Sigma Alpha Iota

33 sai-national.org | Fall 2026 globe, rostrum, key, bell, and pewter plate. When held, each object first gives its characteristic sound and then plays related music. For example: The candlestick emits the sound of lighting a match and a crackling flame. The hand bell represents the daily chimes of St. Thomas Church that structured Bach's day. The key is a reminder of unlocking cupboards that stored sheet music. The snuff box coincides with the song "Whenever I smoke my tobacco pipe" BWV 515. Especially clever and engaging was hearing a motif from The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080, Contrepunctus 1 with its musical twists and turns as Erwin turned the coffee grinder's handle back and forth. His joy during his short performance made me smile. Downstairs, a guard unlocked a door to a storage area. Inside was a white wooden droshkey. Periodically, this smaller replica of a traditional horse-drawn carriage with four wheels has been used to attract visitors. Pushing the vehicle forward, it played Bach's music as written, while pulling backward, it played the composition in reverse. Interestingly, both ways sounded similar! The Staches take similar battery-powered droshkeys to outdoor festivals where individual drivers compete on a pre- determined course around the area. The speed limits are Largo, Andante, Allegro, Maestoso, Vivace, and Presto! We drove to the Schumann-Haus. In one room were two right- hand models of the large hand of 51-year-old Clara Schumann. The original one was made of plaster; Stache's newer one installed in 2019 was made of linden. I was startled when I touched it and heard music. Immediately I saw and read the instructions: "You may touch Clara's hand—carefully, gently or tenderly. You can play notes on the piano with Clara's fingers and make entire piano works sound by touching the back of her hand. Just stroke the hand or tap lightly on the fingers to play Clara's works in your own individual way." Erwin happily demonstrated this creation's many possibilities: touching fingernails, patting the dorsal, and rubbing fingers of her hand to hear Clara's and other compositions. He explained how any user can add melodic tones and chords and thus combine classical and contemporary music. He even made her hand sound like a real piano. Erwin wants to counteract negative opinions about classical music. Rather than use traditional instruments in his designs, he incorporates modern objects, enabling non-musicians to get a feeling about creating music. His works emphasize childlike playfulness. Stache's instruments are out of the ordinary. With interest, I noted how the two he brought made music. To play his kilo ohm, a circuit with at least two contacts must be made. When Benjamin touched his father's hand, the current flowed through, enabling fingers to play the instrument. The more fingers used, the faster the tempo. This tactile experience provides an opportunity to engage in music making without learning a traditional instrument. The kilo ohm can be played by anyone. In several German cities, larger kilo ohm sound islands on platforms— as well as interactive bicycle stands—are permanent fixtures. By pushing a button of the other unusual instrument, a guitar made from an accordion wall hanger, sounds switched, lights changing color as angles increased or decreased. Erwin told me, "I want these things to work on the most basic level but there is more to discover beyond this." Certainly a beginner would enjoy such a novel debut as I, a longtime musician, did. Unquestionably, there will be more Stache creations in other museums and art installations in public spaces in the future, and I look forward to interacting with all of them! AWORLDOFMUSIC Jayne I. Hanlin is an initiate of Alpha Omicron and current member of the St. Louis Alumnae chapter. Mrs. Hanlin, the sister of famed pianist Malcolm Frager, is the co-author of Learning Latin Through Mythology (Cambridge University Press, 1991). For more information, some available in English: https://www.erwinstache.de/ Exhibit features: https://www.schumannhaus.de/en/new-exhibition Virtual exhibit: https://bit.ly/4hzzH28 Atoner YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ensembleatonor Erwin Stache demonstrates a station of objects connected to Bach compositions.

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