Samuel's aerophone
Samuels Aerophon (originally named correctly by the inventor as Samuels Aerophor ) is a device developed by the flautist Bernard Samuels (1872–1944) in Schwerin, which is supposed to enable wind players to hold tones indefinitely.
functionality
Aeorophor, as a clay binding device for wind instruments , was invented in 1911 by the Dutch flautist Bernard Samuels for the opera in Schwerin. The apparatus wants to enable blowing without being dependent on breathing and thus achieve "inhuman" phrasing and at the same time a significant reduction in the human effort. The player's foot kicks a small bellows, the wind of which is driven into the mouth through a hose and a small roller next to the mouthpiece, as often and as much as the wind player wishes. The mouth is closed against the pharynx through calm, steady nasal breathing so that the artificial compressed air can only escape into the instrument.
precursor
The use of the mouth as a wind chamber is known from traditional instruments from, among others, the oriental region. Shawm instruments such as arghul , zummara and the like are blown in this way.
use
Richard Strauss prescribes the apparatus of Samuel's aerophone for his symphonic prelude and for the opening bars of his symphonic poem Eine Alpensinfonie . It has been handed down that the device was used at the first performances, but was not able to establish itself sustainably. It is reported that blowers regularly caused damage to their teeth from the cold air.
Nowadays this device is no longer necessary, since the same effect can also be achieved via the circular breathing commonly used today .
reception
For the Richard Strauss anniversary in 2014, the German composer Johannes X. Schachtner wrote a work for wind ensemble entitled Air - to Samuel's Aerophon, which makes very long notes the subject of the composition.
literature
- The ›Aerophor‹ tape-binding device , Allgemeine Deutsche Musiken-Zeitung, February 8, 1913
Web links
- The Aerophor Returns on Renewable Music
- Flashback 2014/07 in the nmz
- Very High Pressure (British Double Reed Society Magazine 1996)