The old crock is a Musical instrument Idiophone.

Its origin is very old. It exists in Europe since at least the Gallo-Roman time. It also exists in Asia South-east, Indonesia and Mélanésie. It is, in fact, famous being one of the oldest musical instruments of the World, which confirms its extension in the cultures of the Earth. Instrument used from time immemorial by the Shamans, in particular in the Scandinavian countries and in Siberia.

The object

The old crock is made up of two elements. One distinguishes a reinforcement first of all, of an arbitrary form which ends invariably in two brought closer enough parallel barses. Lastly, one finds a membrane fine, high of a few millimetres, fixed at the reinforcement by one of his edges, free on other side and which passes inside the two bars of the reinforcement.

The Western old crocks are generally out of metal and their size can vary according to the height of the generated sound. There exist however old crocks out of wooden and bamboo, in Asia and Oceania for example. In the same way the strip can be shaken differently than by its bent end: by a string related to the framework, a hammer, etc

Denomination of the old crock

In French old crock , with the the United States it is also known under the name of Jew' S Harp which can-being a deformation of French play , it is also called Spanish ARPA of boca in , riberbula in Corsica, will muxukitarra (“guitar of mouth”) with Country-Basque, etc variety of terms which recover all the same object, the old crock in general, but in many countries of Asia it is indicated under various names in following its form, the material used for its manufacture even according to the use. In India, it is commonly called morsing.

The use

A player of old crock, to place the instrument in front of the mouth of a hand, by holding it by the reinforcement (contrary to the parallel branches). The Western metal old crocks are posed firmly on the half-opened teeth (the instrumentalist should not enclose the parallel branches with the teeth, which would block the passage of the plate). The Eastern old crocks in bamboo or brass (old crocks hmong of the Vietnam) are posed on the lips. The other hand makes it possible to actuate the membrane (generally outside towards the interior).

Certain players play with one or more fingers, others with their hand to make vibrate the plate. It is also possible to use the language to vary the sounds and to create surprising noises of “bounce”. The inspiration and the expiry allow the stressing and the change of tone.

An erudite musical instrument

The old crock also knew a use as musical instrument with equal of a Mandoline or a Violon. In Austria, it made it possible to the young applicants to make the court with their beautiful; small and practical, he was also an ideal travelling companion for the nobility which formed its youth thus. Johann Georg Albrechtsberger, one of the largest type-setters of its time, having met a fantastically gifted player of old crock, has even made up of the Concerto S for this instrument. In the latter, the old crock plays the soloist role and virtuoso whom can hold a Violon vis-a-vis a whole of cords, being able even to offer spaces of improvisation.

In its memories, Mrs Campan, known as of Adelaide of France (1732-1800), girl of Louis XV, qu'" she had learned how to play of all the instruments, of then the horn - me believe-you one? - until the guimbarde".

In the erudite musics of India of the south (carnatic Music), she is regarded as a percussion instrument following the example her colleagues: Mrigandam, Ghatam, and Kanjira of which it divides a rich person common repertory.

The sound

The playing musician of the old crock can modify the sound of his instrument by inflating his cheeks, by moving his language, into blowing or inspiring for example. The vibrations of the mobile strip generate a sound wave fixed height which the configuration of the gosier modifies, playing the part of a variable case of resonance. These modifications involve also a variation of the Harmonique S produced. Thus, one imitates the Chant diphonic.

List most known players of old crock

• England: John Wright (ethnomusicologist), Michael Wright

• Scotland: Lawrie Angus
• Finland: Tapani Varis
• Norway: Svein Westad, Folke Nesland, Bjoergvul Straume, Bjorgulv Rysstad, Knut Tveit, Harald Foss
• Russia: (Republic of Sakha): Ogotoev Peotr Peotrovich - (Yakoutie): Spiridon Spiridonovitch Chichiguine
• Vietnam: Tran Quang Hai (ethnomusicologist)
• China: Wang Li

List manufacturers of old crock

• Germany: Andreas Schlütter

• France: Bernard Lalanne
• Norway: Folke Nesland, Bjoergulv Straume, Bjoergulv Rysstad, Knut Tveit

With the cinema

In the film Scoop of Woody Allen, the character interpreted by Woody Allen gives this counterpart: I play of the old crock. It is a metal strip which one puts in the mouth and which produces a very musical sound of cord pinch. It was called also toothing-stone of the Jew but these people, you know how they are, with the least allusion of anti-semitism, they deposit a complaint.

The type-setter of film musics Ennio Morricone has much work for the popularity of the old crock. Many its musics made up in the years 1960 for westerns spaghetti (but not only, to see the Clan of the Sicilians ) use a old crock and the whistle.

Other directions of the word “old crock”

• the old crock is also small a Rabot of Menuisier, of cabinetmaker to level the bottom of the hollows in the Moulure S.

• In the language running, a old crock is an old woman tired Automobile: the old crock of Gaston Lagaffe.

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