When you think of ukulele you think of Hawaii and it may have been began in the place and have adapted with the culture. But it was the European; especially the Portuguese that made the stringed instrument and made it a mainstay at Hawaii.
If we take a look at the history of the 19th century, we can see where ukuleles come about. Portuguese migrant workers travelled to the wonderful state of Hawaii so as to find work, many of which occurred in the widespread sugar cane fields. They carried with them particular areas of their culture which eventually became integrated in the Hawaiian identity. Most important to the history of the ukulele, they brought two classic instruments: the rajao and the braguinha.
The Portuguese immigrants who probably made the first ukuleles were Manuel Nunes, Jose do Espirito Santo, and Augusto Dias, all of whom were carpenters focusing on cabinet making. These folks performed nightly concerts with their new instrument, which were acclaimed by all the people who heard them in the street. King David Kalakaua of Hawaii caught wind of these instruments in 1886 and they were known as taro patch fiddles. The king was an avid player of the fiddle, but he could not deny that his chamberlain, Edward Purvis, had a far more grasp of the complexities of the instrument. The chamberlain's nickname was ukulele, which means jumping flea, because of his jumpy mannerisms and antics, and by response to his reputation as a taro patch fiddle player, the instrument was colloquially re-named the ukulele.
There are a few contentions in regards to the origin of the name. There is no doubt that the term 'ukelele' means jumping flea, but some think it came from the quick paced, jumpy movements made by the Portuguese men who originally produced the instrument and not just the reputation of Edward Purvis.
After the positive reception the ukulele attained, one of its inventors, Manual Nunes, have decided to start his own ukulele manufacturing company, recognized as M. Nunes and Sons. In the mid-20th century, ukuleles kept their popularity, with many different other companies starting to create them. Nevertheless, the '70s saw a decrease in demand and a dramatic shutdown in ukulele workshops.
The good news about ukuleles is that their sales are once more growing. Due to some leading musical innovators, like musician Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and famous music teacher Michael Carolin, the ukulele is being recognized for all of the benefits it can bring to a cultured and cohesive society. The genuinely unique sound created by a ukulele has made it an instrument that is being integrated into the music of many performers, such as notable Hollywood musicians like Jason Mraz and Taylor Swift! What's more, the ukulele's nice history and message of cultural integration makes it the ideal instrument for a music teacher who wants his students to not only learn to make beautiful music, but also to be accepting and awesome people.
It seems that a massive number of people are capturing the bug- the jumping bug that is! In the modern era, the ukulele has once again recaptured people's hearts and visualization. Read more for additional info regarding to ukuleles.
If we take a look at the history of the 19th century, we can see where ukuleles come about. Portuguese migrant workers travelled to the wonderful state of Hawaii so as to find work, many of which occurred in the widespread sugar cane fields. They carried with them particular areas of their culture which eventually became integrated in the Hawaiian identity. Most important to the history of the ukulele, they brought two classic instruments: the rajao and the braguinha.
The Portuguese immigrants who probably made the first ukuleles were Manuel Nunes, Jose do Espirito Santo, and Augusto Dias, all of whom were carpenters focusing on cabinet making. These folks performed nightly concerts with their new instrument, which were acclaimed by all the people who heard them in the street. King David Kalakaua of Hawaii caught wind of these instruments in 1886 and they were known as taro patch fiddles. The king was an avid player of the fiddle, but he could not deny that his chamberlain, Edward Purvis, had a far more grasp of the complexities of the instrument. The chamberlain's nickname was ukulele, which means jumping flea, because of his jumpy mannerisms and antics, and by response to his reputation as a taro patch fiddle player, the instrument was colloquially re-named the ukulele.
There are a few contentions in regards to the origin of the name. There is no doubt that the term 'ukelele' means jumping flea, but some think it came from the quick paced, jumpy movements made by the Portuguese men who originally produced the instrument and not just the reputation of Edward Purvis.
After the positive reception the ukulele attained, one of its inventors, Manual Nunes, have decided to start his own ukulele manufacturing company, recognized as M. Nunes and Sons. In the mid-20th century, ukuleles kept their popularity, with many different other companies starting to create them. Nevertheless, the '70s saw a decrease in demand and a dramatic shutdown in ukulele workshops.
The good news about ukuleles is that their sales are once more growing. Due to some leading musical innovators, like musician Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and famous music teacher Michael Carolin, the ukulele is being recognized for all of the benefits it can bring to a cultured and cohesive society. The genuinely unique sound created by a ukulele has made it an instrument that is being integrated into the music of many performers, such as notable Hollywood musicians like Jason Mraz and Taylor Swift! What's more, the ukulele's nice history and message of cultural integration makes it the ideal instrument for a music teacher who wants his students to not only learn to make beautiful music, but also to be accepting and awesome people.
It seems that a massive number of people are capturing the bug- the jumping bug that is! In the modern era, the ukulele has once again recaptured people's hearts and visualization. Read more for additional info regarding to ukuleles.
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