 |
 |
 | |||||||
 |
 | ||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 | ||||
| A BRIEF HISTORY OF MUSIC IN HAWAII |
| Ancient Hawaiian Music and
Polynesian Influence Polynesian culture was the major influence on ancient Hawaiian music and society. Hawaiians linked music, which was predominantly vocal, with mana (cosmic energy), inspiring creativity to a high degree. Mele (chants), hula (interpretative dances) and instruments used for hula accompaniment came from Polynesia, and evolved into Hawaiian styles that still exist today. Hula styles included mele hula: regular, simple duple meter, 2-3 note melodic range in ancient chants to 5-6 notes in mid-19th-c. chants. Instruments: pahu hula (dance drum), wooden hula drum made from coconut or breadfruit logs to accompany olapa (dancer). According to Hawaiian legend, the pahu was introduced from Tahiti, adopted for religious ceremonies and sacred temple dances, and renamed pahu heiau (temple drum). The 1778 accounts of Captain Cook and his crew described hula and uli`uli (feather gourd rattle used to accompany hula). |
| Early Years of Western Influence
1820-72 After Captain James Cook's arrival in 1778, American Protestant missionaries entered Hawaii in a steady stream from 1820, and promoted their Christian hymns and European and American secular music as "civilized" part of Western culture. Hawaiian traditions were discouraged, and few notations or descriptions of ancient Hawaiian music exist today. Kamehameha III promoted an interested in traditional chants in the 1830-40s but few were preserved intact. Foreign styles were adopted and adapted by the Hawaiians; himeni (hymns in the Hawaiian language), anthems, marching songs, sea chanties, waltzes and popular songs flourished. Secular music and the ukulele, Hawaiian slack key, steel and electric guitars came from various Asian and European sources, including Mexican, Italian, Portuguese, German and Burmese. Kamehameha I sponsored the first Western orchestra in 1816. Na Himeni Hawaii, first book of hymns in Hawaiian language, was published in 1823; Hawaii's first singing school was founded in 1824, and the French Academy offered free music instruction. The King's Band (re-named The Royal Hawaiian Band) was established during this time. |
| The Period of Hawaiian Creativity
and Development of Popular Styles 1872-1930 While traditional Hawaiian chants were ignored, all types of Western music became popular. In 1860, an amateur music society produced an oratorio, followed by operatic performances of Ernani, Il Trovatore, Lucrezia Borgi, and La Sonnambula staged by an Italian opera company. Kawaihau Glee Club, other royal music singing clubs were formed, and the Honolulu Symphony Club was active in the late 19th-c. Henry Berger (1872-1915) was appointed conductor of Royal Hawaiian Band and music advisor to royal family. Honolulu Symphony Society was founded in 1900. |
| A popular style of Hawaiian music called hula ku'i appeared and a distinct Hawaiian vocal style was born. Aloha 'Oe, Koni Au I Ka Wai, Poli Anuanu and other popular songs are indicative of the new vocal style. From 1895-1930, ragtime, dance bands, string quintets and hapa haole style (pop music with Hawaiian traits sung in English) were the dominant styles, and blues and jazz flourished from 1915.The ukelele was "discovered." From 1915-30, Hawaiian popular music became a thriving business. Orchestras performed internationally, and Harry Owens, Don McDiarmid, Alex Anderson, Sol Hoopii, Lani McIntire, Ray Kinney and other pop stars promoted the Hapa-haole big band style. During the 1930-40s, the US military presence influenced music. |
| Post-World War II and Statehood in
1959 During and after WWII, there was a general lack of interest in Hawaiian popular styles, and like everywhere else at the time, rock music dominated. Major pop figures were Don Ho and Kui Lee. The Honolulu Symphony Society grew under director George Barati (1950-67), and the music department at University of Hawaii offered degrees in music. |
| In the 1970s, the Sons of Hawaii and the Sunday Manoa led a revival of Hawaiian music and culture, which promoted a resurgence of interest in traditional chant and hula, ki ho'alu (slack key guitar style), steel guitar, paniolo (cowboy) songs and leo ki'eki'e (traditional falsetto singing style). Institutions such as the Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Kamehameha Schools, University of Hawaii, State Council on Hawaiian Heritage, Hawaiian Music Foundation and Polynesian Culture Center actively helped to preserve and promote all types of native Hawaiian cultural activities. Gabby Pahinui, Atta Isaacs, Israel Kamakawiwofole and many other outstanding musicians have taken Hawaiian pop music to another level. The Brothers Cazimero, the Ho`opi`i Brothers, the Beamer Brothers and others continue to spread their musical mana internationally. |
| SUGGESTED READING George S. Kanahele, ed. Hawaiian Music and Musicians: An Illustrated History. The University Press of Hawaii, 1979. Good general resource material. |
| Bryan C. Stoneburner, Hawaiian Music. Greenwood Press, 1986. Describes the period from 1831 to 1985 and the development of popular Hawaiian styles. |
| Elizabeth Tatar, Strains of Change: The Impact of Tourism on Hawaiian Music. Honolulu: Bishop Museum Special Publication, 78, 1987. |
| ©1999 AsiaSound.com, Inc. |
