Made by Trinbagonians, this is the only acoustic instrument invented in the twentieth century, but it dates back to the 1700s
Dedicated to steelpan percussionwhich is the national musical instrument of Trinidad and Tobago, is today’s Google Doodle
Made by Trinbagonians, this is the only acoustic instrument invented in the twentieth century, but it dates back to the 1700s
It was the main instrument during Carnival and Canboulay, the annual harvest festivals celebrated in Trinidad, and is still used in modern music. On this day in 1951, the Trinidadian Percussion Orchestra (TASPO) performed at the Festival of Britain, introducing steel and a new genre of music to the world.
When slavery was abolished between 1834 and 1838, Trinidadians joined the Carnival festivities with their drums. However, in 1877, government officials banned their drumming because they feared it could create rebellion. In protest of this ban, musicians began banging bamboo on the ground as alternatives to imitate the sound of their drums. These ensembles were called Tamboo Bamboo bands.
Another ban came in 1930, when rival Tamboo Bamboo bands caused disturbances during Carnival and other street festivals. These bands found a new alternative: metal objects such as car parts, paint pots, trash cans, cookie containers, and thus the idea of ​​the steelpan was born.
During World War II, the Carnival was banned for security reasons, and musicians began experimenting with the unique instrument to improve the sound quality. Over time, dents were hammered into the surface of these objects, which played different notes depending on their size, position, and shape. In 1948, after the end of the war, musicians turned to using oil barrels discarded from oil refineries.
In addition to changing the shape of the drum surface, they found that changing the length of the drum allowed full scales from bass to soprano. This formed the basis for the modern version of the steelpan. It grew and developed into a legitimate body through pioneers and innovators such as Winston “Spree” Simon, Ellie Mannette, Anthony Williams and Bertie Marshall. Many of their innovations and techniques are still used today.
The steelpan is now the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago and a source of great pride and real resilience for its citizens.
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