Why is it called ocarina? The story behind the egg-shaped flute

As a fellow music enthusiast, I‘m delighted to share more on the ocarina – one of my favorite instruments! Let‘s dive deeper into the curious history and origins behind this charming "little goose".

Ancient whistle ancestors

Long before Giuseppe Donati invented the ocarina in 19th century Italy, ancient peoples worldwide experimented with making simple ceramic whistles and flutes. Primitive ocarina-like instruments have been uncovered across Europe, Asia, Mesoamerica and South America dating back over 12,000 years.

The oldest known ocarina-type artifact was discovered in China‘s Xianrendong cave and is estimated to be up to 13,000 years old! Other very old wind instruments were made by indigenous tribes using clay, wood, bone or stone including:

• The 1830s BC whistle bottle jug found in Egypt‘s Pharaoh Tutankhamun‘s tomb

• The 600-900 AD Pendant flutes made by the Maya civilization in Mesoamerica

• The pre-Inca Antara panpipes crafted from bones or reeds 1300-1500 AD

These early whistles typically had just 2 to 6 simple finger holes that allowed playing a few basic notes and melodies. They produced a primitive flute-like sound when blown into – from haunting to chirpy bird-like tones! Already our ancestors were charmed by this little instrument.

The Italian goose is born!

But we have Italian teenager Giuseppe Donati to thank for shaping the more advanced ocarina we know today. As the legend goes, in 1853 the 17-year-old Donati from Budrio, Italy took a simple ceramic boat-shaped whistle and transformed it.

He experimented with the form and added more finger holes until arriving at an oval, egg-like shape about 8 centimeters long. His new 10-hole flute could play a full chromatic scale over one octave!

Donati called his invention the "ocarina" meaning little goose in Italian after its rounded bulbous body resembling a goose egg. He began sharing his ocarina with musician friends and forming groups to play this hot new instrument!

The ocarina quickly caught on across Italy in the 1850s-1860s. Its sweet flute-like tone and compact size made it the world‘s first easily portable wind instrument. Soon ocarinas were being produced commercially in Donati‘s town of Budrio – some even decorated with beautiful painted scenes.

Acoustics of an egg

But why the egg shape that gives the ocarina its signature sound? The rounded, hollow ocarina body acts as an acoustic resonance chamber. When air is blown in through the mouthpiece, it hits the inner chamber and creates vibrations and sound waves.

The smooth tapered walls focus and amplify the sound vibrations as they ricochet around internally. This makes the ocarina act like a natural amplifier giving it that clear, pure flute-like tone from a compact palm-sized instrument. The enclosed hollow within also produces the echoing, haunting effect.

Ocarina varieties

Modern ocarinas come in many varieties but are usually made from ceramic, plastic or wood. The most common types are:

• Soprano – highest pitch, often C5 to C6

• Alto – mid-range, often G4 to C6

• Tenor – lower register, often C4 to C5

• Bass – lowest pitch, often C3 to C4

Besides varying pitches, shapes affect the tone too. Rounder shapes give a smoother sound while elongated forms add an earthier almost wooden "flutey" tone. The material also influences the resonance.

Playing tips from an ocarina fan

As a casual ocarina player myself, I‘d highly recommend it for any music lover! Here are some tips if you‘re tempted to try this satisfying instrument:

• Start with a simple 10-hole C major diatonic ocarina in your desired pitch range. Alto or soprano are most flexible. Plastic is affordable but ceramic gives the nicest sound.

• Learn the basic fingering positions – it‘s similar to a recorder. Keep practicing transitions between notes and breath control.

• Use a songbook or online tabs to build up a repertoire of easy tunes you enjoy – from Zelda and Mario themes to pop songs!

• Once comfortable with single notes, try blowing harder to hit higher harmonics for more diverse range.

• Explore advanced techniques like partial hole-covering for quarter tones, breath articulation, vibrato and overblowing to play in different modes.

The ocarina goes mainstream

While a cult favorite in niche circles, the ocarina exploded onto the mainstream thanks to Nintendo‘s Legend of Zelda video game series. In 1998‘s Ocarina of Time for Nintendo 64, the elfish hero Link wields the epic Ocarina of Time to travel across eras and complete his quest.

This instantly made the ocarina a hit with millions of gamers worldwide. Many players were inspired to take up the real world ocarina after being mesmerized by Link‘s mystical ocarina melodies in the game. Sales of real ocarinas skyrocketed thanks to Zelda‘s influence.

Since then, the ocarina has appeared in other popular games like Minecraft and Terraria further cementing its place as the go-to video game flute! This pop culture presence has ensured the ocarina continues capturing new fans.

Virtuosic performers

While traditionally an amateur folk instrument, in recent decades the ocarina has gained recognition as a legitimate classical instrument thanks to virtuoso performers.

Some prominent ocarina musicians include:

• Giuseppe Zampini – founder of the Budrio Ocarina School teaching new ocarina performance techniques

• Stefania Belotti – renowned soloist performing across Europe and South America

• David Erick Ramos – founding member of ocarina quartet Savaresa pushing multi-part arrangements

• Lisa Jelle – specialist in adapating non-classical genres like pop and rock to the ocarina through her band STLOcarina

These ocarina champions and others are creating breath-taking new music that reveals the versatility of this tiny egg-shaped flute. Concertos, quartets and original compositions are showing the world the ocarina is a serious musical force.

Ocarina communities

Thanks to the internet, online communities have sprung up connecting ocarina players globally:

• Ocarina Network – Active discussion forums and advice for all levels

• Ocarina Wind – News, reviews and events from the ocarina world

• STS (Society of Ocarina Players) – Resources for advanced and professional players

Through these groups, enthusiasts share tips, music transcriptions, techniques and more. I‘ve found many festivals and meetups through these networks over the years. The global ocarina community is thriving!

Donati‘s legacy

Young Guiseppe Donati could never have imagined that his simple ceramic "goose egg" would still be charming music fans over 150 years later!

From ancient primitive whistles to today‘s rich ocarina culture, it shows how innovators stand on the shoulders of those before. I wonder what improvements could come in the next 150 years building on generations of ocarina development? What would modern masters like Zampini think if they saw ocarinas in 2270?

For now, I‘ll keep enjoying playing my own 12-hole Focalink alto on rooftop evenings. There‘s something magical about the ocarina‘s haunting voice carrying on the breeze under the stars. Thanks for the gift, Guiseppe Donati!

So I hope you‘ve discovered a new appreciation for the ocarina and its delightful history. Let me know in the comments if you feel tempted to get your own ocarina. Trust me, it‘s a joy anyone can pick up. Play on!