{"id":133341,"date":"2016-02-01T05:00:06","date_gmt":"2016-01-31T19:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=133341"},"modified":"2020-10-23T15:52:11","modified_gmt":"2020-10-23T05:52:11","slug":"rare-instrument-coming-to-region","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2016\/02\/01\/rare-instrument-coming-to-region\/","title":{"rendered":"Rare Instrument Coming To Region"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Members of Armonica Sound Healing performing with the crystal armonica at a CD launch in 2013 (Photo: Armonica Sound Healing)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

February 1, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

A rare musical instrument will be coming to Nanango next month as part of the inaugural Nanango Healthy Life Expo.<\/p>\n

The crystal armonica consists of a series of rotating crystal bowls which are played with wet fingers.<\/p>\n

It works in a similar way to a European “glass harp”, which is made up of a series of wine glasses filled with different levels of liquid to produce different tones when rubbed.<\/p>\n

In the case of the armonica, it is the different bowl sizes that produce the different tones.<\/p>\n

The unusual instrument was invented by American Benjamin Franklin in 1761 after he saw water-filled wine glasses being played by Edmund Delaval in Cambridge, England.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Franklin improved on the glass harp model by getting a London glass blower to mount 37 glass bowls of different sizes on an iron spindle, which could be rotated using a foot treadle.<\/p>\n

The crystal armonica had its world premiere in early 1762 and created a sensation.<\/p>\n

Its slightly disorienting, ethereal sound is usually in the range of 1-4 kHz, which modern science now knows is the range where listener’s brains are not quite sure where the sound is coming from or what its source is.<\/p>\n

Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss and more than 100 other composers wrote works for it.<\/p>\n

However, the instrument’s popularity steadily dwindled as musical tastes changed, and new music for crystal armonicas was all but unknown from 1820 until the 20th century.<\/p>\n

The instrument enjoyed a modern revival in the early 1980s when musician Gerhard Finkenbeiner released an updated version of Franklin’s original design.<\/p>\n

The factory Finkenbeiner set up in Massachusetts continues to produce them to this day.<\/p>\n

Some people say the music produced by the crystal armonica has special healing qualities. <\/strong><\/p>\n

They claim the music activates the pineal gland (known as the 6th chakra), elevating listeners to a deeper level of consciousness.<\/p>\n

But it hasn’t always had such good press; in Germany during the early 1800s, the crystal armonica was rumoured to cause musicians and their listeners to go mad or develop “melancholia”.<\/p>\n

However, no evidence of this was ever found and many players – including Ben Franklin – lived long and healthy lives.<\/p>\n

In either case, South Burnett residents will get the opportunity to judge a crystal armonica for themselves on Saturday, March 19.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Nanango Healthy Life Expo has invited Armonica Sound Healing to perform in concert with their Finkenbeiner armonica inside the Rapid Fitness Gymnasium adjoining Pioneer Park at 6:30pm.<\/p>\n

While entry to the Expo is free, entry to the concert will be $20 per head if pre-paid, or $25 at the door.<\/p>\n

Tickets can be obtained from the Rapid Fitness Gymnasium, Orchys Fruit and Vegetable, Reel Pizzas Mobile Food Van and Amethyst Moon, Kingaroy.<\/p>\n

Sound Armonica will also be selling tickets at their stall during the Expo, and tickets can also be bought online<\/b><\/a>.<\/p>\n