ORCID

Abstract

The bar El Nou Trull in La Garriga (Catalonia) is decorated with an agricultural theme – decorative objects found here include two olive oil presses, baskets and bottles. The decoration also features instruments, presumably intended to convey a rural feeling. The choice of instruments is peculiar, from a balalaika and drums to a cymbal and a metronome (!). I could not help wondering: what function do these decorative instruments play in the bar?We may assume that instruments are defined by their sound and that their function is determined by their sounding, the musicians that have owned them, and the performance settings in which they have been heard. However, many instruments fulfil a different, non-sounding function: being used as decoration in bars, pubs and restaurants. I am fascinated by the idea that an instrument’s use may change from sounding and functional to non-sounding while they may still be functional, to become entirely decorative.

Publication Date

2023-10-29

Publication Title

Sonograma

Volume

60

ISSN

1989-1938

Download

Share

COinS