Arrived in London in 1757 as the United States Ambassador Benjamin Franklin, too, was captured by the general passion of glass harmonica, and gave attention to its improvement. The glasses Franklin replaced by hemispherical cups, beaded on the iron roller. The lower edge of the cups was poured into the boat with water and together with the roller rotation, moved with the help of pedal, it evenly became wet. Finger touching of the wet edges of cups gave birth to a gentle and pleasant sound.
Soon glass harmonica conquered Germany and Austria, and then appeared in other European countries and in Russia. The famous Austrian psychiatrist Mesmer used the glass harmonica to calm patients down before the examination. It was in the Mesmer house where Mozart heard it for the first time, who wrote charming music for the unusual instrument at once. And in 1791 when the blind performer Marianne Kirchgesner visited Vienna, she captured Mozart by her performing so much that he wrote another piece of music for the glass harmonica, flute, oboe, viola and cello. Subsequently, Beethoven, Glinka, Berlioz, Rubinstein, Richard Strauss composed music for this instrument, Paganini and Goethe admired its heavenly sounding...
It's curious that in some cities of Germany harmonica was prohibited by law because it was supposed “to act the mental state of people too much, frighten animals and even lead to mental disorder”! But the reason for another glass harmonica oblivion were not those absurd fears, but something different: perhaps, the fragility of the instrument itself or unusual technique of playing it. Probably, it is technique that played an evil trick with the instrument. The thing is that in 1761 at the period of general interest to machines and mechanisms glass harmonica received keyboard mechanics. For technical reasons, glasses in it were replaced by glass plates. Performing became much more convenient, but the magic of “crystal singing” disappeared.
The true art of playing the glass harmonica was completely lost, and the harmonica was replaced by an orchestral bell (an instrument that looks like a glockenspiel) and celesta in the orchestra. This another oblivion of the “glass music” seemed final, but in recent years enthusiasts began to appear again reviving this ancient art. “Crystal Trio” band is one of the most remarkable phenomena of this “new wave”.
Soon glass harmonica conquered Germany and Austria, and then appeared in other European countries and in Russia. The famous Austrian psychiatrist Mesmer used the glass harmonica to calm patients down before the examination. It was in the Mesmer house where Mozart heard it for the first time, who wrote charming music for the unusual instrument at once. And in 1791 when the blind performer Marianne Kirchgesner visited Vienna, she captured Mozart by her performing so much that he wrote another piece of music for the glass harmonica, flute, oboe, viola and cello. Subsequently, Beethoven, Glinka, Berlioz, Rubinstein, Richard Strauss composed music for this instrument, Paganini and Goethe admired its heavenly sounding...
It's curious that in some cities of Germany harmonica was prohibited by law because it was supposed “to act the mental state of people too much, frighten animals and even lead to mental disorder”! But the reason for another glass harmonica oblivion were not those absurd fears, but something different: perhaps, the fragility of the instrument itself or unusual technique of playing it. Probably, it is technique that played an evil trick with the instrument. The thing is that in 1761 at the period of general interest to machines and mechanisms glass harmonica received keyboard mechanics. For technical reasons, glasses in it were replaced by glass plates. Performing became much more convenient, but the magic of “crystal singing” disappeared.
The true art of playing the glass harmonica was completely lost, and the harmonica was replaced by an orchestral bell (an instrument that looks like a glockenspiel) and celesta in the orchestra. This another oblivion of the “glass music” seemed final, but in recent years enthusiasts began to appear again reviving this ancient art. “Crystal Trio” band is one of the most remarkable phenomena of this “new wave”.
