ANGELIC MUSIC: THE STORY OF BEN FRANKLIN'S GLASS ARMONICA by Corey Mead
SKU:
$15.00
$15.00
per item
Angelic Music: The Story of Ben Franklin’s Glass Armonica by Corey Mead
The glass armonica, the first musical instrument invented by an American, was constructed of stacked glass bowls and played by rubbing one’s fingers on the rims. As it evolved, it became so popular in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries that Mozart, Beethoven, Handel, and Strauss composed for it; Marie Antoinette and numerous monarchs played it; Goethe and Thomas Jefferson praised it; and Dr. Franz Mesmer used it for his hypnotizing Mesmerism sessions.
In Angelic Music, Corey Mead describes how Franklin’s instrument fell out of popular favor, partly due to claims that its haunting sounds could drive musicians out of their minds. Some thought its ethereal tones summoned spirits or had magical powers, and it was banned in some places. But in recent years, the armonica has enjoyed a revival. Composers are writing for it in genres ranging from chamber music and opera to electronic and pop music. Now Corey Mead brings this instrument back to the public eye, telling its compelling, fascinating story.
Simon & Schuster, Hardcover, 1st Edition, 1st Printing, 2016, 258 pages
This is a BRAND NEW book. There is a “closeout/remainder” mark on the top page edges.
The glass armonica, the first musical instrument invented by an American, was constructed of stacked glass bowls and played by rubbing one’s fingers on the rims. As it evolved, it became so popular in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries that Mozart, Beethoven, Handel, and Strauss composed for it; Marie Antoinette and numerous monarchs played it; Goethe and Thomas Jefferson praised it; and Dr. Franz Mesmer used it for his hypnotizing Mesmerism sessions.
In Angelic Music, Corey Mead describes how Franklin’s instrument fell out of popular favor, partly due to claims that its haunting sounds could drive musicians out of their minds. Some thought its ethereal tones summoned spirits or had magical powers, and it was banned in some places. But in recent years, the armonica has enjoyed a revival. Composers are writing for it in genres ranging from chamber music and opera to electronic and pop music. Now Corey Mead brings this instrument back to the public eye, telling its compelling, fascinating story.
Simon & Schuster, Hardcover, 1st Edition, 1st Printing, 2016, 258 pages
This is a BRAND NEW book. There is a “closeout/remainder” mark on the top page edges.
1 available