Brighton Early Music Festival 2006

On Saturday October 14th. the performing group Tunkul offered a highly unusual opportunity for some 25 local children to explore the rhythms and sounds that the Aztecs may have played in their ceremonies, with a collection of hands-on wind and percussion instruments that ranged from two-tone wooden tongue drums to large vertical skin drums, and from clay whistles to conch shell horns.

Tunkul and friends outside Brighton Museum

Those taking part in the workshop in Brighton Museum presented a rehearsed piece as part of the public performance later in the afternoon in the Unitarian Church.

Tunkul performing at BREMF 2006

The performance illustrated some key elements in Aztec public ceremonies: dedications to the 4 cardinal directions, pulsating rhythms growing steadily in volume and energy, dancers moving monotonously in an anti-clockwise direction round the musicians, a chant dedicated to 'Mother, Father, Earth, Sun...'

'Aztec' music may not be everyone's cup of tea, but much fun was had by all...