Chladni's Clavicylinder. Ink drawing by Steve Tilden, 2016
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of books, manuscript letters, printed articles, meteorites, images and plates.
Dates
- Other: 2016
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Extent
From the Collection: 4 boxes
Language of Materials
English
General
Chladni designed two types of instrument based on the principle of the glass harmonica: the Euphon, in which glass rods are stroked to produce a scale of notes, and the Clavicylinder, in which nested glass bowls are revolved in water by a foot pedal, and the notes sounded by pads lowered on the glasses by keys in a conventional clavichord keyboard. These pads take the place of moistened fingers that sound the notes in a more traditional glass harmonica familiar to Mozart, who composed for it, and Benjamin Franklin, who developed his own version in Philadelphia. This clavicylinder was built in Turin by Louis Concone, while Chladni was in residence in the city, at the home of the Conte Nuvolone Pergamo (see items C1 and C2). The line drawing was made by Steve Tilden for Bread & Caviar, 2016 (item D17).
Repository Details
Part of the Lewis & Clark College, Special Collections and Archives Repository