Hydraulophone & Glass Armonica..."The Key to Good Music is to Play in the Water."
Thursday, January 31, 2008 at 10:34AM The Hydraulophone, a musical instrument based on pressurized water jets, is perhaps the sweetest, most melancholic "aquacoustic" instrument since the appearance of Benjamin Franklin's Glass Armonica many many moons ago (more on that in a minute..)..
Here, via hydraulist on YouTube, is a wonderful film about this instrument.
And, also via hydraulist is this wonderful piece - "Auld Lang Sigh (New Years Tears)...this tune is much nicer in a minor key, methinks!
This brings us back to Benjamin Franklin's brilliant invention, Glass Armonica. Interestingly enough, this instrument was banned quickly after its inception.(photo from The Bakken Library & Museum)
(Via Wikipedia )"As noted by a German musicologist Friedrich Rochlitz in Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung, "the armonica excessively stimulates the nerves, plunges the player into a nagging depression and hence into a dark and melancholy mood that is apt method for slow self-annihilation. If you are suffering from any nervous disorder, you should not play it; if you are not yet ill you should not play it; if you are feeling melancholy you should not play it."
Many people based this "illness" on lead poisoning due to the lead glass used in construction...
I'm quite skeptical about both claims, but it sure is a lovely sounding creation. Melancholy? Listen to this and you'll feel much better. Via ridethatrain on You Tube..
Reader Comments (2)
Wow...I almost threw away my Prozac!!! : )
Beautiful BTW...Arent those also called Glass Harmonicas?
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