Melody Bowl in Birch

Description

Melody Bowls in this 12-string size are the bards of the Sounding Bowl world. Light-weight and easy to hold up while performing, with a good vocal range.

This example, in Birch, is extremely rare and the last one I am likely to see in my lifetime. Birch trees usually hollow out from heart-rot before they grow large enough for 12-string bowls. Birch has a particularly emotional sound, affecting people more deeply even than your usual Sounding Bowl. This may be due to Venus being the over-lighting pattern-giver for Birch trees.
Tuned from F3 to C4 and the sound sample below is in the A, the Aeolian mode. The Pentatonic sound sample is an ancient scale from Hebridean work music. Such scales were used by Tweed weavers’ work songs right up into the 1990s.

Smaller than standard, making it ideal for those without the long arms required for the usual 12 string bowl, the ‘ball’ style tuning pegs accommodate closer-fitted strings. Made by Wilfred Pinson in the Devon Workshop that Sounding Bowls originated from, this bowl holds it’s tuning well and comes in a birch-bark-grey hard-case with a soft-cushioned red velour lining, complete with tuning handle and auto-tuner.

This one is now sold. It is exceeding rare to find Birch large enough for a 12 string bowl. in 2022 we did acquire a single tree from which two more of this size can be made. These pieces are presently settling in our settling-room.

Due to the rarity of Birch in this size, and the deep-feeling effect of bowls in this wood, we are designating this piece as a  “Cathedral Bowl.“   We developed this category for outstanding pieces because not all trees develop tone-wood.  Even then, not all cuts produce the finest harmonies.  Certain pieces of certain trees sing-out in ways that others can merely dream of.  Occasionally a tree comes our way that offers a few pieces of truly outstanding harmonics. This would b one. Patterns in the wood point our way, careful cuts lead us in. Final sorting reveals potential. Experienced making brings out the very best. This is one of those that offers such a huge, harmonic resonance that we call them Cathedral Bowls.