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Sunday 31 August 2014

Cymbal

Cymbals have been used since antiquity. Numerous visual and written records describe their role in religious and other ceremonial rituals and in dance and theatrical presentations.

The word cymbal comes from the Latin cymbalum, derived from the Greek word kumbalom, which means a 'small bowl'.

Cymbal giants Zildjian is one of the oldest companies in the world. The first Zildjian cymbals rolled off the production line in 1618, in what was then Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul). They were  created by Avedis Zildjian, an alchemist who was looking for a way to turn base metal into gold. He made an alloy of tin, copper, and silver into a sheet of metal, which could make musical sounds without shattering.

The Zildjian cymbal company started making cymbals for frightening the enemies of the Ottoman Empire.

Avedis Zildjian III in front of Zildjian Quincy Factory. http://www.zildjian.com 

Now based in Massachusetts, the Zildjian company is still being run by the 14th generation of Zildjian's descendants.

Source Encyclopedia Britannica

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