Home Brief History of the Glass Armonica Performance Highlights Hear the Glass Armonica CD (coming soon): Echoes of Glass Contact		A Brief History of the Glass Armonica Alisa Nakashian-Holsberg with Ralph Archbold as Ben Franklin. Photo courtesy of Dennis James, Wheaton Village. The Glass Harmonica was invented in 1761 by America’s founding father, Benjamin Franklin. He was inspired to do so, after attending a London concert given on the musical glasses (upright glasses played by rubbing with wet fingers). Because of his love for and in honor of the Italian language, he named his invention the glass “Armonica”. Paganini called it an “Angelic Organ,” with “such a celestial voice”. Dr. Franz Anton Mesmer used it to (mesmerize) treat his patients. Mozart, Beethoven, and Donizetti composed for it. Thomas Jefferson claimed it was "the greatest gift offered to the musical world”. And American poet Nathaniel Evans wrote about it. Th'Harmonica shall join the sacred choir,… Hark! the soft warblings, sounding smooth and clear, Strike with celestial ravishment the ear, Conveying inward, as they sweetly roll, A tide of melting music to the soul;… 'Tis this enchanting instrument of thine, Which speaks in accents more than half divine! - Nathaniel Evans - For the complete poem, see Poets' Corner In 1982, Gerhard Finkenbeiner produced the first 20th century prototype made with quartz glass, quickly setting into motion the armonica’s current-day revival. Sadly, the international glass music community mourned Gerhard’s sudden disappearance on May 6th, 1999. His friends and colleagues at G. Finkenbeiner Inc. continue to build the instrument today. More online history sources for the glass armonica: Benjamin Franklin, Inquiring Mind, Glass Armonica, courtesy of PBS Glass Music History, courtesy of Clemens Hofinger The History of the Glass Harmonica, by Thomas Bloch

Copyright ©: 2005, Alisa Nakashian-Holsberg
Logo: Copyright ©: 2002-2005, Alisa Nakashian-Holsberg.
Art in logo by Varoujan.
Photo courtesy of Dennis James, Wheaton Village.
The url for this site is http://www.crystalisa.com.