Re: Glass Harmonica

[Peter Rushefsky <rushefsky_p...>]

Steve-- I think your recollection of players becoming insane is correct.  My
memory of the story is that this was caused by the player's wet finger absorbing
lead from the 18th century glass.

Pete Rushefsky

>>> BarMusProd (at) aol(dot)com 10/24 9:44 AM >>>
Dear Matt(?),

In a message dated 10/24/00 9:35:55 AM, rushefsky_p (at) 
univerahealthcare(dot)org 
writes:

>The glasses of different shapes are attached together, put on their sides.
> I'm
>no gh maven, but I'm pretty sure there's no water needed (the variable
>glass
>size determines the pitch).
>
>Matt wrote...
>
>I got to thinking that probably there are exact places to put each glass,
>and little marks on the glasses to indicate how high to fill them, else
>tuning would take forever, and playing would be pretty tough.
>
>Matt
>
I missed the original posting on this, but rushefsky_p (at) 
univerahealthcare(dot)org 
is correct. Cup shaped glasses of different sizes are set on their sides 
"nested" within one another, with a rotating spindle through their centers. 
You do need water, but not to fill the glasses. You need a glass of water in 
which to dip and wet the fingers to play the glasses by holding the finger 
against the spinning rims. My memory is that this instrument was invented by 
Ben Franklin, and that there is a recorded history of people who play them 
going crazy.

Best wishes,
Steve

Steve Barnett
Composer/Arranger/Producer
Barnett Music Productions
BarMusProd (at) aol(dot)com 


---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org ---------------------+