When Pigs Sing

Discussion in 'History & Geography' started by Ken Anderson, May 2, 2018.

  1. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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    In the 15th century, King Louis XI of France liked animals. When he wasn't hunting them, torturing them, or having them captured for his private zoo, he arranged for them to sing to him. In 1450, he decided to elaborate on his pastime of dressing pigs in clothing and wigs, and sticking them with pins, in order to make the squeal, he commissioned a new musical instrument from the Abbot of Baigne that incorporated pigs into the design.

    The abbot designed a type of piano that, when a key was struck, stabbed a pig with a spike, making it cry. The pigs were arranged in order of the pitch in which they screamed, and it was reported that songs produced with the instrument were recognizable, and the king enjoyed entertaining visitors with his instrument.

    The inventor, Athanasius Kircher, designed a similar instrument in 1650, except that he used cats rather than pigs. In his own words, from his Musurgia Universalis, "In order to raise the spirits of an Italian prince burdened by the cares of his position, a musician created for him a cat piano. The musician selected cats whose natural voices were at different pitches and arranged them in cages, side by side, so that when a key on the piano was depressed, a mechanism drove a sharp spike into the appropriate cat's tail. The result was a melody of meows that became more vigorous as the cats became more desperate. Who could not help but laugh at such music? Thus the prince raised from his melancholy."
     
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  2. Patsy Faye

    Patsy Faye Supreme Member
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    Kings, Huh ! They're all crazy, too much time on their hands :rolleyes:
    Zero respect for them - have no interest in them - they're :mad: as a looney [​IMG]

     
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  3. Maryt Hope

    Maryt Hope Veteran Member
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  4. Patsy Faye

    Patsy Faye Supreme Member
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    That - is my favourite quote ! Very true
     
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  5. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
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    I'm sure the pigs and cats were not laughing here!
     
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  6. Ken Anderson

    Ken Anderson Senior Staff
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    I'm sure they weren't. Just to be sure, you do know that I was quoting someone there - I didn't find it laughable, and have trouble understanding how anyone could, other than a sociopath.
     
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  7. Hedi Mitchell

    Hedi Mitchell Supreme Member
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    OM.... depraved people.....no wonder so many are sadistic and crazy now....it has been passed down for centuries:D
     
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