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- Twentieth-century origins
- In the nineteen twenties, when many innovative ideas made
an impact on the culture of the day--in architecture, the sciences,
visual arts, music and theater--innovation was found least in
the realm of musical instruments. Yet, away from the bustling
crowd of mainstream progress, two men were in the lonely pursuit
of creating an instrument gentle to the child's ear, yet challenging
to the discriminating musician. The lyre was conceived and created
out of silence. These two men had no ambition to compete with
any existing instrument or Carl Orff's resonance effects.
- The year was 1926, a time of building up after World War I;
the place, Dornach, Switzerland. The men through whom the lyre
was realized were Edmund Pracht, a musician, and Lothar Gärtner,
a sculptor, both still in their twenties and students of Anthroposophy
as taught by the late Rudolf Steiner.
- Soon the simple chromatic string instrument, which borrowed
only its name from the Greek predecessor, came to the notice
of teachers, curative educators and therapists, as well as to
the ear of musicians and performers seeking a new manifestation
of tone. In 1928, at a conference in London, four different
models of the lyre were displayed and quickly created considerable
interest. Subsequently, the lyre designed by Lothar Gärtner
went into production. Many instruments were built and lyre music
was developed. Later on, other designs for the lyre were worked
out by a group of musicians and instrument builders under the
name of "Choroi."
- Characteristics
Currently, there there is a wide range of lyres and related
instruments, varying in size from a child's "kinderharp"
and cantele to the classical soprano and alto lyre for solo
and ensemble playing. Largest of all is the Choroi (stand-up)
harp.
- The freeing of the tone from the resonance of the actual instrument
is what all types of lyres have in common. With a new awareness,
musicians use lyres for researching future elements of melody,
harmony and rhythm. The gentle stroke of the string produces
a somewhat modest note that grows at once in tonal intensity
within the space of the room or hall where it is played. This
acoustic property has been employed by Choroi for developing
other instruments in the woodwind and percussion sector. A completely
transformed ensemble sound is created when the new instruments
play together.
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