-tales.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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