Two weeks after they disembarked from the SS Ravenscrag in late August 1879, the Hawaiian Gazette reported that "Madeira Islanders recently arrived here, have been delighting the people with nightly street concerts." One of the most important factors in establishing the ukulele in Hawaiian music and culture was the ardent support and promotion of the instrument by King Kalākaua.
The catalog describes two ukuleles from Hawaii - one that is similar in size to a modern soprano ukulele, and one that is similar to a tenor (see ). Developed in the 1880s, the ukulele is based on several small, guitar-like instruments of Portuguese origin, the machete, cavaquinho, timple, and rajão, introduced to the Hawaiian Islands by Portuguese immigrants from Madeira and Cape Verde.
One of the earliest appearances of the word ukulele in print (in the sense of a stringed instrument) is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Catalogue of the Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments of All Nations published in 1907.
Like guitar, basic ukulele skills can be learned fairly easily, and this highly portable, relatively inexpensive instrument was popular with amateur players throughout the 1920s, as evidenced by the introduction of uke chord tablature into the published sheet music for popular songs of the time, (a role that was supplanted by the guitar in the early years of rock and roll).
The concert size was developed in the 1920s as an enhanced soprano, slightly larger and louder with a deeper tone.
On April 15, 1923, at the Rivoli Theater in New York City, Smeck appeared, playing the ukulele, in Stringed Harmony, a short film made in the DeForest Phonofilm sound-on-film process.
On August 6, 1926, Smeck appeared playing the ukulele in a short film His Pastimes, made in the Vitaphone sound-on-disc process, shown with the feature film Don Juan starring John Barrymore. The ukulele soon became an icon of the Jazz Age.
"Ukulele in the Classroom", a revised program created by James Hill and Doane in 2008 is a staple of music education in Canada. ===Japan=== The ukulele arrived in Japan in 1929 after Hawaiian-born Yukihiko Haida returned to the country upon his father's death, and introduced the instrument.
Stoneman, as well as by early string bands, including Cowan Powers and his Family Band, Da Costa Woltz's Southern Broadcasters, Walter Smith and Friends, The Blankenship Family, The Hillbillies, and The Hilltop Singers. ====Post-World War II==== From the late 1940s to the late 1960s, plastics manufacturer Mario Maccaferri turned out about 9 million inexpensive ukuleles.
The ukulele remained popular, appearing on many jazz songs throughout the 1950s, '60s, and '70s.
In 1959, Haida founded the Nihon Ukulele Association.
A patron of the arts, he incorporated it into performances at royal gatherings. ===Canada=== In the 1960s, educator J.
Stoneman, as well as by early string bands, including Cowan Powers and his Family Band, Da Costa Woltz's Southern Broadcasters, Walter Smith and Friends, The Blankenship Family, The Hillbillies, and The Hilltop Singers. ====Post-World War II==== From the late 1940s to the late 1960s, plastics manufacturer Mario Maccaferri turned out about 9 million inexpensive ukuleles.
Singer-musician Tiny Tim became closely associated with the instrument after playing it on his 1968 hit "Tiptoe Through the Tulips". ====Post-1990 revival==== After the 1960s, the ukulele declined in popularity until the late 1990s, when interest in the instrument reappeared.
Singer-musician Tiny Tim became closely associated with the instrument after playing it on his 1968 hit "Tiptoe Through the Tulips". ====Post-1990 revival==== After the 1960s, the ukulele declined in popularity until the late 1990s, when interest in the instrument reappeared.
Once considered standard, this tuning was commonly used during the Hawaiian music boom of the early 20th century, and is often seen in sheet music from this period, as well as in many method books through the 1980s.
Singer-musician Tiny Tim became closely associated with the instrument after playing it on his 1968 hit "Tiptoe Through the Tulips". ====Post-1990 revival==== After the 1960s, the ukulele declined in popularity until the late 1990s, when interest in the instrument reappeared.
During the 1990s, new manufacturers began producing ukuleles and a new generation of musicians took up the instrument.
Jim Beloff set out to promote the instrument in the early 1990s and created over two dozen ukulele music books featuring modern music and classic ukulele pieces. All-time best selling Hawaiian musician Israel Kamakawiwo'ole helped repopularise the instrument, in particular with his 1993 reggae-rhythmed medley of "Over the Rainbow" and "What a Wonderful World," used in films, television programs, and commercials.
Jim Beloff set out to promote the instrument in the early 1990s and created over two dozen ukulele music books featuring modern music and classic ukulele pieces. All-time best selling Hawaiian musician Israel Kamakawiwo'ole helped repopularise the instrument, in particular with his 1993 reggae-rhythmed medley of "Over the Rainbow" and "What a Wonderful World," used in films, television programs, and commercials.
The song reached number 12 on Billboard's Hot Digital Tracks chart the week of January 31, 2004. The creation of YouTube was a large influence on the popularity of the ukulele.
"Ukulele in the Classroom", a revised program created by James Hill and Doane in 2008 is a staple of music education in Canada. ===Japan=== The ukulele arrived in Japan in 1929 after Hawaiian-born Yukihiko Haida returned to the country upon his father's death, and introduced the instrument.
The video quickly went viral, and as of September 2020, had received over 17 million views. ==Construction== The ukulele is generally made of wood, though variants have been composed partially or entirely of plastic or other materials.
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Page generated on 2021-08-05