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With the emergence of electronic instruments and composers' drive to craft distinctive and innovative sounds, numerous peculiar instruments have been created or revived. Here’s a list of the ten most extraordinary ones.
10. Aeolian Harp
The Aeolian Harp is an instrument that produces music when played by the wind. Named after Aeolus, the Greek deity of wind, it gained popularity as a household item during the Romantic Era and continues to be crafted by hand today. Modern versions often take the form of large metal sound sculptures placed on rooftops or windy hilltops. In the provided clip, a wind turbine sets the rhythm, while the continuous, soothing sound in the background comes from the Aeolian harp.
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9. Ondes Martenot
Invented in 1928 by Maurice Martenot, the Ondes Martenot is an early electronic instrument featuring a keyboard and a slide. Initially, its sound closely resembled that of the Theremin, but its capabilities were later enhanced with filter banks and interchangeable loudspeakers. Known for its haunting, oscillating tones generated by thermionic valves, the instrument has been prominently used by composers, including Olivier Messiaen.
8. Theremin
Created in 1919 by Russian inventor Léon Theremin, the Theremin is one of the first fully electronic instruments. Its uniqueness lies in being played without physical contact. The device comprises two radio frequency oscillators and metal antennas, with its electric signals amplified and projected through a loudspeaker.
7. The Glass Armonica
The glass harmonica, also referred to as the glass armonica, 'hydrocrystalophone,' or simply armonica (from the Italian word 'armonia,' meaning harmony), is a musical instrument that produces sound through friction using a series of glass bowls or goblets of varying sizes. It is classified as both a crystallophone and a friction idiophone. This mechanical version was created by Benjamin Franklin.
6. Gravikord
Invented and patented by Robert Grawi in 1986, the gravikord is an electric double harp inspired by the 21-string West African kora. Constructed from welded stainless steel tubing, it features 24 nylon strings but lacks a resonating gourd or skin. Its bridge is made of synthetic material and differs significantly from the kora's design, offering a wider pitch range. Played similarly to the kora, the gravikord allows for a more ergonomic hand position, with the player plucking the strings using the thumb and index finger of each hand.
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5. Kaisatsuko
The Kaisatsuko, created by Yuichi Onoue from Tokyo, Japan, is a unique instrument that doesn’t rely on a bow to vibrate its two strings, unlike traditional fiddle-like instruments. Instead, it uses a small hand crank to spin a nylon wheel, which vibrates the steel strings, creating a continuous drone. This rotating wheel functions similarly to a mechanical bow, reminiscent of the technique used in the Hurdy Gurdy, which dates back to before the 11th century.
4. Musical Saw
A musical saw, often referred to as a singing saw, transforms a hand saw into a musical instrument. It produces an otherworldly sound, akin to the theremin or a clear female voice. Classified as an idiophone under the Hornbostel-Sachs system, the musical saw has been utilized by composers like Alfred Schnittke in various compositions.
3. Bazantar
The bazantar is a five-string double bass enhanced with 29 sympathetic and 4 drone strings, offering a melodic range of five octaves. It features a separate housing for the sympathetic strings to manage increased tension and can be mounted on a modified double bass or cello to accommodate the drone strings.
2. Cymbalom
The cymbalom, also spelled cimbalom, ?ambal, tsymbaly, tsimbl, santouri, or santur, is a hammered dulcimer primarily used in the musical traditions of Hungary, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Greece, and Iran. In Czechoslovakia, it was known as a cimbal. Composers like Zoltán Kodály prominently featured the cimbalom in works such as his orchestral suite, Háry János, which helped popularize the instrument beyond Eastern Europe. Igor Stravinsky, another admirer, owned one and incorporated it into his ballet, Renard.
1. Stalacpipe Organ
Deep within Virginia’s Luray Caverns in the Shenandoah Valley lies the Great Stalacpipe Organ, the world’s largest musical instrument. Spanning acres, stalactites are electronically tapped by rubber-tipped mallets to produce symphonic tones. This extraordinary instrument was created in 1954 by Leland W. Sprinkle, a mathematician and electronic scientist from Springfield, Virginia, who worked at the Pentagon.
Sources: Wikipedia, YouTube, Odd Music
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