《Polyphonic Music of the Amis Tribe》TCD-1502 *Best Album, 1993 Tri-Pod Award/Government Information of Office of Taiwan
Among all the aboriginal tribes of Taiwan, the Amis have the largest population and are known for their matrilineal kinship system and age-grade societies. Their musical forms are abundant and varied, possessing a wide vocal range, distinctive rhythms, and featuring one of the most sophisticated aboriginal musical styles, especially as heard in their free counterpoint (polyphonic singing). From the standpoint of world music history, polyphonic singing is a musical form with very early origins; its occurrence is also quite valuable for contemporary ethnoumsicological studies. The free counterpoint of the Amis is performed by members of the same age grade society, with several parts 'competing' with one another without detracting from the overall effectiveness of the music. The technical standards for textual improvisation are also very high, displaying qualities such as clarity, energy, and conciseness. This recording featuring the polyphonic singing of the Amis was made by Mr. Wu, Rung-Shun of the National Institute of the Arts, in the Ma-lan and Tu-lan areas of Tai-Tung where the last remnants of authentic Amis polyphony can be found. This production is a treasure for scholarly study and a cultural heritage that deserves preservation.
