Pyrophone

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A pyrophone, possibly the one constructed by Kastner, as illustrated in an 1890 science handbook.

A pyrophone, also known as a "fire/explosion organ" or "fire/explosion calliope" is a musical instrument in which notes are sounded by explosions, or similar forms of rapid combustion, rapid heating, or the like.

[edit] Related musical instruments

The pyrophone is similar to the steam calliope, but the difference is that in the calliope the combustion is external to the resonant cavity, whereas the pyrophone is an internal combustion instrument.

[edit] Pyrophone history

Pyrophones originated in the 1700s and 1800s.

[edit] Pyrophone fuel sources

Pyrophones are usually powered by propane, but gasoline powered mobile units have been built, to connect to automobile fuel intake manifolds and use the spark plugs and wiring, etc., to detonate one or more of the chambers. Hydrogen pyrophones are often made using upside-down glass test tubes as the combustion chambers.

[edit] References

Les Flammes Chantantes, Georges Fredric Eugene Kastner, 1875.

[edit] External links

[edit] Video

• Pyrophone video

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