Walden Ocarina Music

The musical sweet potato was invented by Mr. Giuseppi Donati. He named it ocarina which means little goose in Italian, but also sounds like acarina, which is a class of animals that includes mites and ticks.

It is essentially like a clay birdcall, but has been designed so that it can produce more notes. It has a similar range to the recorder.

Forerunners of the sweet potato ocarina include the clay birdcalls and whistles of ancient Mexico, Central, and South America, as well as the gemshorn of Renaissance Europe. The xun of ancient China was a similar instrument, but it lacked a whistle mouthpiece.

The sweet potato has been used on stage in a wide variety of musical styles from old-time country, to rock 'n' roll, to jazz, to classical, and even western swing!

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