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Glassonic is a music company based in Budapest, Hungary that build pitch fluid wind instruments. The company was founded by Dániel Váczi and Tóbias Terebessy.
These instruments have a similar mechanism to the 'moe series built by Bart Hopkin.
Instruments
The glissonic company developed a number of slide instruments including a slide clarinet, flute, tarogato/ saxophone, various brass instruments as well as a double reed oboe like instrument. Each of these instruments uses the same interface, a magnetic slide. Development of these instruments seems to have ended in preference for further development of the Glissotar. The company has outwardly stated an intent to use renewable woods and materials, and currently offers their instruments in only purpleheart wood.
Magnetic slide
Each of the Glissonic instruments uses a flat slide made from a magnetic strip that seals itself against the body of the instrument. This system is very similar to the system sued on the 'moe series by Bart Hopkin. The the groups have corresponded and mutually written about the similarities of the instruments. 1)
Here is an illustration from the Glissonic website demonstrating the mechanism and interface of the Glissotar.
Glissotar
The Glissotar is a slide tarogato similar to the soprano saxophone but built out of wood and using an octave key like that of the tarogato.
Bélaműhely
Tóbias Terebessy made instruments for an ensemble called Bélaműhely starting in 2007 2). This ensemble seem like it was instrumental in developing Terebessy's instrument making skills that were later applied to developing the Glissonic instruments. Any further relationship between Bélaműhely and Glissonic is unknown.
NOTES
Glissonic describes their instruments as continuous pitch wind instruments, much like Bart Hopkin, there is a chance the naming convention was picked up from Bart Hopkin during the exchances that happened surrounding the similarities of their instruments.
The Sonus Foundation has some sort of relationship to Glissonic.
Sonus website page on the future of Tarogato 3)
Sonus page asking for submissions of scores for the Glissotar 4)
Official website 5)
Youtube channel features their instruments 6)
Tobias is the musical instrument maker for the ensemble Bélaműhely Sound Art Group.
Bélaműhely Sound Art Group Website 7)
Bélaműhely Youtube channel 8)
