Humming pot

Franz Hals : The Rommelpotplayer with five children, 1618–1622

Rummelpott from Hamburg-Blankenese

The humming pot , also Rummelpott or Rommelpot , in the Netherlands and Belgium Rommelpot , in the province of Limburg (Netherlands) Foekepot , in Denmark Rummelpot , in Austria Büllhäfen , in Prussia and Berlin Waldteufel , is a folk musical instrument from the group of stick grater drums . It was to be found frequently in Western Europe from the 15th to the 18th century and was played during the carnival and Christmas time.

An instrument similar to the humming pot is the Brazilian cuíca .

construction

The humming pot consists of a single-headed drum with a tied-off point in the middle of the head, into which a rod notched at the lower end is inserted. The eardrum is firmly connected to the rod at the notch with a cord wrap. When rubbing with the hand or a (possibly damp) cloth, the vibrations of the membrane produce a humming noise . The vibrations are transmitted from the membrane to the pot and thus amplified. Depending on the desired pitch, drum vessels of different sizes made of clay or wood are used, which are occasionally partially filled with water.

History and customs

Humming pot. Oil painting by Molenaer, 17th century

Listen to humming-pot

"On Shrovetide many a fool goes around and makes the Rommelpot growl for money (Op Vasten-avont Loopt menich Sotje Om duytjes gnorren op't rommelpotje)".

The humming pot is known as a children's instrument in many European countries. As the Rummelpot (Romelpot, Rummelpot) the instrument is known in northern Germany , the Netherlands and Denmark. When the Rummelpottlauf on New Year's Eve (and also on Martin's Day ), children go from house to house and sing songs that accompany them with self-made noise instruments, ask for sweets and wish good luck.

Even today, music from the Middle Ages is played with the Rommelpot , especially in Holland, but also in Germany .

In Spain, children go from house to house in the nine days leading up to Christmas and sing villancicos (Christmas carols) accompanied by zambomba (the Spanish drum pot), guitar and tambourine .

literature

• Joachim Stave: Rummelpottlaufen - children's stories from Blankenese. Deutsches Lesewerk, January 1, 1954

Web links

Commons : Brummpopf  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Hanswerner Röhr: "Rummel, rummel, ruttje, krieg ik noch een Futtje?" (PDF file; 1.03 MB)
• Gerlinde Haid : Büllhäfen. In: Oesterreichisches Musiklexikon . Online edition, Vienna 2002 ff., ISBN 3-7001-3077-5 ; Print edition: Volume 1, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna 2002, ISBN 3-7001-3043-0 .
• Rummelpott. Demonstration of manufacture. Photo from the collection of the Federal Institute for Scientific Film (ÖWF) in the online archive of the Austrian Media Library , 1971

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Ludwig Tieck : Christmas evening . In: Christmas in old Berlin , arani-Verlag Berlin, 1995, ISBN 3-7605-8971-5 ; Page 13 ff.
2. ↑ Julia Buchmüller, Anette Schnoor: "Fru maak de Dör op!" New Year's Eve customs in the borderland. In: Schleswiger Nachrichten . December 29, 2012, accessed December 30, 2012 . 
3. ↑ Rüdiger Vossen: Christmas customs all over the world - from Martini to Candlemas . Ellert & Richter, Hamburg 2012, ISBN 978-3-8319-0474-7 , pp. 282 f .