DOC How Early America Sounded by Richard Cullen Rath in History

Review

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. An Uneven Venture into Sounds PastBy Dr. Debra Jan BibelI initially thought that this would be a worthy companion to A. Roger Ekirch's book "At Day's Close. Night in times past"-- and indeed it seemed to parallel the approach in the first sections -- but author and rock musician Rath had other objectives. By repeatedly shifting the focus; though all related to sound; his book loses its way and become less effective. Nonetheless; there is much of value here; particularly if each part is taken alone. The book is broadly divided into 5 sections: nature and the sonic environment; instruments for communication and communion; acoustic design of churches and meeting houses; the non-linguistic vocal sounds of cries; shouts; hoots; mumbles; and groans; and Native American songs and cries. The era covered is circa 1600 to 1750.The book begins well. Rath examines the soundscape and how it affected cultural constructs; language and metaphors; philosophy; and religious interpretations. He noted oral societies; where the storyteller was also the historian; and differentiated them to the more modern literate societies where sight takes the leading role. In Colonial American; where sightlines were restricted by thick woods; people were more sensitive to sounds; both natural and human made; as they would alert and also locate. Rath particularly discusses thunder (versus lightning and later electricity) as a central cultural power and agent. Thunderclap; thunderbolt; thunderbirds; earthquakes as underground thunder; waterfalls and rapids as constant thundering: the loudest and most terrifying sound at the time was thunder and thunder was regarded as the divine or devilish force of destruction. The second part also captures interest with discussions of bells; whose own loudness were once thought to protect against thunder or at least disperse thunderclouds. Bells were even baptized long ago. Bells; trumpets; conch shells; drums; and gunpowdered weapons were utilized to celebrate; to warn; to gather people and maintain social order; and to establish location. Not mentioned are the ceremonial three-volley gun salute in military funerals and the earlier trumpet warnings of fast moving coaches (equivalent to train whistles and horns of today).And then Rath moves away from general sociology to focus on representative Afro-Jamaican musical forms and instruments in a far too detailed description and analysis. Suddenly; the book becomes ethnomusciology. If there were a similar examination of Native American drum and flute music and colonial European folk and classical baroque musics (beyond mention of fife and drum military bands); the section would be a reasonable detour: music as soundscape. Instead; he goes as far afield as Brazilian capoeria martial arts and berimbau music; slave fiddlers playing jigs; and baton twirling and dancing leaps as part of the Hessian derivations of Turkish Janissary music.With the discussion of architectural acoustics; the book returns to more general cultural aspects. Comparisons with Gothic cathedrals; Reformation churches; rectangular Colonial chapels; and Quaker hexagonal meetinghouses are very interesting and edifying. There is much more involved than questions of vocal clarity and loudness; the differing religious philosophy and social communion are reflected in the building design. Non-linguistic vocalizations had negative connotations; as among disapproving ship crews; mobs; and individual malcontents. Women had their own set of such; as in childbirth; and groans were regarded as signs of touching the divine. Moans could signify demonic possession. Alternatively; murmuring; ranting; and outright singing had religious ecstatic significance; which irked Puritan conservatives. The final section on Native Americans/First Nations should have followed that of African slaves. The apparent howling; shouting; and whooping of natives in the forests and in dancing; war preparations; and healing rites were (and remain still) a problem of not discerning the language and rhythmic patterns. Some history of native and colonist interactions are provided. All in all; the reader gains some insight in what the sound environment was like in early Colonial America and how it both shaped and echoed the various societies of the land. Today; we are far more sight-ordered; linear; and digitalized. The book provides much for reflection.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy PanExcellent read.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Unexpectedly greatBy TofuGirlSFWe are familiar with images of colonial America; but it never even occurred to me that the sounds of that period are un-discussed. Just reading about the way that sounds can be researched is enough reason to buy and read this book; but the image of a Native American listening hut and other sections make eye-opening and fascinating for those of us interested in how life was lived and experienced in other times.