In addition, it has a special role in the elementary school classroom, as an enjoyable introduction to music and musicality. With this purpose in mind, Carl Orff gave it an important role in his "Schulwerk", along with metallophones, glockenspiels, and other percussion instruments. Practical...
Europe, xylophones remained a minor instrument used mostly in the folk music of Eastern Europe. In the Renaissance depictions of the Dance of Death, however, skeletons are often shown merrily playing on xylophonelike instruments. These instruments were called by various names in Europe over the ...
The variety and musicality of African xylophones is impressive. The xylophone is first mentioned in Europe in 1511. Known as hölzernes Gelächter (“wooden percussion”) or Strohfiedel (“straw fiddle,” because the bars were supported on straw), it was long a Central European folk ...
there are African models in which the keys increase in pitch outward from the centre to accommodate the natural movements of the arms. Yet other instruments may place octaves next to each other and the lowest pitches to the right. The variety and musicality of African xylophones is impressive...