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Description: | Billy CONROY, was born in 1904, at Crawcrook in Co. Durham. He started working in the pits at the age of 14, first at hauling below ground, and then pony-driving (known as 'putting'), coal-cutting and coal-filling. His father came from Cumberland and his mother from Durham.Best known as a whistle player, here we see him playing the jaws harp. Found throughout much of the world from New Guinea to Spain, the Jaws' Harp (or alternatively Jew's Harp) is not a harp at all and it has no historic association with Jewish traditions. Technically categorized as 'plucked idiophones', these instruments are made from bamboo or more commonly from forged metal (usually iron, sometimes silver). They have a thin frame with either a rectangular, onion/lyre or elongated shape. One end of the frame is closed, the other end left open. Attached to the closed end is a single key or tongue which you pluck with your finger. Usually made from the same material as the frame, it produces a buzzing tone of surprising variety! Holding the closed end in your mouth, you can make different pitches and sounds by changing the size and shape of your mouth which acts as a natural resonating chamber.There is remarkable mystery and myth surrounding these unassuming instruments. In New Guinea, it is used as a traditional ceremonial instrument, often played exclusively by men at religious events. Among certain Asian communities, it has been used to serenade loved ones; when left as a gift it might be considered a proposal of marriage. In Austria during the early 19th century, silver jaws harps or 'maultrommel' were reportedly banned by authorities who considered them instruments of seduction. One can only wonder at Billy's intentions as witnessed through this captivating photo. ; A collection of photographs of North-East composers, musicians and performers taken by musician Johnny Handle in the 1970s and 1980s. ; | Publisher: | Crawcrook, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear | Rights holder: | rights holder : Handle, Johnny | Subjects: | musicians & musical instruments | Temporal: | start=1970;end=1980; | Source: | Folk Archive Resource North East | Identifier: | farne:J0000002 | Go to resource |
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