Cymbals
Date1700 ca.
Place MadeTibet, Asia
Serial No.none
SignednoneMarkingsnone
DescriptionTwo bronze cymabls. Silk brocade handles and pad. Original, fitted lacquerwork case.
In Tibet, cymbals are typically held in a roughly horizontal (diagonal) position and played with gentle, vertical strokes. They are used not only to provide structure and rhythmic articulation in ritual chant, but also to provide rhythmic drive in instrumental ensembles. Traditional Tibetan cymbal playing might also be understood as a sort of ritual in itself. The number of cymbal beats in a chant forms a complex mathematical structure that has great symbolic value. Every cymbal stroke, for example, consists of three parts: the initial stroke, the accelerating pulse(s), and the concluding hum. During chants, the cymbals are rotated as they are played and strokes occur on different parts of the rim.
DimensionsDiameter: 290 mm
ProvenancePurchased in 1999 from Tony Bingham, London, England.
Credit LineBoard of Trustees, 1999
Object number07451
On View
On view
1865 ca.
1990-2000 ca.
1853/04/02
1900-1915 ca.
1940-1960 ca.