ciborgs

Founding father Benjamin Franklin was more than a skilled negotiator, statesman, inventor/maker, and kite flying hobbyist. He was also an inventor of musical instruments. Musical sound from glass, and eventually wine glasses (thank you, Gallileo) came long before Franklin’s instrument. But the glass armonica (not to be confused with harmonica) is entirely Franklin’s. The instrument involves a series of glass discs, mounted around a cylinder, then rotated mechanically, so that you can play by touching the glass directly. It’s a much more compelling instrument than the later glass harmonicas, which used a keyboard; with the armonica, your touch creates the sound without any mediating apparatus. The sound is delicate and rich; no wonder composers like Beethoven and Tchaikovsky were enchanted.