Program notes
The documentary series Une histoire de la musique à travers ses instruments (A History of Music Through its Instruments) takes a look at the history of the instruments used in Western music. Find out more about percussion here.
The first musical instruments came about when while the concepts of tonality and melody did not exist. They had a playful nature and served to punctuate dances. They also had a sacred function and got rid of evil spirits. Percussion instruments were probably the instruments that have changed the least over time. The emblematic figure of the membranophone family is undoubtedly the drum. No other musical instrument has played a more important role in the history of mankind. Its history can be traced back to the Stone Age. Today, the world is home to hundreds of different drums; there are as many types as there are variants.