'Lost' music instrument recreated [the Lituus]

BBC ^ | Saturday, May 30, 2009 | Pallab Ghosh

[SunkenCiv]

New software has enabled researchers to recreate a long forgotten musical instrument called the Lituus. The 2.4m (8ft) long trumpet-like instrument was played in Ancient Rome but fell out of use some 300 years ago. Bach's motet (a choral musical composition) "O Jesu Christ, meins lebens licht" was one of the last pieces of music written for the Lituus. Now, for the first time, this 18th Century composition has been played as it should have been heard... the Lituus produced a piercing trumpet-like sound interleaving with the vocals. Until now, no one had a clear idea of what this instrument looked or sounded like. But researchers at Edinburgh University developed a system that enabled them to design the Lituus from the best guesses of its shape and range of notes... It is an unwieldy instrument with a limited tonal range that is hard to play. But played well, it gives Johann Sebastian Bach's motet a haunting feel that couldn't be reproduced by modern instruments... Written by Bach in the 1730s, it is thought that this is now the only piece of music in existence that specifies the use of the Lituus -- and has almost certainly not been performed using this instrument since Bach's time.

[SunkenCiv]

[SunkenCiv]

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[agrace]

Very cool. But of course brings to mind

[Charles Henrickson]

It is an unwieldy instrument with a limited tonal range that is hard to play. But played well . . .

It passes the Lituus test.

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

[DannyTN]

"best guesses"

Based on what? I'm not sure this Lituus passes the Litmus test.

[SunkenCiv]

Lituus all celebrate the reemergence of this lost instrument.

[SunkenCiv]

There’s a bit more detail in the full story.

[annieokie]

I will go back and listen when they finish tuning. That sounded awful. Sorry, and I do appreciate all the masters.

[SunkenCiv]

It’s weird that the Swiss needed help with the design, eh? “Ri-co-la! Ri-co-la!”

[Bellflower]

To hear the music you can click under the picture on the site.

Does anyone know the translation in English for the Latin O Jesu Christ, meins lebens licht?

[CurlyDave]

Awful does not even begin to describe it.

I think my 5th grade clarinet lessons were better than that...

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Soon to be the top musical instrument practiced by people who rent studio apartments in Seattle.

[SunkenCiv]

“light of my life”

[annieokie]

Rofl, they need to put it back into mothballs.

[stefanbatory]

it is German and literally translated it means: O Jesus Christ my life’s light

[DakotaGator]

“my life’s light”

[coincheck]

RICOLA............:)

[rawhide]

I like those. I wonder if I should get one to play in my church’s choir? Hmmm?