The Ocarina, An Instrument with a Long History

History of The Ocarina
The ocarina is an ancient instrument. The first known ocarina-like instrument appear about 12000 years ago. The ocarina’s origins can be traced back to many different cultures. In South and Central America, the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incas all developed and performed on clay ocarinas which were often shaped like birds or animals. Ocarinas shaped like birds and animals could also be found in India as early as 5000 BC. China had its own form of ocarina called a Xun which was more rounded and egg-like in shape.

Early History – 16th – 19th Centuries
The ocarina eventually made its way to Europe. In 1527, Cortes sent a group of Aztec dancers and musicians back to Emperor Charles V to perform at the royal court. The performance was well received and the Aztecs were sent to perform at various exhibitions throughout Europe. According to legend, a baker in Rome saw such a performance and was so impressed with the ocarina that he decided to make his own. (Bakers at that time often would make small pottery objects in their ovens to use up the leftover ashes.) It was nicknamed “ocarina” meaning “little goose.” It soon became a novelty item, but with its limited number of notes, it was little more than a toy. This all changed in the late 19th century when Guiseppe Donati, a young baker and musician, invented the submarine/sweet potato shaped ocarina which included accurate pitch and an extended range of notes. The ocarina could now be used for western art music. Various sizes were made which enabled ocarina players to form ensembles. One such ocarina ensemble is the famed Gruppo Ocarinistico Budriese which is still actively performing today.

20th Century
During the first and second World Wars, servicemen often were provided with a pocket-sized ocarina to boost moral. As a result, the ocarina gained popularity in America as well as in Europe. However, due to rising interest in the recorder, the ocarina soon became unknown to the general public. With the release of the popular video game “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” in the 1990s, the ocarina has reached a new level of popularity in America and Europe. The ocarina has also gained recognition in Asia, particularly in Japan, thanks to the efforts of ocarina master Sojiro. He has released several recordings and continues to perform internationally.

What does an Ocarina Sound Like

My Take On The Ocarina

6 Hole Plastic Ocarina for Beginners and Young Musicians

Growing up, I played Trumpet as well as was a vocal singer, so I read music and know how to play musical instruments. So when I was given the opportunity to try out the Ocarina, I was excited and a bit nervous, as I didn’t know what to expect. When I received the products I was surprised to find that I was given the opportunity to try three different ocarinas. I was given the opportunity to try out a 12 hole (http://stlocarina.com/12hozeteoc3e.html), 6 hole (http://stlocarina.com/ocarina-by-type-6-hole.html/) and 4 hole (http://stlocarina.com/ocarina-by-type-4-hole.html) ocarina.

I found each of the ocarinas to be very different from one another in terms of how they sounded and how you played them. The hardest part that I found in playing one of these ocarinas was learning the different note finger positions and being able to move my fingers in the right places at the right time.

One of the first things I worked on was learning how to play Happy Birthday as my youngest daughter was turning two this week and thought it would be fun to learn this and share it with my family. So with a few sour notes, I worked hard to get it down and in a hour or so I was sounding a bit better.

Blue Dolphin Ocarina

Overall, I would say that if you are looking for a unique musical instrument or if you want your children to experience and appreciate an instrument that has been around for a very long time, take a look at purchasing an Ocarina for yourself.

If you are looking to purchase an Ocarina, you can find a myriad of different types of ocarinas at: http://stlocarina.com/

This post was written for Ocarina who provided the complimentary product in exchange for my honest review.