The Lost Sounds Orchestra

Salpinx, barbiton, aulos, syrinx.

Never heard them? Never heard of them? Neither had anyone else, for centuries.

Until now.

Last September, iSGTW reported upon the return of the “epigonion,” an ancient Greek wooden stringed instrument resembling a harp. Ancient instruments can be lost because they are too difficult to build, or too difficult to play, but the epigonion was heard again after ASTRA (Ancient instruments Sound/Timbre Reconstruction Application) recreated its sound using grid-enabled computer modeling.

More ancient instruments are to be heard soon, after the organization’s official Lost Sounds Orchestra finishes its preparations for a unique performance towards the end of this summer.

It should include a whole host of other lost instruments, including the salpinx (a kind of ancient trumpet), the barbiton (an ancient base guitar), the aulos (an ancient oboe), the syrinx (a pan flute), and an ancient lower Mediterranean frame drum, among others.

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