Bernie Green Concerto for Calliope
Tuesday, July 29th, 2008More appropriate. A calliope is a musical instrument that produces sound by sending steam through whistles, originally locomotive whistles. The calliope is also known as a “steam organ” or “steam piano”. It was often played on riverboats and in circuses, where it was sometimes mounted on a carved, painted and gilded horse-drawn wagon in a circus parade (picture, right). The instrument’s name originates from Greek mythology: Calliope (pronounced /kə.ˈlaɪ.o.pi/), daughter of Zeus, was chief of the Muses and mother of Orpheus. Her name, in Greek, means “beautiful voiced”. A calliope is typically very loud; even small calliopes produce sound that can travel for miles.
