Making ‘music out of glass’

Many people can name a list of musical instruments ranging from flute to piano, but few have encountered a glass armonica. Not only has William Zeitler heard of the unique period instrument — he plays it.

Zeitler, a composer and trained pianist, performed an array of classical and original tunes to a handful of listeners at the La Crescenta Library on Thursday as part of the library’s “Season of Discovery” series centered around live musical performances.

Invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1761, Zeitler’s glass armonica consists of handblown, glass bowls fixed on a rotating rod. The instrument, comprised of 44 bowls, turns by way of a small electric motor.

“It’s the product of a preeminent genius,” Zeitler said. “It works on the ‘wet-finger-around-the-wine-glass idea.’ If you like that sound, you’ll like the glass armonica.”

Donning clothes reminiscent of Franklin’s era, Zeitler lifted a burgundy cloth to unveil the instrument. The crowd of roughly a dozen listeners whispered “Wow” in unison. Gold bands around the rims of certain bowls marked the notes comparable to the black keys on a piano, Zeitler said.

The glass armonica reminded Mary Hassen, a La Crescenta resident, of one of her children. She said for the last 25 years, her only son moved his fingers across the tops of wine glasses at dinner parties.

It was Hassen’s first time seeing a glass armonica performance.

“I can’t believe they get that kind of music out of glass,” Hassen said. “It’s beautiful. It’s very unique.”

Zeitler never heard of the glass armonica until he stumbled across a CD featuring the instrument in 1995. From there, the armonica’s history unfolded for him.

Through self-teaching, Zeitler learned to play hundreds of tunes. During Thursday’s performance, the crowd barely spoke as high — and sometimes haunting — notes emanated from the glass armonica. He played familiar tunes such as “Amazing Grace” and “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” from Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker.”

“This is new to most people,” Zeitler said. “They find the instrument rather fascinating. Some say, ‘That’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.’”

Don and Esther Norbut of La Crescenta fixed their eyes as Zeitler’s fingertips ran across the bowls’ rims. Zeitler dipped his fingers in a bowl of water between playing notes. Don Norbut said that, as a child, he ran his fingers across wine glasses.

“And no sounds ever came out like that,” Don said jokingly. “This was a fantastic experience. The construction of it, that’s what amazed me.”

The glass armonica fell out of favor during the 19th century, something Zeitler credits to musicians moving to larger concert halls. He recalled meeting musicians, some in their 80s, who’ve never heard of the glass armonica.

With each performance comes new fans of the instrument. He’s performed the almost-obsolete instrument at UCLA, with the Blue Man Group at the Hollywood Bowl and in Barcelona, Spain.

But there’s more to why Zeitler keeps playing the instrument. He’s one a few who can, noting other players living on the East Coast and across Europe.

“We emphasize in our culture what’s useful and not necessarily what’s beautiful,” he said. “I’m trying to preserve something incredibly beautiful. And (the glass armonica is) better in person. I’m not alone in that idea.”