Tuesday, September 20, 2016

30 Days of Weird Instruments, DAY 10 -- the Intonarumori

Today's weird instrument is actually a group of instruments (known collectively as the Intonarumori) designed by experimental Italian composer Luigi Rossolo during the country's futurism movement in the early 20th century.

They're fully acoustic instruments often operated by a wheel that, when spun, rattles strings and/or drums inside. Many also have a handle that controls the tension of the strings and changes their pitch.

Rossolo designed the instruments in response to his belief that music had run out of steam. New musical compositions failed to enchant him because they sounded too much like what came before. He wanted new sounds to excite his ears in new ways.

The original instruments no longer exist, but some of Rossolo's original sketches (along with a few sound recordings) have led to three reconstructions of the instruments.



I'll give credit to Rossolo. That is not a sound I've heard before.

Tomorrow's instrument will actually be just one instrument. I promise.

Purchase I AM DRUMS!

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