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Sounds of a Glass Armonica - invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1761
Composer William Zeitler plays a glass armonica, invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1761. For more on this fascinating story read the full article here on the Toronto Star: http://on.thestar.com/2jmXp0E.
The Armonica, also called the glass harmonica was invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1761. In 1757, while in England he attended a concert given on the wine glasses. He thought it was the sweetest sound he had ever heard but he wanted to hear more harmonies with his melody. Thus the Armonica was born and named by Franklin for a word taken from the musical Italian language. It has been said that if the harp is "the instrument of the Angels", then the Armonica is "the voice of the Angels".
Graduated size bowls with holes and corks in the center were put onto a horizontal spindle and rotated by a fly wheel and a foot pedal. Moistened fingers rubbed the edges to produce the beautiful sound. Franklin used a most unique way to identify the notes of the bowls. He painted the seven white keys the seven colors of the rainbow and the five black keys, white. The practice of gold banding was begun in 1785 by Karl Rollig of Germany (see picture below of Franklin's own Armonica and remaining bowls at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia)
https://www.thebash.com/armonica/history.html
Graduated size bowls with holes and corks in the center were put onto a horizontal spindle and rotated by a fly wheel and a foot pedal. Moistened fingers rubbed the edges to produce the beautiful sound. Franklin used a most unique way to identify the notes of the bowls. He painted the seven white keys the seven colors of the rainbow and the five black keys, white. The practice of gold banding was begun in 1785 by Karl Rollig of Germany (see picture below of Franklin's own Armonica and remaining bowls at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia)
https://www.thebash.com/armonica/history.html
3 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
What a racket (sic)
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