Franklin's Glass Armonica

One of the special treats in our Franklin program is a rare chance to learn about and hear the glass armonica, an instument invented by Franklin in 1761. According to Wikipedia, "... 37 bowls were mounted horizontally nested on an iron spindle. The whole spindle turned by means of a foot-operated treadle. The sound was produced by touching the rims of the bowls with moistened fingers. Rims were painted different colors according to the pitch of the note....With the Franklin design it is possible to play ten glasses simultaneously if desired, a technique that is very difficult if not impossible to execute using upright goblets."

The instrument was very popular in the late 18th and early 19th century, with over 100 composers (including Mozart and Beethoven) writing music for it. Its popularity eventually faded, partly because of (unfounded) rumors that its ethereal tones could cause madness, but mainly because it was unsuited for performances in anything other than small chamber settings.

For a little historical background and some insight into how the instrument was made, check out this excellent five-minute segment from The History Channel (via YouTube). For a beautiful sample of how the instrument sounds, try this brief selection from YouTube.

There are a number of CDs featuring the glass armonica available on Amazon, including one by our featured lecturer/performer, Dennis James. Just go to Amazon using our link (we get a small cut of the purchase, at no cost to you), and do a search on "glass armonica".

What do you think of this strange instrument? Does it arouse any emotional reactions? Should it be revived?

There was never a good war or a bad peace.

Franklin's famous cartoon, Join, or Die.

In an effort to promote Unity among the colonies, Benjamin Franklin penned and then published this cartoon in his Pennsylvania Gazette on May 9, 1754.

The colonies were at odds as to whether to engage the French and their Native allies over the land west of the Appalachians in what would become known as the French and Indian War.

The cartoon came to take on greater significance as the Revolutionary War approached and has lasted as one of the most enduring images in our Nation's history.

Join us to learn more about this image's creator:

Benjamin Franklin and the Invention of America
October 17-18, 2008

For full PROGRAM SCHEDULE and other resources,
please visit www.humanitieswest.org

The image and information above is drawn from Wikipedia.

Symposium offering class on Franklin's Autobiography

Symposium: Great Books Institute is a San Francisco organization that offers facilitated, small-group discussions of classic books from around the world. In cooperation with Humanities West, Symposium is sponsoring a class based on The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, to be held on Oct. 8 and 15th at their facility at 325 Hayes Street. There is a modest charge for participating, but first-time attendees can go for free, so this is a great opportunity to try out this interesting new twist on the traditional "book club." For more information, visit the Symposium web site.

Franklin's Autobiography was not published until after his death in 1790, but it became one of the most popular books in 19th century America, and was one of the first American books to win widespread popularity and respect in Europe. The book epitomized early America's democratic ideal of "the self-made man" and was used to instill civic virtues and high moral standards in several generations of American youth. The book is available in both hard-copy and audio formats. (If you are going to buy it on Amazon, remember to go through the Humanities West Amazon link when you order. It's a painless way of having Amazon make a small contribution to HW.)

If any of you have had experience with Symposium, or if you attend their upcoming session on The Autobiography, please share you comments on this blog.

Benjamin Franklin in Historical Context

Before the names and dates start flying at you, it's sometimes helpful to put yourself mentally back into the time period of our subject. The following one page summary is offered as a reminder of how different things were in 18th century America.

Benjamin Franklin in context (PDF file)

What surprises you most in this material? Personally, I was struck by how small even the largest colonial towns were during this period. Franklin's skills as a 'social networker' (to use a modern term) were extremely effective in this kind of small-town environment. I had also never realized that New England might have had the highest literacy rate in the world at that time.

Please add your own comments and observations to this post.

Humanities West presents.

Benjamin Franklin and the Invention of America October 17-18, 2008 Herbst Theatre, San Francisco

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), during his long and incredibly productive life, epitomized many aspects of the remarkable transformation that eventually led to the establishment of the first modern constitutional state. With his passion for self-improvement and gift for institutional innovation, Franklin constantly reinvented himself: printer's apprentice, successful Philadelphia printer, storekeeper, bookshop owner, journalist, writer of Poor Richard's Almanack and the Autobiography, and social entrepreneur and environmentalist 1731-style. Franklin invented the Franklin stove, swim fins, the glass armonica, and bifocals. He tamed lightning with his kite. He was a politician, diplomat, colonial patriot, ambassador to France, president of the Executive Council of Pennsylvania, signer of the Constitution, and author of an anti-slavery treatise. In one person, Benjamin Franklin helped create the American civil society. He was called, by the time of his death at 84, the "harmonious human multitude."

Join us at the Herbst Theatre for our special program, and leave your comments below.