{"id":2,"date":"2020-08-30T20:32:11","date_gmt":"2020-08-30T20:32:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/digital.eca.ed.ac.uk\/soundlibraries\/?page_id=2"},"modified":"2020-11-19T18:43:56","modified_gmt":"2020-11-19T18:43:56","slug":"sample-page","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/digital.eca.ed.ac.uk\/soundlibraries\/","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sound Libraries: Instruments from St Cecilia\u2019s Hall in the centre<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The University of Edinburgh\u2019s Musical Instrument Collection is world renown. Consisting of more than 6,000 musical instruments, the Collection spans the last 500 years of musical instrument history. Included in the Collection are rare examples of instruments from across the globe, many of which are still playable. A portion of the Collection is on display at St Cecilia\u2019s Hall, Scotland\u2019s oldest purposed-built concert hall and today a free, public museum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sound Library is the result of an ISG Innovation Fund Grant. The project\u2019s aim is to sample historic musical instruments not available in existing sound libraries and to make those sounds available free of charge. We hope the sounds of the past will inspire the music of today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contrabass Serpent<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For More Information<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Download All Samples<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contrabass serpent \u2018the Anaconda,\u2019 Josephe and Richard Wood, Huddersfield, England, c.1840 – MIMEd 2929<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the only known example of a contrabass serpent apart from modern creations. Played for some 20 years by the makers in Almondbury Church, Huddersfield and on occasion in York Minster. The instrument is 16 feet in length and has a deep but airy sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Serpent A2 Loud Long<\/figcaption>\n
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Serpent A2 Loud Short<\/figcaption>\n

Orchestral Hand Horn<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For <\/a>More Information<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Orchestral hand horn, Charles Kretzachmann, Strasbourg, France, c.1830. MIMEd 0531.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a standard orchestral horn from the first quarter of 19th century. The instrument on its own can only play the harmonic series. In order to increase the number of notes available the player will put their hand inside the bell, stopping the tube, and lowering the pitch a half step. This allowed horn players to play accidentals, making the horn one of the more versatile brass instruments of its day. The stopping of the bell also changed the timbre, creating a sense of \u2018open\u2019 and \u2018closed\u2019 notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A Sharp Medium Long<\/figcaption>\n
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A Sharp Slur Medium Long<\/figcaption>\n

Orchestral Horn<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For More Information<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Download All Samples<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Orchestral horn with two valves, Johannes Gottfried Kersten, Dresden, Germany, c.1830 – MIMEd 02044<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This horn was made during an interesting time in the horn\u2019s development. It was a time when valves were being added to most brass instruments, but many horn players resisted the change to the new valved horn. This horn is playable as both a natural and valved instrument as the valves are on a removable section of tubing: a more chromatic piece of music would be played using the valves, but if the piece called mainly for the natural harmonics, the valves could be removed. Such \u2018convertible\u2019 horns were used both orchestrally and in bands, including the first brass bands of the 1830s and 1840s. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A Sharp<\/figcaption>\n
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A Blast<\/figcaption>\n

Violin Without Sides<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For More Information<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Download All Samples<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Violin without sides, England, late 16th or early 17th century. – MIMEd 5851<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The violin as we would recognise it today developed in Italy in the mid-16th century. Makers were still experimenting with different shapes and structures until the end of the century. This instrument has a different outline to the modern violin and also has no ribs, the sides which normally separate the front from the back. Here, the front and back join at their edges like a clamshell. This unusual design changes the tonal character of the instrument, giving it a unique timbre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sideless Violin A Loud Short<\/figcaption>\n
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Sideless Violin A Soft Short<\/figcaption>\n

Trompe Dauphine<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For More Information<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Download All Samples<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trompe dauphine (hunting horn), in 14-ft D, Le Brun, Paris, France, 1721 – MIMEd 2161<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This large horn with two wide coils was made to be carried on the player\u2019s shoulder. It is a trompe de chasse, or hunting horn, and the large shape made it easier to carry whilst riding a horse. This instrument is 16-ft long and pitch in D. The bore of the tubing is incredibly narrow until it reaches the large flared bell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Trompe Dauphin Loud Long<\/figcaption>\n