A year in pictures: március 2014

2014. március 14., péntek

Alphorn

I walked up to the top of our mountin - it is not so high though, only 568 meters above see level. To my biggest surprise I saw a man there with an alphorn - we are not living in the Alps at all. This is the firs time I saw and heard one. The guy just finished playing on it, but kids came so he started again and let them try as well. After they were gone he started to pack the alphorn. I could have never guessed but for transportation reasons it is possible to take it apart into 3 pieces. So he started to take it apart, when another family came and he put it together again and played on it for them. During the 20 minutes I spent there sunbathing he repeated this whole procedure 3 times.

By the way, the alphorn has an amazing sound.

If you're interested in playing the alphorn, here are some lessons on Youtube.

Alphorns have been the traditional herdsmen's instrument, though they almost disappered in the beginning of the 19th century. The main function of the alphorn was the communication with the herdsmen of the neighbouring alps and with the people of the village down in the valley. It also served to call the cows for milking and to eventually cure them with the warm sound of it.