Glass harmonica facts for kids

A person playing a glass harmonica.

The glass harmonica (also called the armonica) is a musical instrument. It was invented by Benjamin Franklin. It is made up of a spinning stick with glass bowls around it. The player rubs their fingers on the glass bowls as the instrument spins to make music. Different sizes of bowl make different sounds.

Images for kids

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  1900 illustration of a glass harmonica

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  A glass harp, an ancestor of the glass armonica, being played in Rome. The rims of wine glasses filled with water are rubbed by the player's fingers to create the notes.

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  A modern glass armonica built using Benjamin Franklin's design

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  Part of the original manuscript score of "Aquarium" from The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns. The top staff was written for the (glass) "Harmonica".

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  Dennis James plays the armonica at the Poncan Theatre in Ponca City, Oklahoma, on April 2, 2011.

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  An armonica

See also

In Spanish: Armónica de cristal para niños