trumpets-msg - 6/2/99
Trumpets and horns. Sources. Blowing horns.
NOTE: See also the files: bagpipes-msg, flutes-msg, guitar-art, recorders-msg, trumpet-build-art, drums-msg, instruments-msg, harps-msg.
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Stefan at florilegium.org
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Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: Suze.Hammond at f50.n105.z1.fidonet.org (Suze Hammond)
Subject: Re: medieval(?) hunting horns
Date: Mon, 18 Oct 1993 23:36:00 GMT
PID: QE 2.80 GoldBase (Gamma-3)+
JM> From: jgm at helios.tn.cornell.EDU (James McLean)
JM> Greetings all.
JM> I am trying to find a source from which I might purchase a "medieval
JM> hunting horn". By this I intend to mean the wound, valveless horn
JM> similar in size to the modern French horn, which I presume is a
JM> decendant. Come to think of it, I'm not absolutely positive that the
JM> thing is medieval.
JM> But in any case, I'm looking for one. I've looked through a number of
JM> catalogues for early instruments, but early brass doesn't seem to show
JM> up much at all. Does anyone have suggestions for places I might find
JM> such a beast?
JM> Many thanks in advance,
JM> --Matteo Sassetti
Try your local Christmas crafts shop. These, in playable sizes, are often
used as Christmas decorations, and should appear in the crafts supply
stores right about now. You may have to hunt around a bit to get the
larger ones, but they are playable. Not great mouthpieces, but playable.
(I found dishing out the mouthpiece a bit a great help...) Sometimes you
find straight trumpets too.
Happy ta ra ta ta- ing!
.. Moreach NicMhaolain
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: mittle at watson.ibm.com (Arval d'Espas Nord)
Subject: Re: medieval(?) hunting horns
Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1993 20:06:37 GMT
Organization: IBM T.J. Watson Research
> I am trying to find a source from which I might purchase a "medieval hunting
> horn".
Pier One Imports. I bought one there for Doffin-Hallr Morrisson for his
Laurel last Twelfth Night.
===========================================================================
Arval d'Espas Nord mittle at watson.ibm.com
From: UDSD073 at DSIBM.OKLADOT.STATE.OK.US (Mike Andrews)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Period Trumpet Calls
Date: Tue, 17 Jan 1995 15:57
Organization: The University of Oklahoma (USA)
In article <3f6oir$hd1 at news.primenet.com>,
Peter Valentine <valenti at mailhost.primenet.com> writes:
>I have been able to track down that certain Bugle calls such as
>Reveille date back as french cavalry calls into the Crusades,
>but I have not had any luck finding a source for actual
>period trumpet calls(music). Does anyone know of a source that I
>could lay my hands on? I am really interested in the active use
>of trumpet/cavalry calls to compliment the "air" of our Wars...
If memory serves, this book has some period trumpet calls. It
certainly has a wealth of other good (and fascinating) period
music.
From the Library of Congress online catalog (telnet locis.loc.gov):
63-21850: Minor, Andrew Collier, 1918- ed. Music in medieval and
renaissance life; anthology of vocal and instrumental music, 1200-1614.
Columbia, University of Missouri Press [1964] xv p., score (121 p.)
illus., facsims. 29 cm.
LC CALL NUMBER: M2.M37 M9
--
udsd007 at ibm.okladot.state.ok.us (192.149.244.136)
Michael Fenwick of Fotheringhay, O.L. (Mike Andrews) Namron, Ansteorra
From: eherring at mindspring.com (Evan L. Herring)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: trumpet calls
Date: Thu, 31 Aug 1995 16:59:27 -0400
Organization: MindSpring Enterprises, Inc.
In article <1995Aug29.233734.1 at vaxa> k12marwl at vaxa.hofstra.edu (LLOYD ROSEVEAR, THE WORLD'S GREATEST BAD FIDDLER.) writes:
>Subject: trumpet calls
>From: k12marwl at vaxa.hofstra.edu (LLOYD ROSEVEAR, THE WORLD'S GREATEST BAD FIDDLER.)
>Date: 29 Aug 95 23:37:34 EST
> Can anyone shed light on the use of herald trumpets to command fighters
>in battle? Was it done during the SCA period as it was in the (American) Civil
>war? If so, has it ever been tried at Pennsic or elsewhere?
> I have found lots of trumpets in paintings, usually at tournaments or
>pageants, but few in actual battles.
> Does anyone know a scource of authentic trumpet calls?
> I would like to make 2 or 3 herald trumpets for next Pennsic. My wife
>(Twit) will make the flags.
As trumpets with valves are not period, any call that uses the horns
harmonics, that is the first, third, fifth and octave, up to two or three
octaves if you've the skill, would be period, or at least within the
capabilities of the period trumpets. A good source might me military band or
musicians' manuals. I'd check with the LOC, or perhaps with your local VFW or
nearest military base's public information office for leads.
Martin Dragonet
Barony of the South Downs, Meridies
From: eherring at mindspring.com (Evan L. Herring)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Looking for a Trumpet
Date: Fri, 8 Sep 1995 00:35:15 -0400
Organization: MindSpring Enterprises, Inc.
In article <22.7715.freY121n500 at frealm.micronet.org> ssturm at frealm.micronet.org (Steven Sturm) writes:
>Subject: Looking for a Trumpet
>From: ssturm at frealm.micronet.org (Steven Sturm)
>Date: Thu, 7 Sep 95 12:33:52 PST
>I am interested in find a trumpet that can be used in royal processions. You
>know the long stright ones. If anyone know of where I can find information on
>said item, Please drop me a Line.
> William Delamere
> House Darkmoor
> Shire of Ravenshore /West
Any local music shop that carries band instruments can order one for you.
Conn, King, Selmer, and at least half a dozen others produce them. Be prepared
to use your child's college fund, however, for they are NOT cheap. Upwards of
a thousand of the common currency is a very conservative estimate, and I do
not refer to the shiny copper ones.
But it's a swell idea, and wouldn't it be cool if maybe some of the kingdoms
could outfit their heralds thusly out of kingdom funds?
Martin
From: andrixos at aol.com (Andrixos)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Looking for a Trumpet
Date: 8 Sep 1995 02:55:27 -0400
Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364)
>>I am interested in find a trumpet that can be used in royal processions.
>Any local music shop that carries band instruments can order one for you.
>Conn, King, Selmer, and at least half a dozen others produce them. Be prepared
>to use your child's college fund, however, for they are NOT cheap. Upwards of
>a thousand of the common currency is a very conservative estimate, and I do
>not refer to the shiny copper ones.
>Martin
Martin:
I would think that the price you are quoting is for a valved herald's
trumpet. Valves are post period. I would think that William is refering
to a straight-bore trumpet, which would be thought of as a bugle in modern
terms, as represented in the herald's badge.
A valveless bugle is limited in what pitches it can produce. Think of
the notes in Taps. You can't get any of the notes in between the pitches
you hear until you add valves.
I bought the trumpet that is the subject of the other thread on this
subject at Twenty Year Celebration for c. $30. It is a two piece affair,
with the mouthpiece integral to the tube. The mouthpiece is awful. If I
were pursuing art rather than service, I would saw off that one and
replace it with a modern one.
Andrixos
From: eherring at mindspring.com (Evan L. Herring)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Looking for a Trumpet
Date: Fri, 8 Sep 1995 20:07:15 -0400
Organization: MindSpring Enterprises, Inc.
In article <42opcv$98t at newsbf02.news.aol.com> andrixos at aol.com (Andrixos) writes:
>From: andrixos at aol.com (Andrixos)
>Subject: Re: Looking for a Trumpet
>Date: 8 Sep 1995 02:55:27 -0400
>>>I am interested in find a trumpet that can be used in royal processions.
>Martin:
> I would think that the price you are quoting is for a valved herald's
>trumpet. Valves are post period.
Yes, I do know that, good sir, and repeats a previous entry on the Trumpets
at Pennsic thread of a few days ago. Let it suffice to say that when I joined
the SCA in 1980 it was vitally important for me to know this, as my quality
point average and my hopes for a future music career did rather require it.
>I would think that William is refering
>to a straight-bore trumpet, which would be thought of as a bugle in modern
>terms, as represented in the herald's badge.
> A valveless bugle is limited in what pitches it can produce. Think of
>the notes in Taps. You can't get any of the notes in between the pitches
>you hear until you add valves.
Actually 16th century, and possibly earlier trumpets were bored with one and
then two or more holes, similarly to a recorder, to make an approximate pitch
change. It was NOT perfect in and of itself, but with alteration of the
embouchure adequate pitch change was possibe. These were actually the kind of
trumpets, or so I was taught back in the years B.M. (Before Marsalis), that
composers of Handel's era may have composed for.
> I bought the trumpet that is the subject of the other thread on this
>subject at Twenty Year Celebration for c. $30. It is a two piece affair,
>with the mouthpiece integral to the tube. The mouthpiece is awful. If I
>were pursuing art rather than service, I would saw off that one and
>replace it with a modern one.
>Andrixos
This sounds like an "equestrian" trumpet, as used to do the traditional call
to the starting gate at horse races. This is an excellent alternative Idea,
and is cheaper, as you point out, and though the quality of the brasswork is
AWFUL, would do quite well for an alarm clock service. And by all means do
trim the integral mouthpiece off the end. With a fairly simple reinforcement
of the endpiece (see your local armorer), a standard mouthpiece would fit well
and make a radical improvement. Still, the artsy-fartsy side of my personality
REALLY wants those nice expensive, White House lawn types to give our kings
the really royal treatment. We could always cover the valves with a decorative
cloth mantling.......
Martin
From: snhend at aol.com (SNHEND)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Looking for a Trumpet
Date: 19 Sep 1995 00:40:49 -0400
Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364)
>I am interested in find a trumpet that can be used in royal
>processions. You know the long stright ones. If anyone know of where I
>can find information on said item, Please drop me a Line..
About ten years ago in TI there was an article on how to make a proper
period natural trumnpet. Check out back issues or an index. I recall the
article as being very knowledgeable.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Scott N. Hendrix known in the Society as Edward FitzRanulf
Quarterly Or and Gules, four Crosses couped conterchanged
------------------------------------------------------------------
From: bjm10 at cornell.edu (Bryan J. Maloney)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Sounding Horns
Date: Fri, 29 Mar 1996 12:51:45 -0400
Organization: Cornell University
In article <24.73225.2792 at pcohio.com>, vern.hall at pcohio.com (Vern Hall) wrote:
> Unto all the kind and gentle denizens of the Rialto, greetings...
>
> Have been working with horn for some time now and am interested
> in making up a couple sounding horns... Can't quite figure out
> how to form the mouthpiece though... Would appreciate any help
> anyone may be able to offer... Tnx...
I've been able to sound horns fairly nicely without "mouthpieces". Just
trim off the end and sand smooth and flat. Purse the lips and give wind!
From: djheydt at uclink.berkeley.edu (Dorothy J Heydt)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Sounding Horns
Date: 30 Mar 1996 17:36:13 GMT
Organization: University of California at Berkeley
In article <bjm10-2903961251450001 at potato.cit.cornell.edu>,
Bryan J. Maloney <bjm10 at cornell.edu> wrote:
>
>I've been able to sound horns fairly nicely without "mouthpieces". Just
>trim off the end and sand smooth and flat. Purse the lips and give wind!
The way I was told is, "Pretend you're spitting a hair off the
tip of your tongue." Works for me. (Though as I said, my
embouchure is nothing to write home about.)
"To sound my horn,
I had to develop my embouchure;
I found my horn
Was a bit of a devil to play...."
--Michael Flanders
Dorothea of Caer-Myrddin Dorothy J. Heydt
Mists/Mists/West UC Berkeley
Argent, a cross forme'e sable djheydt at uclink.berkeley.edu
PRO DEO ET REGE
From: djheydt at uclink.berkeley.edu (Dorothy J Heydt)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Sounding Horns
Date: 29 Mar 1996 18:04:22 GMT
Organization: University of California at Berkeley
In article <24.73225.2792 at pcohio.com>, Vern Hall <vern.hall at pcohio.com> wrote:
>
>Have been working with horn for some time now and am interested
>in making up a couple sounding horns... Can't quite figure out
>how to form the mouthpiece though...
Doesn't seem to be that complicated. I have a horn, made out of
a horn... you know, one from a cow. It's about fifteen inches
long. So far as I can tell, all the maker did was to cut off the
tip and smooth off any rough edges. The outer diameter of the
truncated area is about 1-1/8 inch, and the inner diameter is
about 5/8 inch. (The latter is probably the more crucial
dimension.) I can get two good loud notes out of it; a trained
brass player would be able to get more. I don't have much of an
embouchure.
Dorothy J. Heydt
djheydt at uclink.berkeley.edu
University of California
Berkeley
From: Dave & Laura McKinstry <dalm at why.net>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Sounding Horns
Date: Tue, 02 Apr 1996 02:22:48 -0500
Organization: Why? Network (817) 795-1765
In article <24.73225.2792 at pcohio.com>, vern.hall at pcohio.com (Vern Hall)
wrote:
> Unto all the kind and gentle denizens of the Rialto, greetings...
>
> Have been working with horn for some time now and am interested
> in making up a couple sounding horns... Can't quite figure out
> how to form the mouthpiece though... Would appreciate any help
> anyone may be able to offer... Tnx...
There's a book I've found in more than one library called something to
the effect of "Simple Folk Instruments to Make and Play" that covers cow
horn mouthpiece carving, so as to get the french-horn effect.
Go to your local library and look under "Instruments" in the card
catalog. Check all the area libraries while you're at it, if you don't
find it in that one - it's probably somewhere in your county, or in the
college/university libraries nearby. Great book! It has instructions
for fultes and drums as well, and a thumb piano, and a few other
wonderful things. And a cow-horn flute, at least in one edition (there
have been at least two editions I've found.)
Lark of Cire Freunlaven Laura McKinstry
Steppes, Ansteorra Dallas, TX
From: dizcat at aol.com (DizCat)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: re: Sounding horns
Date: 11 Apr 1996 14:15:49 -0400
Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364)
One can do it the old fashioned way, or one may cheat. No mouthpiece per
say is required to produce sound from a horn; horns can be so much more
than "horns".
You can get a variety of sound from any kind of tubing like copper pipes,
PVC, ceramic, nozel of a fire hose...., just depends on your chops.
You can cheat by buying a mouthpiece for a trumpet or trombone at just
about any music store and fitting it to your horn. They are not cheep mind
you.
check out Alp horns for a good example of the range of notes possible
without valves or slides.
good luck
From: peterscc at whitman.edu (Chris Petersen)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Sounding horns
Date: Sun, 14 Apr 1996 01:51:57 -0700
Organization: Whitman College
>One can do it the old fashioned way, or one may cheat. No mouthpiece per
>say is required to produce sound from a horn; horns can be so much more
>than "horns".
I'll vouch for this. after seeing some nice sounding horns for sale at an
event I decided to try and make one. Mind you horn is not the softest of
materials to cut and carve but after several hours of cutting and
polishing I now have a wonderful horn that my dormmates hate... :)
Cyrillis Desidarius
--- --- ---
Chris Petersen (xris) peterscc at whitman.edu
http://www.whitman.edu/~peterscc/
From: Frederick C Yoder <fyoder at mesa5.mesa.colorado.edu>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Sounding horns
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 1996 19:08:13 -0600
Organization: Mesa State College
On 14 Apr 1996, Bruce Mills wrote:
> OK, here's another one: how about conch shells? I know the Japanese used
> conch shells as signalling horns - so, where do you cut?
>
> Akimoya
> Ealdormere
Greetings! From my past in S Florida and the Caribean, I'll try and give
you some help, little though it might be...
The trick is to take off the tip of the shell, the oldest part there.
You want to break it off as the turns get to be about 3/4" to an inch in
diameter. The effect is to end up with an opening similar in size and
shape to the mouthpiece of a trumpet (not strumpet!) or trombone? One
problem encountered is that many shells have a hole knocked in the upper
whorl in order to break the suction and remove the delicious mollusk
inside (Yum!). The good news is that the hole they knock is usually
small enough to cover with a fingertip.
BTW, a better shell for a horn is a "Horse Conch", which has a thinner
shell and a longer shape.
<obligatory Luddite note> The state of the Conch population is easy to
observe by looking at the older shells. The thickness of the lip is a
rough indicator of age, as opposed to the size of the shell. You can
look at shells mounted in walls down south, and the lip can often be over
an inch thick. Most shells found or bought today won't even have the
flared lip, and if they do, it will be fairly thin, often less than
1/16th inch thick.
*B*B*
Conmhara O'Mactire <Phred>
Date: Mon, 5 May 1997 09:52:06 -0700 (PDT)
From: barbara shuwarger <bshuwarg at lausd.k12.ca.us>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Early Brass (was: Early Period Musicians)
geee, my Montagu book of medieval instruments has been getting a good
workout lately.
Here is what he has to say about the earliest horns and trumpets:
"Horns and trumpets appear in two iconographic contexts: some are used as
melodic instruments... and others are used to signal the Day of Judgement.
The latter instruments which were known as bemen, are often long and
curved..The melodic instruments are shorter, sometimes with finger holes
and sometimes with the bells, the wider end, partly stopped by the
hand...<There is an illustration of a horn with finger holes from a French
psalter of c. 1060>The finger hole horn, which was the ancestor of the
cornett, one of the main solo instruments of the Renaissance, is still
used as a folk instrument in Sweden <so I guess this would be a great
place to go to get one>... where it is played for dance music with a
technique which combines the use of finger holes and hand-stopping the
bell. No medieval finger hle horns are known to survie, but the pictures
suggest they were made from cow or goat horns, as the Swedish instruments
are today...The longe horns and trumpets were probably made from either
wood or from metal; many are so large they cannot have been made from
animal horns...the long trumpet known to have survied is that which was
found with the Oseberg Viking ship of the 9th century. This instrument is
nearly four feet (!) long and almost cylindrical; it was made by splitting
the wood lengthways, hollowing it out and reuniting it, the two halves
being held together with bands...They would presumably have been signal
instruments, capable of only a few notes and not intended for musical
performances...Shorter horns were also used as signal instruments, for the
hunting field, and for warfare. The Bayeux Tapestry shows both functions
in a number of its panels and many medieval legends, including those of
Charlemagne and Roland at Roncevaux, attest to these uses. Ceremonial
instruments of this type, made of elephant tusks and therefore called
oliphants, survive in some quantity.."
The above information referws to the horns in use before the influence of
the crusades. I have to go out now, but I'll try to post more later about
horn/brass history. It's not a topic I'm all that familiar with (I'm into
strings and woodwinds myself), so I learn a lot by retyping this
informaiton. I hope there are others who enjoy reading stuff like this.
>From the responses I've received to my previous postings on early period
music, it seems that there is definitely an interest out there. That's
great!
Helisenne
Date: Wed, 07 May 1997 11:44:50 -0700
From: "Finella Harper (MKA Wendy Creek)" <finella at lightspeed.net>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Early Brass (was: Early Period Musicians)
Jenn Carlson wrote:
> How difficult is it to do this "cutting down" operation,
> and how would I find out the particulars for this? Do I need a
> different mouthpiece? Etc. How difficult (and expensive) would it be
> to get a period reproduction?
If you cut down a modern trombone you would not need a different
mouthpiece. As I understand it, cutting down a modern trombone requires
someone with enough knowledge of metalworking/instrument making/sackbuts
to be able to cut the bell back to the point where it resembles the bell
flare on a period sackbut. I asked a friend of mine who had it done and
he said it cost him about $75-$100 for the cutting back in 1988. He also
said that he found the name of someone to do the cutting through an
early music guy out here in California. If there are any music
instrument repair shops (for brass instruments) out near you it probably
wouldn't hurt to inquire there as a starting point. The disadvantage to
cutting down a trombone is that the sackbut was different in other ways
as well. The mouthpiece was different and the metal was much thinner, so
the instrument as a whole wasn't as loud and had a much drier (less
resonant) sound. There is some controversy over how loud it would
actually be, but for your purposes I don't think it matters at this
point. If you are interested in a period reproduction, try the Early
Music Shop of New England:
http://world.std.com/~vonhuene/
They have an e-mail link on their webpage and will mail you a catalogue
if you ask. They sell new as well as used. You might also try the
Boulder Early Music Shop:
although I haven't had as much luck with them. My apprentice and I are
starting a loud consort in Caid, so anytime you're out here you're
welcome to join in!
Finella
Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 15:15:58 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Greg Lindahl" <lindahl at pbm.com>
To: sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: Early Brass (was: Early Period Musicians)
> If you cut down a modern trombone you would not need a different
> mouthpiece.
To be a bit more pedantic, sackbut mouthpieces are supposed to be
these little tiny things that most brass players have a hard time
with, so lots of sackbut reproductions are played with modern
brass mouthpieces anyway. With a "hackbut" (cut down trombone),
there's not much point to getting a small mouthpiece.
> My apprentice and I are starting a loud consort in Caid, so anytime
> you're out here you're welcome to join in!
Nifty! We'll have enough groups to be a conspiracy!
-- gb
From: Dwight Hall <dwihall at ix.netcom.com>
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.trumpet,rec.org.sca,rec.music.early
Subject: baroque trumpet update
Date: Sat, 14 Mar 1998 12:05:38 -0700
So far, my home-made natural trumpet is holding up well and sounding
better with practice. (It's not getting better, I am.) The instructions,
for anyone interested, can easily be found by a Deja News search on
"baroque trumpet" and my name, "Dwight Hall."
[His article is available as trumpet-build-art in the Florilegium -ed]
I'm still very interested if anyone can direct me to some pre-17th
century fanfare melodies.
I had a chance to show it to a much better trumpet player who is well
known to readers of the trumpet newsgroup. He thought it played well,
seemed reasonably in tune with itself, was easy-blowing, and was quite
attractive. He sounded very good on it, playing well up into the clarino
register with some nice lip-trills. I understand that my half-inch bore
is a bit large for a trumpet really intended for clarino, but that's
what I had to work with.
Because I eliminated the water key for authenticity, draining the
condensation in cold weather is a bit of a chore. I took a cue from some
trombone players and teflon-coated the inner bore, so the water tends to
bead up. This makes it a) gurgle sooner, but b) drain in a flash without
shaking. I think it's worth the trade-off. I wonder if french-hornists
know this trick! Instructions for teflon coating a trombone slide may be
found at:
http://brusseau.com/TromboneFAQ/4_8.html
I'd love to hear from anyone else who builds a natural trumpet and can
suggest improvements to my method.
Subject: Belated reply
Date: Fri, 03 Apr 1998 14:12:47 -0700
From: Dwight Hall <dwihall at ix.netcom.com>
To: stefan at texas.net
Stefan:
Yes, originally trumpets were only about 4 feet long and straight.
However, it had long been realized that one must get two octaves up in
the harmonic series before the notes are pretty close together and
therefore more useful. On a short trumpet, this is too high for the
average human lip. A trumpet twice as long brought the close notes
"clarino range" down to a playable octave, but had to wait on
metallurgical progress. For some centuries, the two sizes coexisted.
Clarino players were highly paid members of a royal or noble staff.
Commoners were not allowed to own trumpets, only trombones. Some
medieval tapestries or paintings show both sizes, and some even show the
double-length instrument bent not into an elongated coil, but S-shaped,
which would be incredibly awkward!
A Turkish crescent is a percussion instrument in the form of an
elaborate hardwood staff, perhaps 6 feet high, trimmed in brass, capped
by a crescent moon and a conical "hat", adorned with horse tails and
dozens of jangles and small bells. It can be struck on the ground or
shaken, and was an important part of Turkish "janissary" music, first
known in Europe in the 16th century but relatively unimportant until the
late 18th - early 19th when Mozart, Beethoven, Berlioz, and others used
it along with the other "Turkish" instruments: kettle drums, cymbals,
and bass drum, in military marches. It sounds about like six
tambourines.
Its importance went far beyond a simple musical instrument, however, as
it had a somewhat mystical significance as the symbol of the office of
the vizier. I suspect it is tied up with the Wizard's staff, the staff
of Aesculapius, perhaps even the caudeceus of Hermes. And certainly the
modern drum major's mace.
The originals were one solid piece, but mine breaks down to fit a
suitcase for transport: perhaps the world's only "modular" Turkish
crescent! Not exactly period for most of SCA, but a good rattle sound to
accompany dance music at our recent Dance Collegium. And it did start a
few conversations.
I haven't found a picture on the net, but any large book of historical
musical instruments will have a picture.
Dwight
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 03:30:44 -0400
From: Melanie Wilson <MelanieWilson at compuserve.com>
To: LIST SCA arts <sca-arts at raven.cc.ukans.edu>
Subject: Gemshorn-A quick and easy block
Suggested by a friend Down under....
Making gemshorns is a lot of fun. "Down under"
here in Perth, we get enormous horns from wild cattle in the Kimberley
Region of Northern Western Australia. Wood can be used for blocks, but
another quicker and easier way to make blocks for gemshorns is to use
plaster of Paris.
Take a shallow tin (eg, one of those little tins those little camembert
cheeses comes in) and drill a hole through the bottom wide enough to take a
carriage bolt. Pass the bolt through the bottom of the tin so that the
screw end is inside the tin. Fasten a nut around the end of the bolt so
that it is flush with the tip of the bolt and flat against the floor of the
tin. Fix the bolt in place with plasticene on the underside of the tin.
Place this contraption on top of something firm so that the bolt can hang
down without being forced up through the tin. I use a sort of miniature
workbench called a "Workmate" which is little more than a giant clamp with
wooden jaws.
Clean up the horn and cut it to size. Fashion the cut up (window/labium)
with a sharp chisel. Lightly grease the inside and outside of the horn with
vaseline (to the depth of the little tin).
Now, fill the tin with freshly mixed plaster of Paris. Up-end the horn in
the centre of the tin and secure it somehow so that it doesn't fall over.
Let the plaster harden overnight. When it is dry undo the bolt carefully
and withdraw it from the tin. Remove the horn (and hardened plaster) from
the tin. Carefully chip away the excess plaster from around the horn if
necessary.
Replace the bolt in the nut which is embedded in the face of the block.
Pull on the bolt and the block will slide out. It shouldn't need too much
encouragement. Now you can procede as you would with a wooden block,
though plaster of Paris is a bit tricky to work. Again, a nice sharp
chisel does the trick. If you make a mistake it is easy enough to cast
another block. As you test your voicing the bolt and nut arrangement makes
it very easy to withdraw the block.
One problem with gemshorns is that the horn changes its dimensions
considerably with changes in humidity. I imagine a wooden block could
easily be pushed out of the horn when the latter contracts. I find that it
helps to keep the instrument in a plastic bag in which one has sprinkled
some water. I also find it helps to steam the horn over a saucepan of
boiling water before inserting the block. Paraffin wax can be used to
improve the seal of the block if this becomes a problem. The external face
of the block should be coated with a suitable plastic varnish.
Alternatively, you can glue to it a piece of polished leather cut to size.
Mel
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