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Here, after years of preparation, is the most ambitious book even written about Hawaiian music-its roots, popularity and influences in the world, leading personalities and groups, organizations, songs, and publications. The complete story is here, from ancient chants to the flowering of the musical renaissance in Hawaii nei. Nearly 200 illustrations add to the book's appeal for Hawaiian music fans and serious students. Many rare photographs of historical interest are among the illustrations featuring singers, chanters, dancers, and instrumentalists. Musical instruments are also featured in drawings and photographs. Melody lines, chants, and rhythm patterns are illustrated by music notation. The book is organized like an encyclopedia, with about 200 entries in alphabetical order. They include biographies of musicians from every period of Hawaiian musical history-from Henry Berger, David Kalgkaua, Queen Lili'uokalani, and others of their time, to the great names of the first half of the twentieth century, and on to the performers and composers of today's Hawaiian renaissance. There are major articles on chant, slack key, steel guitar, `ukulele, himeni Hawaiian orchestras, falsetto, humor in Hawaiian music, radio, television, and the recording industry-to name a few. Definitive-essays tell the story of alt ancient and modern musical instruments and the most loved and important songs of the last 150 years. Much of the material is new or original and fresh insights are brought to the more familiar topics. Some myths are dispelled, long-standing controversies discussed, if not settled. For instance, the book comes closer to answering the question "What is Hawaiian music?" than anything written to far. The work also contains an extensive annotated bibliography of works on Hawaiian music, and two discographies. The compiling of this book was sponsored by the Hawaiian Music Foundation, and all royalties from its sale will go to support the continuing research and educational activities of the Foundation. GEORGE S. KANAHELE was born in Kahuku in 1930, graduated from the Kamehameha School for Boys, and went on to earn his doctorate from Cornell University. A well-known educator, civic leader, and author, Dr. Kanahele is a founder and president (since 1971) of the Hawaiian Music Foundation and a former editor of that organization's monthly magazine, Ha `ilono Mele. In compiling the information in this volume, Dr. Kanahele has brought together the work of nearly 100 contributors and the research of many more. |