An African instrument’s conquest of the world – the basics of the commonly called sanza

Abstract

The instrument generally referred to as the sanza is also inaccurately called the Africans’ piano. Today, this particular musical instrument has become very popular worldwide, and its use has also appeared in many non-African environments. This study partly provides the instrument’s description and use. On the one hand, it takes into account some sources that prove its centuries-old history and use, and on the other hand, they contain little-known facts of music history and music theory. In the end, the analysis also covers its connection to oral traditions regarding the use of the sanza as an accompanying instrument. The author also supports the revealed facts or formulated statements with musical score examples.