terça-feira, 13 de abril de 2021

The Chromatic Harmonica, Gretsch Double-Sided Chromatic

 

The Chromatic Harmonica, Gretsch Double-Sided Chromatic

Images from The Alan G. Bates Harmonica Collection (7)

Chromatic Harmonica by M. Hohner, Trossingen, ca. 1910-1930


NMM 8991.  Chromatic harmonica by M. Hohner, Trossingen, ca. 1910-1930. The chromatic harmonica was introduced in 1910 as the alternative to diatonic harmonicas. The chromatic harmonica allowed for a full chromatic scale through the use of a spring mechanism. The spring was attached to a slide which covered the diatonic set of reeds and exposed the chromatic reeds when pressed with the index finger. The external spring design shown on this harmonica was changed in 1930 to an internal spring.  Alan G. Bates Collection, 2000.

Chromatic Harmonica by Hohner, Trossingen, 1936

NMM 9693. Chromatic harmonica by Hohner, Trossingen, 1936. In the early 1930's, Hohner introduced a 12-hole and, in 1936, a 16-hole chromatic harmonica that allows the performer to play a span of four full chromatic octaves. This is the very first version of the sixteen-hole harmonica and features the Hohner trademark displayed just above the "64 CHROMONICA" model name. Alan G. Bates Collection, 2000.

Gretsch Double-Sided Chromatic Harmonica , Germany, after 1930

NMM 9018.  Chromatic harmonica by Gretsch, Germany, after 1930. This double-sided chromatic harmonica in C and G was a short-lived experiment. Most chromatic players became adept enough to play in any key on a C-tuned instrument, so a second key was unnecessary. After 10 years of searching for another example, Alan Bates concluded that this is the only double-sided chromatic harmonica known to exist.  Alan G. Bates Collection, 2000.


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