FOREWORD 



The purpose of the present work is to determine what constitutes 

 the music of the Chippewa Indians, and to record results in such a 

 manner that they will be available for reference. By means of the 

 phonograph it is possible to obtain an accurate record of Indian song, 

 which, though permanent, is of necessity limited in scope. To the 

 ])honograph record and its analysis must therefore be added abundant 

 field notes, gi^nng the results of observations of the musical per- 

 formances, together with descri])tions of circumstances and surround- 

 ings. These three — phonograph record, analysis, and field notes — 

 are the necessary data of this branch of research. 



The study of Indian music is more than the collection of Indian 

 songs. It includes a consideration of the vocal expression of a mental 

 concept; therefore incorrect repetitions of a song are as significant as 

 correct repetitions. Into their value enters a human element — the 

 ])ersonality of the singer. A person of musical gifts and proficiency 

 frequently presents a rendition of a song which contains embellish- 

 ments. These reveal the succession of tones especially pleasing to 

 the native singer. A person of little musical talent presents an im- 

 perfect rendition of a song, yet these imperfections are interesting. 

 They indicate which phase of the song was most difficult for him to 

 acquire and remember, the melody or the rhythm. 



The analysis of the Chippewa songs from the land of pine trees, lakes, 

 and hills, in northern Minnesota, shows that in them the descending 

 interval of the minor third occurs with special prominence and fre- 

 quency; that the majority of the songs begin with a downward pro- 

 gression; and that the intervals of melodic progression are smaller 

 in the older songs. A classification of the songs as melodic and har- 

 monic reveals a possibility that the mental concept of the song has a 

 direct bearing on the form assumed by the melody. The songs 

 said to have been composed during dreams may be considered a spon- 

 taneous expression. The majority of these songs are harmonic in 

 structure. The songs whose character and use suggest that their 

 form may have been modified by long repetition are found to be prin- 

 cipally melodic in structure. 



The value of any specific work lies in the relation of that work to 

 the problems presented by the subject as a whole. Beyond the study 

 of Indian music lies the larger field of research, the development of 

 nmsic, to which the present work is tributary. 



Red Wing, Minn. 



