Cassana
Apparently it's "Uncommon #MusicalInstrument awareness day", so I'll throw in a #cithara. Now, you may be thinking: "Hey, those were pretty common back in #antiquity, and used by the rock stars of the #AncientGreek and #Roman musical worlds."
Well, yes. But… This is an experimental #reconstruction based on the mysterious and wonderful Baratti silver amphora (4th century AD), which features 132 oval medallions (BTW, mysterious, because nobody can figure out how these were attached) depicting scenes of feasting and #music making, including Apollo holding the cithara. The #instrument has 7 strings, but rather unusually has the soundbox at the front; the strings run from the yoke, between the arms, into the soundbox, in which the bridge sits, before exiting via small holes where they are tied off. I've not seen any others like this (photos in next post).
Here's a sound clip of me playing the cithara.
What uncommon musical instruments dwell under your roof?
Jul 31, 2023 at 12:00pmWeb
Show threadCassanaJul 31, 2023
Here are images of the Baratti amphora and the specific medallion depicting Apollo and the cithara. If you're willing to write #AltText #Alt4me, that'd be very much appreciated, and I'll edit them in as soon as. 2/2
Show threadKara GoldfinchJul 31, 2023
@Cassana I think the most unusual one I have is a thunder tube. A wooden tube open at one end with a drum head on the other. A long spring's attached to the head and when you move the tube you get all sorts of weird rumbling noises. It's quite a big one so it produces a fair bit of bass.
Show threadCassanaJul 31, 2023
@KaraLG84 Such lovely noise makers! And the bigger the better.
Show threadKara GoldfinchJul 31, 2023
@Cassana Aren't they just. I have no idea how such a simple thing can make weird noises like that.
Show threadAndre LouisJul 31, 2023
@KaraLG84 @Cassana I have one of those, as well as a flexitone which are fun.
Show threadKara GoldfinchJul 31, 2023
@FreakyFwoof @Cassana Awesome. I've not seen a flexitone before.
Show threadAndre LouisJul 31, 2023
@KaraLG84 @Cassana When my wife went to France a fewe weeks ago, she also came back with these two slide whistles which are very much fun.
Show threadCassanaJul 31, 2023
@FreakyFwoof @KaraLG84 Ah, fun times. I used to have a few slide whistles. Never had or played with a Flexatone though.
Kara, as for how a thunder drum works. The short answer is that when the spring moves it moves the air, which sets up a continuous resonance inside the tube. The long answer is long! 😄
Show threadMervin KeckJul 31, 2023
@Cassana @silveraura7 It is probably not uncommon, but, I really love bells. I keep a set of 25 jingle bells by my desk. It has a wooden handle. Six bells on 4 sides. One bell on top. And they jingle like sleigh bells. I find them calming all year long.
Show threadCassanaJul 31, 2023
@blind5sparrow @silveraura7 Sounds lovely! Maybe you'll like this one then. This is a quick recording I've just made of my Indian cow bell. Instead of the knocker hitting the bell's body, there are five rods in there, tuned to various pitches, which it hits instead. I bought it years ago, and still think it's an absolutely amazing bell.
Show threadK. A. AndrewsJul 31, 2023
@Cassana @blind5sparrow Wow, that's neat. I'm a bell enthusiast myself. Never heard anything like that before!
Show threadRobin Frost Has MovedAug 1, 2023
@blind5sparrow @silveraura7 @Cassana Oh isn't this fascinating. My bell loving and collecting heart now needs one of these things.