Your favorite unusual instrument!

Started by pjme, September 08, 2008, 02:11:14 PM

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pjme

Enough of the windmachines at RVW?

Let's talk here about our favorite anvil, metal block, whip, géophone, Bronté and other Chapeau chinois!

Anything goes : from metal castanets to the violoncello (viola) da spalla.!



Sigiswald Kuyken and his violoncello da spalla.

Solitary Wanderer

Back in my days as a music therapist I would use a Flexitone on occasion.

Guaranteed to put a smile on everyone's face!



;D
'I lingered round them, under that benign sky: watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells, listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass, and wondered how any one could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth.' ~ Emily Bronte

Kullervo


Solitary Wanderer

And, being a former 'prog' fan, I still have a soft spot for the mighty Mellotron.

'I lingered round them, under that benign sky: watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells, listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass, and wondered how any one could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth.' ~ Emily Bronte

John Copeland

Aye.
The Saw.
And some spoons.
My entire kit for my own wee Symphony Orchestra. :-[

Gurn Blanston

Well, that is admittedly a lovely picture, but it is hard to figure out how the music making is happening. :-\  I'll watch for a while and see though... ;)

For me, favorite unusual instrument is the glass harmonica. I have a bit of recorded music for it and find the sound quite bewitching. :)

8)

----------------
Listening to:
La Petite Bande / Kuijken - Haydn - Hob 01 53 Symphony in D 1st mvmt - Largo maestoso - Vivace
Visit my Haydn blog: HaydnSeek

Haydn: that genius of vulgar music who induces an inordinate thirst for beer - Mily Balakirev (1860)

M forever

Quote from: Gurn Blanston on September 08, 2008, 03:50:07 PM
Well, that is admittedly a lovely picture, but it is hard to figure out how the music making is happening. :-\ 

Pitch and volume of the theremin are controlled by the proximity of the performer's - usually, but not in all cases, as we can see here - hands to the antennas. But other body parts can of course be used as well.

Here is an explantion of how it works: The Theremin.

Accordig to this article, Lenin liked the instrument and even took lessons to play it...Nevertheless, he was one of many who were vicitimized by the Soviet system later and he spent almost a decade in a research camp in the gulag. He also invented an ingenius spying device called The Thing. He actually lived until 1993. Check out his very interesting life story on wikipedia.

Gurn Blanston

Quote from: M forever on September 08, 2008, 04:04:34 PM
Pitch and volume of the theremin are controlled by the proximity of the performer's - usually, but not in all cases, as we can see here - hands to the antennas. But other body parts can of course be used as well.

Here is an explantion of how it works: The Theremin.

Accordig to this article, Lenin liked the instrument and even took lessons to play it...Nevertheless, he was one of many who were vicitimized by the Soviet system later and he spent almost a decade in a research camp in the gulag. He also invented an ingenius spying device called The Thing. He actually lived until 1993. Check out his very interesting life story on wikipedia.

Fascinating read. After which I realize that I am quite familiar with the sound of it, although not knowing what it was at the time. Thanks for that... :)

8)

----------------
Listening to:
La Petite Bande / Kuijken - Haydn - Hob 01 53 Symphony in D 4th mvmt - Finale: Capriccio - Moderato
Visit my Haydn blog: HaydnSeek

Haydn: that genius of vulgar music who induces an inordinate thirst for beer - Mily Balakirev (1860)

Chrone

I wonder how she's controlling the volume?

/theremin geek


Kullervo


SonicMan46

M - has mentioned a fascinating electronic instrument, i.e. the Theremin - my in-laws owned and had this instrument restored years ago - not even sure that it is even operable - but when my wife & I were first married (early '70s), the machine was still playable - of course, this machine was used in some of the Sci-Fi films of the era (and other flicks)!

If you're really interested in this 'invention', check out the DVD below: Theremin - An Electronic Odyssey - excellent overview!  :D


pjme

#12


this ( an 1970) Lp cover ,showing Vincent Géminiani with a "Bronté" , a percussion instrument he invented .

Oskar Sala's Trautonium

pjme

#13


Some of the "structures sonores" of the Baschet brothers

Baschet Brothers, Francois and Bernard, a sculptor and an engineer, respectively, collaborate on creating sound sculptures and inventing instruments. Beginning in 1952 the Baschets started research into all existing musical instruments and put this knowledge to work in creating dozens of "structures sonores" ('sonorous sculptures'). Their visually striking instruments are crafted out of steel and aluminum and amplified by large curved conical sheets of metal ; some small, some over 20 feet high and incorporating glass rods, metal cones, wires', plastic inflatable resonators, and many other devices, these fascinating structures are not only cosmetically entracing, but produce an incredible range of sounds and varied sonic textures.. One example of this is the Hemisfair Musical Fountain, which consists of an array of posts at the top of which are groups of conical sound diffusers, and above them circles of metal prongs. These are played by jets of water aimed by observers.
Some, such as the recent 'Cristal' have evolved into extremely sophisticated fully chromatic musical instruments that are just as practical to use as their traditional counterparts, and are regularly used for performances of anything from Bach to Jazz, and a massive range of contemporary music.
http://martian-shaker.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html


springrite

Many of Uncle Harry's inventions are fascinating instruments! I can't list them all or find photos of them. But I have the LP version of Delusion of the Fury featuring dozens of instruments that I have never heard of or heard or seen before (or since).


PS: Uncle Harry refers not to our Harry, but to Harry Partch.

pjme

 ;D ...and not all Thereministes were breastbaring, slightly overweight exhibitionists...( a good bra would work miracles).

Clara Rockmore ca 1920

pjme

Quote from: springrite on September 10, 2008, 04:48:04 AM
Many of Uncle Harry's inventions are fascinating instruments! I can't list them all or find photos of them. But I have the LP version of Delusion of the Fury featuring dozens of instruments that I have never heard of or heard or seen before (or since).


PS: Uncle Harry refers not to our Harry, but to Harry Partch.



pjme

#17
More Harry Partch



and check Logos foundation in Ghent http://www.logosfoundation.org/ where Godfried Willem Raes is a musicalinstruments inventor "par excellence".



(poco) Sforzando

Quote from: M forever on September 08, 2008, 04:04:34 PM
Pitch and volume of the theremin are controlled by the proximity of the performer's - usually, but not in all cases, as we can see here - hands to the antennas. But other body parts can of course be used as well.

Here is an explantion of how it works: The Theremin.

Accordig to this article, Lenin liked the instrument and even took lessons to play it...Nevertheless, he was one of many who were vicitimized by the Soviet system later and he spent almost a decade in a research camp in the gulag. He also invented an ingenius spying device called The Thing. He actually lived until 1993. Check out his very interesting life story on wikipedia.

I have been known to use my "thing" to control the pitch and volume of the Theremin.
"I don't know what sforzando means, though it clearly means something."

Shrunk

Quote from: pjme on September 10, 2008, 05:32:46 AM
;D ...and not all Thereministes were breastbaring, slightly overweight exhibitionists...( a good bra would work miracles).

Clara Rockmore ca 1920

CBC radio used to have a weekly feature called Cage Match, that would pit pieces of music against each other who shared a common theme.  One of the more imaginative contests involved two performances of Rachmaninov's Vocalise, one by Rockmore on theremin, the other by a different musician on a bowed saw.  The similarity in tone between the two "intruments" was quite remarkable, and I was impressed by the accuracy of pitch Rockmore was able to achieve.  IIRC, however, the saw won.