[Harp-L] Re: Trivia Question

[thurgood@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Fifteen-twenty years ago I knew a woman who had taught in a Hutterite colony in 
western Canada - she said she had been hired at least in part because she 
played the harmonica, and explained that it was the only musical instrument 
allowed in Hutterite colonies; she didn't say why.  I assumed it was because 
it's such a humble little instrument, and because it's German in origin.

Perhaps the Hutterites et al originally used it as a pitch pipe, to aid their 
singing ...

- thurg
> 
> Message: 11
> Date: Sat, 11 Jun 2005 20:22:37 -0400
> From: Bobbie Giordano <bogio@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Harp-L] Re: Trivia Question [Amish Harps]
> To: Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
> Message-ID: <3.0.32.20050611202235.00afc8b0@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> Doyle asked:
> >Do any of you all know what is the only musical instrument that a "true"
> >Amishman is allowed to play, acording to their "church rules"?
> 
> Cara said:
> Ok. I am curious, Doyle. Why the harmonica only?
> <...>
> >I can guess that the latter three were not terribly portable, the 
> >last one having to be built on location, but the other three are 
> >very portable. And, in Europe, the pipe organ was the only 
> >instrument allowed in church for a very long time. So now you have 
> >made me very curious.
> 
> Doyle and Cara,
> Apparently, it depends on the particular sect of Amish, Mennonite, etc.
> which
> dictates whether or not musical instruments are allowed.  One website flatly
>