Photo: Tomáš Mařas, Czech Radio
Visitors to the Crystal Valley Week glass festival, taking place in Liberec this week, were wowed by the sound of an exotic-looking musical instrument that few people could put a name to. It was a Celtic carnyx made of glass, specially produced for the festival.
Czech glassblowers are exceptionally skilled craftsmen and in addition to creating breathtaking lights, vases and other glass installations for mansions, luxury yachts and palaces the world over they occasionally try their hand at a special challenge – a music instrument made of glass.
In this case it was an artistic looking Celtic carnyx. Ondřej Glogar is the only musician far-and-wide who knows how to play one. He explains what it is:
“The Celts used this trumpet-like instrument to summon each other to battle, or to communicate with each other in battle. The original instruments weren’t this big. This is 2.2 meters long, usually they were about 1.5 meters, so they would be easier to handle and carry around. Some Celtic warriors had them strapped to their belt together with a sword.”
See the rest here.
Authors: Daniela Lazarová, Tomáš Mařas, Source:Český rozhlas