Why was the glass harmonica banned?
Over the years, some disturbing events began to be associated with the glass armonica. A few listeners were also subject to ill effects; after an incident in Germany where a child died during a performance, the armonica was actually banned in a few towns.
How much does a glass harmonica cost?
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| History and Information on the Glass Harmonica | Contact Us! |
Why did Ben Franklin invent the glass armonica?
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. The Armonica was an instant success.
Did Ben Franklin invented the harmonica?
Of Benjamin Franklin’s many achievements, probably the least well-known are his accomplishments in music. Not only did Franklin play viola da gamba and compose music, he also invented an instrument for which both Mozart and Beethoven composed music—the armonica, also known as the glass armonica or glass harmonica.
Which famous composers arranged pieces for the glass harmonica?
Mozart even composed a quintet for her, in which the glass harmonica was combined with a flute, oboe, viola, and cello. Beethoven and several other composers wrote music for the strange instrument as well.
Who made the glass harmonica?
Benjamin FranklinGlass harmonica / Inventor
Invented by founding father Benjamin Franklin, the concept is the same as rubbing the tip of your finger around a wine glass to make a sound. Franklin took that concept and turned it on its side, nesting about 50 glass bowls inside each other, allowing it to be played like a piano.
Are glass harmonicas still made?
This was due in part to the fact that they are large, extremely fragile, and hard to come by. Eventually he was able to have a set of bowls made by the Finkenbeiner glass-blowing company out of Waltham, Massachusetts, one of the only manufacturers of glass armonicas still in existence.
How did Benjamin Franklin feel about the glass armonica?
Franklin was delighted with the results. ‘Of all my inventions,’ he later said, ‘the glass armonica has given me the greatest personal satisfaction. ‘ Franklin’s instrument enjoyed its world premiere in 1762 and became hugely popular throughout Europe, inspiring compositions by celebrated musicians including Mozart.
Who invented glass harmonica?
When Benjamin Franklin invented his mechanical version of the instrument in 1761, he called it the armonica, based on the Italian word armonia, which means “harmony”. The unrelated free-reed wind instrument aeolina, today called the “harmonica”, was not invented until 1821, sixty years later.
Did Mozart use a glass armonica?
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote his 1791 K. 617 and K.356 (K.617a) for the glass harmonica. Ludwig van Beethoven used the instrument in an 1814 melodrama Leonore Prohaska.
What is the glass armonica made out of?
glass harmonica
Franklin’s armonica, also known as a glass harmonica, was made from 37 glass bowls of varying thicknesses and sizes threaded horizontally on an iron spindle which could be turned by a foot pedal. By moistening their fingers with water, a player could produce up to ten notes or chords at a time.
What culture is the glass harmonica from?
The Irish musician Richard Pockrich is typically credited as the first to play an instrument composed of glass vessels (glass harp) by rubbing his fingers around the rims. Beginning in the 1740s, he performed in London on a set of upright goblets filled with varying amounts of water.
What is the meaning of Il dolce suono?
“Il dolce suono” (“The Sweet Sound”) is the incipit of the recitativo of a scena ed aria taken from Act III scene 2, Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti. It is also commonly known as the “mad scene” sung by the leading soprano, Lucia.
Who is the best composer for the glass harmonica?
Composers including J. G. Naumann, Padre Martini, Johann Adolph Hasse, Baldassare Galuppi, and Niccolò Jommelli, and more than 100 others composed works for the glass harmonica; [citation needed] some pieces survive in the repertoire through transcriptions for more conventional instruments.
Who sings Il dolce suono in the Fifth Element?
Il dolce suono. An arrangement of the aria was featured in the film The Fifth Element, sung by the alien character Diva Plavalaguna voiced by Inva Mula. Russian pop countertenor Vitas recorded a similar shortened version under the title “Lucia Di Lammermoor”. While singing the part, Vitas changed the lyric “Edgardo” to ” Esther “…
What was the original name of the harmonica?
When Benjamin Franklin invented his mechanical version of the instrument in 1761, he called it the armonica, based on the Italian word armonia, which means “harmony”. The unrelated free-reed wind instrument aeolina, today called the “harmonica”, was not invented until 1821, sixty years later.