Ocarina

An ocarina is a kind of flute that is not made out of a tube. Because the ocarina is in a round or box-like shape, its sound is a little different from other flutes.

History

Ocarinas from Japan.

The ten-hole ocarina was first made by Giuseppe Donati, in Italy, in 1853. Instruments like the ocarina had been made for hundreds of years before that in South America, China, and Africa.^[1] In Europe, a form called the gemshorn was made in the 16th century. The gemshorn was made from an animal horn.

In the 19th century, groups of ocarina players, with different sized ocarinas, played classical and folk music. Italian ocarinas became known throughout the world, because of this.

In the United States the ocarina was called the sweet potato, because its shape is like a sweet potato.

In 1928, the Japanese began making ocarinas. They added two small holes to the old kind of ocarinas. Japanese 12-hole ocarinas can play a larger scale than 10-hole ocarinas.

English Ocarina

The English ocarina was first made in the 1960s by John Taylor.

In the 1960s, the English ocarina was invented. It has four finger holes, and may have one or two thumb holes. English ocarinas are made in many shapes.

Ocarina Media

Carnival of Venice - ocarina played by Mosé Tapiero
Giuseppe Donati, Italian inventor of the modern ocarina, with his work
Ocarina, c. 1900, Museu de la Música de Barcelona
Sindhi borrindos, a form of vessel flute produced in different sizes to give different tones. The borrindo is made out of soft alluvial clay, plentiful in the central Indus Valley.
Ocarina Modell Meister
Meissen "Blue Onion" pattern porcelain transverse ocarina, early 20th century
Metal transverse ocarina of 1875
English pendant ocarina (unstrung, with two suspension holes) held in the hand