John Wild Posted August 15, 2015 Share Posted August 15, 2015 (edited) Counterpoint is a music quiz show on BBC radio 4 which has been running for many years. I just listened to the 1st semi-final of this year's contest. In the 1st round was this question: "The English version of which musical instrument was invented in 1829 by Sir Charles Wheatstone?" The contestant asked the question gave the answer "the clarinet". Neither of the other contestants made a guess. edited to add: I know I typed capitals for "BBC" in the header, but it has appeared with only the 1st letter in as a capital. This problem was reported by someone else recently in another topic. Edited August 15, 2015 by John Wild Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linrose Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 Well don't leave us hanging, what was it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 The didgeridoo. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike byrne Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 A later question on the same Counterpoint was 'what was George Melly's autobiography called'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 A later question on the same Counterpoint was 'what was George Melly's autobiography called'. I'd forgotten about that! And how did I manage to miss the first semi-final? Must have a listen later today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken_Coles Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 The capitalization is a software issue - that's what it does. Good story! Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inventor Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 The correct answer to the question is the "Symphonium" ! I bet the BBC got the answer wrong. The "C" word is not mentioned in the 1829 patent. In fact reading the patent and the accompanying drawing;it would seem that substituting a bellows for the wind chest of the symphonium was very much an afterthought, and he does not give a separate name to the instrument thus created. Wheatstone did not anyway claim to have invented any sort of musical instrument at all, but just the arrangement of the buttons, which is fairly similar to the arrangement on standard English Concertinas. Inventor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wild Posted August 16, 2015 Author Share Posted August 16, 2015 The BBC answer was "the concertina". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inventor Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 I've just reread the original question (you should always listen to the question carefully) and it is the "Ching" or Chinese organ. though perhaps "Mund-harmonica" which Wheatstone mentions in the 1829 patent is equally correct. Interestingly the mund-harmonica appears to have been known as an AEolina, not a mouth-organ in England at that time; drop a couple of letters and what do you get ? Inventor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 Interestingly the mund-harmonica appears to have been known as an AEolina, not a mouth-organ in England at that time; drop a couple of letters and what do you get ? Inventor. Aioli - one of my favourite sauces! Oh sorry - that's three letters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Mansfield Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 (edited) Counterpoint drives me mad - I'd really like to like it, but the parochial attitude to anything that isn't Western classical music (and classical in the strictest sense, eg starting with Haydn and ending with Beethoven) annoys me every time I try to listen to it. To be honest I've never forgiven it for an outrageously patronising comment about crumhorns a few years ago - insult Renaissance windcap instruments at your peril and feel my wrath Edited, as usual, for spelling ... Edited August 16, 2015 by Steve Mansfield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wild Posted August 16, 2015 Author Share Posted August 16, 2015 A few years ago, in the specialist subject round, one subject was folk music. This actually was folk music as represented in classical music, eg Vaughn Williams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adrian brown Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Counterpoint drives me mad - I'd really like to like it, but the parochial attitude to anything that isn't Western classical music (and classical in the strictest sense, eg starting with Haydn and ending with Beethoven) annoys me every time I try to listen to it. I couldn't agree more Steve, and I'm glad I'm not the only person who thinks this way - I was beginning to think it was me.... Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theo Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Counterpoint drives me mad - I'd really like to like it, but the parochial attitude to anything that isn't Western classical music (and classical in the strictest sense, eg starting with Haydn and ending with Beethoven) annoys me every time I try to listen to it. I couldn't agree more Steve, and I'm glad I'm not the only person who thinks this way - I was beginning to think it was me.... Adrian Definitely you are not alone Adrian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Counterpoint drives me mad - I'd really like to like it, but the parochial attitude to anything that isn't Western classical music (and classical in the strictest sense, eg starting with Haydn and ending with Beethoven) annoys me every time I try to listen to it. Well, that attitude starts with the name of the program, doesn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolf Molkentin Posted August 17, 2015 Share Posted August 17, 2015 Counterpoint drives me mad - I'd really like to like it, but the parochial attitude to anything that isn't Western classical music (and classical in the strictest sense, eg starting with Haydn and ending with Beethoven) annoys me every time I try to listen to it. Well, that attitude starts with the name of the program, doesn't it? I would have expected some interest in Baroque music at least then... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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