The Weird News Daily: 2012-11-11

Weird A-Z. K is for The Katzenklavier (or Cat's Chorus)

The word means 'cats' piano and it was a musical instrument designed by the German Jesuit scholar and polymath Athanasius Kircher (1602-80). Pet lovers of a nervous disposition may want to skip this post.

The invention consisted of a row of cats in cages, arranged by vocal tone. They were then 'played' using a keyboard which jabbed nails into their tails and caused them to howl.

Considered the 'founder of Egyptology', Kircher discovered the link between micro-organisms and plague, and invented the megaphone, automata and a magnetic clock. However, it may be that Kircher only updated this ghastly instrument.

Jean-Baptiste Weckerlin (1821-1910) noted in his book 'Musicana: When the King of Spain Felipe II was in Brussels in 1549 visiting his father the Emperor Charles V, each saw the other rejoicing at the sight of a completely singular procession. At the head marched an enormous bull whose horns were burning, between which there was also a small devil. Behind the bull, a young boy, sewn into a bearskin, rode on a horse whose ears and tail had been cut off. Then came the Archangel Saint Michael in bright clothing, carrying a balance in his hand. The most curious was was on a chariot that carried the most singular music that can be imagined. It held a bear that played the organ; instead of pipes there were sixteen cat heads each with its body confined; the tails were sticking out and were held to be played as the strings on a piano, if a key was pressed on the keyboard, the corresponding tail would be pulled hard, and it would produce each time a lamentable meow. The historian Juan Cristobel Calvete noted the cats were arranged properly to produce a succession of notes octave. This abominable orchestra arranged itself inside a theatre where monkeys, wolves, deer and other animals danced to the sounds of this infernal music.'

The instrument was recreated using squeaky toys by sound sculptor Henry Dagg at a garden party held by Prince Charles at Clarence House in 2010. The tune 'Over the Rainbow' was played to the prince's evident amusement.