Forgotten Musical Instruments

Musical history is littered with instruments that had brief periods of popularity before superseded by newer instruments. Whilst many of these have now been revived in period instrument recordings of older repertoire others remain largely forgotten. This seems a shame since, as this list shows, they make sounds that are uniquely beguiling.

Sambuca

The Sambuca was originally a Greek plucked instrument, triangular in shape and cutting in tone. It was a forerunner of the modern harp. Relying on images of it found in ancient frescos, scholars have reconstructed the instrument, so we can have a good idea of how it would have sounded.

Mayan trumpets

None of these instruments survive, though there are some fine murals of these trumpet-like instruments:


This has led some to attempt a reconstruction, the results sounding rather like the Australian didgeridoo.


Cwrth

The Cwrth is an ancient folk instrument associated with Welsh music, but once widely played in Europe. Only four original instruments survive. It is strung and bowed like a violin but squared off and less resonant. It may also be thought of as a bowed lyre (i.e. a harp).

Lituus

Bach’s 1737/8 cantata O Jesu Christ, meins lebens licht calls for two of these instruments - the 'Lituus'. Though there is very little specific information available about what this instrument actually was, medieval records suggest they were a kind of trumpet or horn. This led a group of researchers to try to recreate the instrument :

Arpeggioine

Tuned like a guitar, but bowed like a cello, the arpeggione was briefly popular after its invention in 1823. The most famous piece for the instrument is Franz Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata, D.821.

Baryton

Like the arpeggione the barytone looks and is played a bit like a cello or bass viol:


It has a more resonant sound than those instruments, because it has an extra set of strings that ring in sympathy when then main strings are bowed. The extra strings can also be plucked. Haydn wrote 175 pieces for it, including the Baryton Trio No.26 in G:

Ophicleide

An ophicleide is essentially an instrument that has mouthpiece like a brass instrument, but keys like a woodwind instrument. The most common type was in the bass ophicleide, a frequent member of orchestras of the 19th century. It was later superseded by the modern tuba, parts written for it now being played on the modern instrument.

Theremin

The most recently invented of the instruments on this list and, perhaps, the most controversial inclusion—there are supporters and exponents of the instrument alive today. Despite this, it remains so niche, so bizarre in its playing technique that it seems unlikely ever to be widely adopted. It is played without touching the instrument itself, the position of the players hands being sensed by radio waves. Here is the inventor, Leon Thermin, giving a rather lovely demonstration: