Since last winter went so swimmingly, let's try it again! TFS has very graciously opened her home in the west San Fernando Valley to me again. This time her daughter AS (and dog and cat) are there too. Two women + two dogs + two cats = not my usual solitary winter again. Huzzah! Place name links like Los Angeles, CA go to Wikipedia. Place name links like Los Angeles use a local tourism or government website.
< Previous
Off to Dallas - Yeehaw! |
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Arrived in Dallas |
| 2014.02.25 |
Musical Instrument Museum |
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Before I left home one of the local newspapers had a travel section feature about Phoenix, AZ , and in a sidebar was mention of the Musical Instrument Museum , the largest museum of its type in the world. I clipped and filed the description away in case we got to Phoenix. Well, it was our first major stop on the way to Dallas, TX . In an unassuming building on the northeast outskirts of the city the Musical Instrument Museum is a truly amazing museum for anyone interested in music or cultures of the world. The museum houses over 15,000 instruments and associated objects from nearly 200 countries over two floors. Exhibits feature videos showing musicians performing on some of the instruments displayed, and wireless headphones activate automatically when near an exhibit.
Guitars | |
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"Smooth Talker" SSC2
South Africa, 2007 | |
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Chaturangui
India, 2007 | |
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"George Van Eps" 7580
USA 1977 | |
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Style U
USA, 1918 | |
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SLG-100N "Silent Guitar
Indonesia, 2001 | |
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Lyre guitar
France, ca 1815 | |
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Air guitar
Belgium, 2010 | |
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| Making Musical Instruments
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Pocket cornet
USA, ca 1885 | |
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(L) Cavalry trumpet
glass, Belgium, 1979
(C) Majolica ornamental violin
porcelain, Italy, 1830-1890
(R) "Mark VI" tenor saxophone
France, 1970 | |
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Strohviol horn-fiddle |
France, 1900-1950
for amplifying sound in the early days of recording |
Gamelan bells | |
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Super-bass, played with levers to press the strings |
Geographic Galleries - A gallery for each continent, with instruments exhibited by country.
| West Africa |
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Guinea, Guinea-Bissau | |
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Mali | |
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Cape Verde, Senegal | |
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Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo | |
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Gyil funeral xylophone | |
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Togo, Benin | |
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Nigeria | |
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Nigeria, Niger | |
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| Central Africa |
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Chad, Uganda,
Rwanda, Burundi | |
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Central African Republic | |
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Zambia | |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
Hierarchy and Ritual | |
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Rites of Passage | |
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Entertainment | |
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Communication | | |
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| East Africa |
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Djibouti,
Ethiopia, Eritrea | |
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Kenya | |
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Mauritius,
Seychelles,
Madagascar | |
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Malawi, Mozambique | | |
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Thumb Pianos | |
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| South Africa |
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South Africa |
Namibia,
Botswana,
Zimbabwe | |
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Gumboots |
| Prohibited from speaking, miners developed their own mode of communication by slapping their rubber boots. "Playing the boots" with energetic steps and gestures became a vibrant musical form. | |
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| (L) Afri-can guitar, Cape Town, 2009
(R) Igogogo, Zulu people, 2007 | |
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| North Africa |
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Tunisia, Libya | |
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Algeria | |
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Genbri | |
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Berber | |
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Egypt, Arabian Peninsula
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| Middle East |
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Arabian Peninsula | |
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Tunbura, Bahrain | |
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Manjur, Bahrain | |
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Iran | |
Iraq, Syria | |
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Turkey - Urban | |
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Turkey - Ceremonial | |
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Israel | |
Lebanon, Jordan | |
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Mihbãj, Bedouins, Lebanon |
| Used to crush coffee beans and play rhythmic accompaniment. | |
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| Central Asia |
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Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia |
Pakistan, Afghanistan | |
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Tajikistan
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Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan |
Bangladesh | |
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Ghichak, Tajik people, Badakhshan, 1990 | |
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India - Carnatic |
India - Devotional | |
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India - Hindustani |
India - Folk |
Sri Lanka | |
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| China |
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Indigenous South |
Silk Road | |
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Sizhu |
Historical Instruments | |
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North |
Northwest | |
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Bas ghijek, Uyghar people, Kashgar | |
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Mongolia |
Ulaanbaatar |
(L) Topshur
(C) Limbe
(R) Ever büree | |
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| East Asia |
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Taiwan | |
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South Korea:
Folk Music | |
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Japan
Sankyoku, Gagaku | |
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Noh, Bunraku, Religious Music | |
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Satsuma-biwa | |
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| Southeast Asia |
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Tibet | |
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Thailand |
Ramana | |
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Cambodia |
Vietnam | |
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Burma |
Boat Lutes | |
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Philippines |
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Indonesia |
Indonesia: Gamelan | |
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Malaysia |
New Zealand, Aboriginal Australia | |
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Polynesia |
Indonesia, Papua New Guinea | |
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Vanuatu | |
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| South America |
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Chile |
Argentina | |
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Brazil |
Paraguay, Uruguay | |
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Peru |
Peru: Scissors Dance | |
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Venezuela, Ecuador |
Panama, Colombia | |
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Andean Arpa imbabureña | |
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| Central America |
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Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua | |
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Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala, Belize | |
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Mexico | |
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| Caribbean |
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Haiti, Dominican Republic | |
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Puerto Rico |
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Lesser Antilles: Quadrille Dances, Steel Pan | |
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Lesser Antilles: Ritual Drums | |
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The Bahamas | |
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| Native North America |
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Great Plains, Powwow Dancer, Northeast | |
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| Modern North America |
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Country | |
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K&F lap steel guitar, 1945 | |
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Fender Stringmaster "Quad", 1950s | |
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"Style 1" Tricone Resophonic | |
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Rock and Roll |
Remains of Keith Moon 's "Pictures of Lily" drums, ca 1967 | |
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Custom Pork Pie
drum set | |
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Folk Revival | |
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Klezmer | |
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Norteño | Conjunto | |
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Cajun | Zydeco | |
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Bluegrass | |
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Blues, Women in Jazz |
Jazz | |
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Alto saxophone, Grafton, plastic, late 1950s - early 1960s | |
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Latin Jazz | |
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Hip Hop | |
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QFO turntable and mixer | |
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Electronic Music | |
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The Stick | |
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Domestic Music |
Mail-Order | |
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Grand Harmonicon | |
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These musical glasses were patented on April 7, 1825. The glasses were blown to pitch and played by rubbing their rims with moistened fingers. Intended primarily for use by amateur musicians at home. Once a popular parlour instrument, they saw a decline around 1860 with rumours that playing the instrument, and the ethereal sounds it produced, caused madness. Many players suffered nervous breakdowns. At the time it was thought that the vibrations resulted in nervous system decline, but it may be that touching the glasses and their painted rims, both of which contained lead, contributed to lead poisoning over time. | |
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Marching Bands |
All-American Bands - Sousa's Band |
All-American Bands - From Battlefield to Bandstand | |
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Steinway: Building a Legend |
Handbells |
Mexican Orchestra, Banjos, African Arrivals | |
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Cornets and Bugles | |
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Visible Organ | |
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(L) Martinschalmel (valved mouth organ)
(R) Martinstrompete (signal horn), ca 1930 | |
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Bowed Strings |
(L) Kontrabasharpa (keyed fiddle)
(C) Violon sourdine
(R) "Popular Model" Stroviol (horn-fiddle) | |
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Accordions |
A World of Bagpipes | |
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Piano accordion, ca 1880 | |
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Harmoniums |
Brass Trumpets |
Brass Bands | |
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Oktavin (single-reed pipe), ca 1910 | |
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Alttrompete | |
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Orchestra: From Court to Concert Hall | |
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Birth of the Modern Orchestra | |
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Orchestra | |
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Harmonicas | |
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signed harmonica
collage | |
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walking stick | |
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| Europe |
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Bulgaria | |
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Hungary | |
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The Roma, Romania | |
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Serbia | |
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Czech Republic | |
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Slovakia | |
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Ninera (wheel fiddle) | |
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Poland | |
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Ukraine | |
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Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania | |
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Russia |
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Belarus |
Sweden, Iceland | |
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Silverbasharpa (keyed fiddle)
Uppland, early 1900s | |
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Norway |
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Albania | |
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Slovenia, Montenegro, Croatia | |
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Germany | |
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Italy |
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Piano acordian, Italy, 1920s | |
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Malta |
Austria | |
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Switzerland | |
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Spain |
Portugal | |
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(L) Salterio (string drum)
(R) Chiflo (duct flute) | |
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Ireland |
Scotland, England |
Wales | |
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Serpent (bass horn), ca 1820
"Grandfather" of the tuba | |
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France | |
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Netherlands, Belgium |
Luxembourg | |
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Women Who Rock
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I Hate Myself
4 Lovin U | |
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The Artist Gallery
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Buddhist chant box
Intelligent Robodog
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(L) Rubber balls and steel wire
(C) Toy violin
(R) Tsii' edo' ati | |
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"Phonoharp"
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Gusle | |
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The Mechanical Music Gallery
Miniature Marvels |
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= Swiss chalet music box, ca 1900
= Lady's nécessaire, France, ca 1820
= Snuff box, Switzerland, ca 1815
= Musical watch key, Germany, late 19th century
= Musical sewing nécessaire, France, ca 1835 | |
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Railroad station showcase
Switzerland, late 19th-early 20th century | |
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Tangley Calliaphone
USA, ca 1923 | |
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Buffet tirelire symphonique (coin-operated music box)
France, ca 1880-1890 | |
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Singing Birds |
Bird tableau (automaton)
USA, 1964 | |
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| Recording Media
Recordings were made on paper or metal Rolls, Barrels or Discs. Paper rolls were the most popular. |
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Barrels |
(T) Gem roller organ, Spain, ca 1905
(B) Steinkjer positiv, Norway, 1893 | |
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Barrel organ, USA, 1885-1890 | |
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(L) Xorgan (barrel organ), Ukraine, ca 1910
One of the loudest in the MIM's mechanical collection
(R) "El Emperador" organillo, Chile, 2006 | |
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Orgue de salon (automation barrel organ), France, 1790-1830 | |
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Discs |
| Regina, Style 33 dragon changer | |
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Paper Rolls
Roll arrangers were the software engineers of their day. | |
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= Play-A-Sax, USA, ca 1930
= Tanzbär (mechanical concertina), Germany, ca 1910
= Clarola (mechanical mouth organ), USA, ca 1910
= Pianolodeon (player piano), USA, 1950-60
= Triola mandoline-zither (mechanical zither), Germany, ca 1920 | |
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(L) Mechanical mouth organ, Germany, ca 1900
(R) Rolmonica, USA, 1928 |
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= Mending tape, cutter, and shears
= Hole punch
= Master roll stamp | |
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Roll Replicator | |
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"Appollonia" dance organ, Belgium, 1926/1930 | |
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drums and accordions |
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| Over twenty-five feet long and weighing over two tons, this dance organ was originally manufactured in 1926 as organ no. 1002 by the preeminent Antwerp firm of Theofiel Mortier, S.A. It was remanufactured into its present configuration by another famous Antwerp company, Gebroeders Decap, in 1930. |
There are two other areas that I didn't photograph because I was running low on batteries and was conserving. The Experience Gallery is a hands-on opportunity for visitors to play many of the types of instruments seen elsewhere in the museum. There are stringed, plucked, and struck instruments to try, maybe even some blown ones but I don't remember. Big Gamelan bells, gongs, guitars, various South American rattlers and shakers are what I remember most. Across from it is a window onto The Conservation Lab to see instruments being restored and preserved. A docent by the window was quite tickled to tell us the museum was recently selected as conservator of Elvis Presley instruments from Graceland.
| Experience Gallery
TFS to the rescue! I regretted not getting at least a view of the whole room. This is about 20% of the area. |
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Le Saxophoniste
Jean-Claude Lecouflet, France |
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Really, an amazing, amazing museum. We could have spent a couple more hours but we had to get on the road to El Paso, TX while we still had daylight. If I'm ever in the area again I'll make a repeat visit. 18 bucks and a world of education. | |
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< Previous
Off to Dallas - Yeehaw! |
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Start
........................................ |
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Next >
Arrived in Dallas |
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