A different sort of Helicon


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Posted by Klaus on February 03, 2003 at 20:41:34:

German Schalmeieninstrumente are discussed from time to time.

The are/were primitive instrumens in C major only. They could be called orchestrated duck calls or accordions blown by human lungs. The sound generators are metal tounges/reeds. Each reed has its own ressonator bell. These instuments have their roots in diverse German popular and political movements, that wanted a shortcut to put bands in front of their marching rallies.

The melody instruments cover one octave g-g only. They exist in in 3 different octave sizes. And in a "double stop" version, where the notes wanted are palyed in both of the two upper octaves.

There was/is a 5 belled chord instrument, that blows triads in either C or G (the g is recycled for both chords).

The bass function is carried by large 4 belled instruments in helicon or tuba shape. Thy can play the roots of a II-V-I cadenza plus the leading note.

All types but for the tuba version can be seen via the link given below here.

Klaus



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