Hi ho all;
The following story may be of interest, but only if I can also manage to post a photograph of a very nice marble statue titled “Franklin and his Whistle.”
I saw the statue first, in the library of the Union League of Philadelphia, and was curious why young Ben would be shown toting around a very nice looking penny whistle.
Have not been able to track down the artist or date of the statue (yet).
Story:
When I was a Child of seven Years old, my Friends, on a Holiday fill’d my little Pockets with Halfpence. I went directly to a Shop where they sold Toys for Children; and being charm’d with the Sound of a Whistle that I met by the way, in the hands of another Boy, I voluntarily offer’d and gave all my Money for it. When I came home, whistling all over the House, much pleas’d with my Whistle, but disturbing all the Family, my Brothers, Sisters & Cousins, understanding the Bargain I had made, told me I had given four times as much for it as it was worth, put me in mind what good Things I might have bought with the rest of the Money, & laught at me so much for my Folly, that I cri’d with Vexation; and the Reflection gave me more Chagrin than the Whistle gave me Pleasure.
This however was afterward of use to me, the Impression continuing on my Mind; so that often, when I was tempted to buy some unnecessary thing, I said to myself, Do not give too much for the Whistle; and I sav’d my Money.
Benjamin Franklin
The Whistle (1779) An excerpt from a letter to Madame Brillon.
the Statue:
“Franklin and his Whistle”
Here endeth the lesson in American history and philosophy.
JVF
OK, I’m going to reveal my complete ignorance of whistle history. I recall hearing that the penny whistle was invented by Clarke in the 1800’s. If this is the case, what whistle did Old Ben purchase in his childhood, presumably in the early 1700’s? Fipple flutes are the oldest known musical insturments, so I’m sure a whistle existed but what was it like? What was it made of? Thanks in advance.
It isn’t. Clarke produced the first factory-made whistles, but not the first whistles. The word “penny whistle” dates back at least as far as 1730. “Tin-whistle” also predates Clarke’s business. There’s a whistle in the Museum of Scotland with six finger holes dating back to the 14th or 15th century. There are older whistles, as well, although they may be tabor pipes.
I’m presently looking for authoritative references on pre-Clarke whistles, if anyone happens to know of anything…
In 1996 a Neanderthal bone flute was found in a cave in Slovenia and was dated to be between 43,000 and 82,000 years old. Professor Atema of Boston university made a working copy and concluded it was a fipple flute (whistle).
There is a picture of the flute in Grey Larsen’s book “The essential guide to Irish flute and tin whistle”.
According to Fintan Vallely’s Companion to Irish Traditional Music, whistles made of tin also predate Clarke by 20 years or so. He doesn’t give a source.
I saw another article analyzing this particular flute (I cannot find the link just now). That article concluded the Neaderthal flute played in a major key. Apparently our concept of pleasant sounding tones goes back at least as far as the whistle.
