Secrets of the carnyx

Musician John Kenny reveals the secrets of the Deskford carnyx, an Iron Age war trumpet that dates from 80-200AD.

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[darkranger]

I had no idea the celts made their own dark jazz...

[MrRenen]

The tongue that can be seen is actually the players tongue.

[austinreitan]

Roman infantry: sir we need a wall
Roman officer: why?
*horns in distance*
Roman officer: start building

[saoirserosenstock]

"Music is the one area of human experience which transcends culture and language. It's like being able to put your hand backwards through the curtain of time and touching somebody that you can't see.. But you can feel." What an utterly lovely man.

[annwe]

"For there were among them such innumerable horns and trumpets, which were being blown at the same time from all parts of their army, and their cries were so loud and piercing, that the noise seemed to come not from human voices and trumpets, but from the whole countryside at once.” Greek historian Polybius, 150 BC

[Puddingskin]

"We need something to strike fear into our enemies and let them know we are not to be taken lightly. Bring forth the googly eyed pig horn! OF COURSE WITH THE WIGGLY TONGUE!"

[animatrix]

I have never seen anything so simultaneously silly and SO intimidating. It's adorable on some level but I'm also utterly terrified. What is this; is there a name for this emotion???

[lydiamorgan]

I could listen to that for hours. It's so haunting and boggy, I want a whole album of this.

[Captain_Mckeggor]

Although he states that it was more for ritual than it was a war horn, but for the Celts war was very much ingrained in their culture that they might view battle as a ritual, or their rituals were very much glorifying battle.

[dennettshane]

I was so taken aback when the video showed that man talking. He has such a calming, engaging voice I thought he was just a voice-over narrator.

[elletee]

Our dog (Italian breed dating back at least to early renaissance) reacted to this like it was a chorus of grouse, then burst into song herself. Her predecessors have cheerfully yowled along to bagpipes, circular saws, police sirens etc but this one has for seven years kept schtum. Until the revival of this absolutely spectacular beast.

[possumsquasher]

But imagine hundreds of them attacking a Roman legion in the mist.

[zyldyks]

Kind of terrifying to think of the Celt playing some smooth jazz out of their 12' war horn while his buddies are beating the absolute piss out of some poor Roman farmboy, though.

[alansturgess]

John's wonderful analogy at the end about "..touching somebody that you can't see, but you can feel.." reminded me of a poem I wrote years ago for a 'Spirits of stone' themed outdoor education project with my primary class. It was read to them in the grounds of a church and asked them to imagine a child looking at a gravemarker that had been carved by their granddad.

With my hand upon stone
I reach in and hold
onto warmth in the heart
of distant, ageless cold.

[cosmicchicken]

My God this is a beautiful sounding instrument

[Tounushi]

When historians can't say for certain what something is for, it's a ritual implement.

[RunRonaldRun]

I have watched John Kenny's videos on the carnyx so many times. Cannot hear his playing and explanation of the instrument enough, absolutely astonishing that such an instrument exists.

[wyattmann]

Imagine blasting the Carnyx so hard you blow out the blood vessels in your eye like this

[Revestrek]

It was so interesting and relaxing to hear mr. Kenny inform us about this instrument so articulately.

[patrickhill]

Wow, they get a really beautiful resonance.