
Music of the centuries
Music of the centuries
This issue is devoted to the place of traditional music in the world of today symbolized by the four instruments on the front and back covers. From right to left: 1. a Chinese "moon" guitar; 2. a set of Japanese gong-bells, each of the varied-sized bells giving a different note; 3. a Persian bow-instrument similar to the rebeck; 4. a deep-toned wind instrument known as the serpent. Now obsolete it belongs to the trumpet family and was used in Europe up to the early 19th century.