A Story Outline of Evolution 



shelter or for clothing. They were stretched over hollow 

 logs, sea shells, or other hollow objects in order that the air 

 might reach both sides in the tanning process. When the 

 dried skin, stretched tightly over some hollow object, was 

 struck with a stick or stone, it produced an echoing sound, a 

 sound of percussion. He also made use of the horns and 

 large bones of the beasts he killed. They were used as 

 household implements, such as awls, spoons and drinking 

 cups. When air from his lungs was blown through these 

 hollow horns, it produced a bleating sonorous sound that 

 would carry far and could be heard at a greater distance 

 than that of the human voice. The beating of the dried 

 skin stretched over some hollow object was the principle of 

 the drum. The twanging of the bow string was the principle 

 of the stringed instrument. And the blowing through the 

 hollow horn was the principle of the wind instrument. No 

 other basic principles are involved in the entire scope of 

 musical instruments. With the discovery of three methods 

 of producing sound vibration, the foundation for the entire 

 universe of music was completed. 



Instrumental music, as we know it today, is of compara- 

 tively recent origin. At best it dates back only 200 or 300 

 years, but prior to that time, we can figuratively trace its 

 embryonic processes of growth, as in organic development, 

 back to the first germ. A great orchestra tells the entire 

 story. It is made up of, perhaps, eighty or more persons 

 ready to execute their respective parts. They are all skilled 

 in the art of music. Some of this group are from Russia, 

 some from Italy, some from Germany and some from 



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