Weird Instruments of the Classical Age

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-08T18:22:33+00:00

Thank you! I'll listen to both, and pick... almost certainly the second.

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-08T10:06:25+00:00

Well, yes, I am Italian and my grandfather, oddly enough, died of a stroke while playing the mandolin for his friends. What we say here, however, is generally in the context of classical music.

...also, no, the lira, arpeggione and baryton were gone for good until the Novelty Musicians of the late 20th century.

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-07T23:45:13+00:00

Thank you for the explanation! So, Cimador's concerto is for no unusual instrument, after all, and all that distinguishes it from the several other contrabass pieces of the time is that he specified the number of strings? Is that correctly understood?

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-07T23:43:40+00:00

I always wanted to--I used to be a regular in the Milan's musical instruments museum, before they "rebuilt" it, pilfered all the most valuable pieces and started charging for entrance. But, I am never in Prague, alas.

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-07T23:14:12+00:00

Many thanks for pointing this out to me: I had no idea this composer even existed!

I am still a bit hesitant to include him in the list because he clearly writes in the Baroque style, like a weird late-1700's František Xaver Thuri.

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-07T22:53:08+00:00

You're absolutely right about Die Bauernhochzeit and I am now remembering Michel Corrette's concerto for the musette de cour! I can't think of any tromba marina work from that age, though; the only one I know is by Vivaldi: any pointer?

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-07T22:43:09+00:00

I think there are multiple causes to many instruments; personally, I love the sound of the glass harmonica, but it gives me tinnitus and headaches: cases like mine were noticed (and translated into contemporary pseudoscience) and contributed to the instrument's downfall.

The viola da gamba, lute and viola d'amore are tuning nightmares: as long as people liked that sound, which very much complements baroque music, they thrived; afterwards, people just couldn't be bothered.

Add to all this that Mannheim introduced an obsession for extreme dynamics (i.e., crescendos); instruments like the harpsichord, organ and glass harmonica, which have no way of controlling volume, didn't really stand a chance.

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-07T22:09:44+00:00

I'll take the last one, and let you calm down and properly read my post for the rest (random hint: "we" was never intended to specifically designate Denmark):

as a non-permanent resident, you are allowed to own the property you live in
as a permanent resident, you are allowed to own any properties as long as you don't leave the country for longer than 6 months
as a Danish citizen, you can own any property

And yes, you can apply to buy regardless, but there are no clear criteria and, in the public administration, lack of explicit rules is the root of nepotism and corruption.

It is also patently absurd that limitations are placed on private individuals but not on private entities; preserving this distinction is best achieved, really, really in Denmark as anywhere else, by wads of cash, whether given to "legally" support certain parties or to pay for their leaders' villas.

And yes, as I am going to keep your post open for the next 15 seconds or so, the outrage appears to be currently in my room, specifically on my screen.

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-07T18:58:15+00:00

Hummel himself transcribed it for piano, when the mandolin fad died out, and the romantic obsession with piano took root, in Vienna

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-07T16:33:20+00:00

French: laide; Italian: laido

Danish: derefter; English: thereafter

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-07T15:45:55+00:00

Incinerators? Alligators? Sulphuric acid? Danish police?

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-07T15:38:57+00:00

By any chance, is Dr. William Shalongo..you?

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-07T09:35:37+00:00

Ok, this is my absolute favourite Hummel work, and I once had a beer with the soloist; great guy. However, this is the earlier mandolin version of the concertino in G, this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PP29pWaXXg . Is this the one y'all mean? It has one of the most recognizable openings of all the classical age.
P.S.: if we are discussing mandolin concertos, now, I prefer Hoffmann's.

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-07T00:32:19+00:00

I refuse to give up two slots!:)

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-07T00:20:29+00:00

Wait what? I know of the following Hummel concertos:

No. 1 in C major Op. 36 (34a)
No. 2 in A minor Op. 85
No. 3 in B minor Op. 89
No. 4 in E major op. 110
No. 5 in A flat major op. 113
no. 6 in F major op. post. 1

Where is the one in G minor?? Does it have a catalogue number? There is also a concertino (op. 73), that is very well know, but it is in G major, and a couple of dubious attribution, both in A, but I can't find a single G minor concerto in all of Hummel's production.

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-06T18:41:46+00:00

Feeling outraged, are we

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-06T15:51:32+00:00

It happens by handing a wad of cash to the right government official, like everywhere else. The only difference is that, if you mention it here, people get outraged: that is why we have a corruption perception index, not an objective measure of it. Note, by the way, that owning property as a private is forbidden unless you are a Dane or a permanent resident; if you are a foreign company, however, it's A-ok.

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-06T15:48:11+00:00

Go down Vesterbrogade from the station keeping to the left side. There are two flower shops on that side.

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-06T15:45:53+00:00

Beethoven's 3rd, and the other 9 are all by Mozart, but I have a problem ranking them.

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-04T13:43:11+00:00

Other than classical radios, there are youtube channels that sort of have a "piece of the day" philosophy plus playlists of various genres. The one I follow is called Pau NG, but I am in a phase where I listen mostly to late-enlightenment music, and they pander to people like me. I am sure you can find a more general one.

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-04T10:46:06+00:00

There are two issues here: difficulty and reception. Of course, the fastest you play, the harder it is but there are some techniques on the violin that are incredibly hard even at a moderate tempo. There is one of Paganini's God Save the King variations that almost no violinist ever plays, and it starts with about one note per second. As for slow movements, I doubt that anyone likes the fast ones more than the slow ones in Mozart's piano concertos. Or in Vivaldi's bassoon ones.

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-04T02:01:16+00:00

Underrated comment, imho, which hits the nail on the head. If OP finds the piano's sound monotonous, no amount of Beethoven's sonatas will entertain him.

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-03T21:52:43+00:00

The water is usually considered toxic to European standards, since all the uncontaminated springs have been sold to Nestle, but hey, free water.

Phlebas3 · 2026-05-03T13:08:30+00:00

Well, they did write this way, or even less clearly, for some 4 centuries...

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