No images? Click here June 19, 2023 A Beyoncé concert in Stockholm has been blamed for unexpectedly high Swedish inflation. Tens of thousands of fans flocked to the capital for her concert, making a significant impact on the economy. How’s that for clout? +++ In today's email:
CLASSICAL CHARTS THE BIG IDEA Archaeologists Unearth Ancient Flutes From 12,000 Years AgoArchaeological researchers have discovered flutes made from the bones of ancient birds in Eynan-Mallaha in Israel that date back some 12,000 years. The bones were found during an ongoing dig at a site in Northern Israel known as a kind of crossroads for more than 500 million birds migrating between Europe and Africa. The site is located in the Hula Lake Basin of the Upper Jordan Valley, an area that is known to contain many relics of the ancient Natufian culture. More than a thousand bird bones have been excavated from the site, and the new study comes from a re-evaluation of those relics. The international team of researchers, representing a number of institutions, including the Institute of Archaeology, published their findings in the journal Scientific Reports/Nature in June 2023. Why it matters: The ancient bones came from Eurasian coots and Eurasian teals. The seven examples described in the paper have clear signs of human-made modifications, such as perforations and finger-holes, and were seemingly designed to imitate the calls of birds. They also come from a time when the last populations of hunter-gatherers in the Levant region were making the transition to an agricultural lifestyle.
The authors found seven aerophones, described as an instrument that uses vibrations in the air to produce sound, i.e. without a string or other object, at the Israeli site. The flute family falls into the aerophone category. The sound they produce resembles the calls of kestrels and sparrowhawks, which are native to the region. The researchers used duck bones to recreate the ancient flutes and test their acoustic properties. Archaeologist Laurent Davin plays a reproduction of one of the 12,000-year-old bone wind instruments that was found at a site called Enyan-Mallaha in Israel. As the authors write, “Through technological, use-wear, taphonomic, experimental and acoustical analyses, we demonstrate that these objects were intentionally manufactured more than 12,000 years ago to produce a range of sounds similar to raptor calls and whose purposes could be at the crossroads of communication, attracting hunting prey and music-making.” From hunter-gatherers to farmersThe instruments represent the earliest human-made devices designed to create artificial bird calls. They were made by the Natufian archaeological culture, which took over the region from 15,000 to 11,700 BP. The Natufians were noted, in particular, for their intricate jewelry and other personal ornaments. As the agricultural economy took hold of the region, lifestyles changed drastically, societies became more complex, and our relationship to animals and the rest of the world went through a major shift. Domestication of plants and animals would begin in the Levant before it did on the European continent. The Israeli examples come from different bones taken from the wings of birds, and researchers posit that the variations were meant to produce a range of different sounds. They came up with some other theories that more discoveries and evaluations can confirm. They include...
What they’re saying: The Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Laurent Davin, a postdoctoral researcher, is one of the lead co-authors of the team. He talks about his surprise at the sounds made in the flute he’d recreated in The Courthouse News. “It was very moving when I played it for the first time and heard the sound that Natufians made 12,000 years ago,” Davin said. “The surprise was also to find out that the spectral analysis showed that the flutes imitated falcon calls, two species of which the talons were the most used in Natufian personal ornament, which is yet another indication of the close relationship that existed between the Natufians and birds of prey.” Davin notes that future research will include using the flute reproductions on the waterfowl of Lake Hula to see how they react to the sounds. TOUR DE HEADLINES Mozart's Love Crisis Revealed in Auctioned Letter — A letter penned by composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, revealing his anxiety over a love-life predicament, is due for auction at Christie's, London next month. The document, written in 1782 when Mozart was 26, offers rare insight into his feelings during a critical moment, revealing his desire to advance his impending marriage to Constanze. | Reuters Opera Debuts After 235 Years | Christophe Rousset and Les Talens Lyriques will premiere Antonio Salieri's 1788 opera, Cublai, gran kan de' Tartari, in Vienna next year. The opera, initially abandoned due to sensitive political themes, marks a continued effort by Rousset to rehabilitate Salieri's reputation. | Classcial-music.uk Climate Protesters Disrupt Glyndebourne — The group "Just Stop Oil" staged a protest at a Glyndebourne performance, setting off a glitter cannon, causing an interruption and a brief evacuation. Despite the disruption, the opera house emphasized its commitment to renewable energy and the performance resumed after a 21-minute delay. | SlippeDisc First Female Chief Conductor of BBC Orchestra — Anna-Maria Helsing, previously a principal guest conductor, has been named as the first female chief conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra, starting October 2023. She aims to broaden the orchestra's symphonic repertoire and reach audiences outside of London, with her next performance scheduled for June 19 at Alexandra Palace and later at the BBC Proms. | Evening Standard 2023 BBC Cardiff Singer Finalists Announced — The BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition revealed the finalists for the main prize and song prize, including performers from Scotland, South Africa, Italy, Wales, South Korea, England, and Canada. The finals, judged by a panel including Aidan Lang and Bernarda Fink, will be held on June 18 and streamed by OperaVision on June 20, available until December 2023. | OperaWire Renowned Violinist Carlos Villa Passes Away — Colombian violinist and conductor Carlos Villa, former concertmaster of the New Philharmonia Orchestra, died on 6th June at the age of 84. Born in 1939, Villa's notable career included playing on recordings by artists like the Beatles, Pink Floyd, and Aretha Franklin, and serving as conductor-concertmaster of the Camerata Academica in Salzburg. | The Strad TECH Orchestra Uses Groundbreaking Technology to Open Concerts to Deaf and Hard of HearingThe beat goes on, even if you can't hear it. The Philharmonie de Paris has partnered with SoundX to offer special vibrating backpacks to help deaf and hard-of-hearing concertgoers feel the music. Vibrating backpacksStarting from the 2023-2024 season, these high-tech backpacks, controlled by an app and powered by artificial intelligence, will be available for use. They're designed to pick up ambient sounds and translate them into vibrations, making it possible for wearers to feel the music. This isn't the first time vibrating packs have been used in music events, but previous versions only translated the bass. The SoundX solution, however, will pick up frequencies up to 20,000 hertz, compared to the measly 100 hertz of older models. Basically, you'll be able to feel more than just the bass drop. Best of all, these backpacks will be free to use… …There's no need for an individual phone to connect to the application because the Philharmonie will control the vibrating backpacks using a single tablet. Big picture: This move by the Philharmonie de Paris is a leap forward in making music more accessible to everyone. By adapting shows for hearing disabilities, they're ensuring that everyone, regardless of ability, can experience the magic of music. It's a clear reminder of how technology can be harnessed to bring us closer to each other and the music we love. Bonus: Heard of SoundX and Damien Quintard before? That’s probably because Quintard is the same guy who partnered with superstar actor Brad Pitt to open Miraval Studios, a newly rebuilt recording studio housed in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region of France. The studio also features an expansive winery and estate owned by Pitt and ex-wife Angelina Jolie. MORE NEWS Photo: Gloucestershire Academy Of Music Historic Violin Passed On to Young MusicianA 16-year-old violinist from Tewkesbury, UK, will be playing with a symphony for the first time, thanks to a stranger's generous bequest in his will. According to the BBC, Natasha was left a 240-year-old violin by the late Trevor Pleass, who was a member of the Gloucestershire Symphony Orchestra for over 25 years. The violin, a family heirloom given to Pleass by his father, features a unique lion's head scroll. Why did he choose her?Natasha was chosen to inherit the instrument due to her dedication to the Gloucestershire Academy of Music, where she lends a hand teaching younger students every Saturday. Her father, Glenn, expressed his pride in his daughter, saying that Natasha's engagement at the academy made her a deserving recipient of the violin. Why we love this: This story of generosity and music passion not only warms the heart but also showcases the power of music and community. The legacy of Trevor Pleass continues through Natasha's musical journey, and the violin that was once his life will now be a significant part of hers. It's also a touching testament to the enduring value of musical education and the impact it can have on young musicians like Natasha, who plans to apply to the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire after her A-levels. QUIZ Which of these is NOT the subtitle of a Haydn symphony?A.) Hornsignal B.) Lamentatione C.) Tragic D.) Mercury Scroll down for the answer… AROUND THE WEB 📅 On this day: Eglar’s Enigma Variations, Op. 36 premieres in 1899. 🔨 Useful: How to get candle soot off your wall or ceiling. 👀 Cure boredom: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the game. 🔉 Interesting: An archive of endangered sounds. 🐑 Aww: This lamb takes his first steps. TWEET OF THE WEEK QUIZ ANSWER C: Tragic. Symphony No. 6, nicknamed, “the Tragic” , was written by Mahler, not Haydn. How did you like today's email? |