Knochenklang – Sounds from the Stone Age

As we know from several finds, cave-paintings and ethnological sources, there is no doubt that music was part of Palaeolithic life. One of the most recent examples is a 19.000 years old flute made out of a reindeer’s tibia, which was found at the site of Grubgraben near Kammern (Lower Austria). It is also the only Austrian artifact, which can be regarded with certainty as a flute. From the same site we also know small flute made from the middle phalanx of a reindeer. Probably of Palaeolithic age, but not proved, is a flute found at the Gudenus-cave near Hartenstein (Lower Austria), whose construction type resembles already modern instruments. Also included is a flute made of a swan’s bone, recently found within the Younger Palaeolithic layers of the Geißenklösterle in Germany. Only profound reconstruction made it possible to test the throughout fragmented finds on their musical potential and if they were playable at all. On this CD you can hear the original sound of a phalanx-flute and the flute from the Gudenus-cave as well as the reconstructions of the flutes from the Grubgraben and from the Geißenklösterle. Rattles, drums and other percussions, the primary elements of human music, function as accompanying instruments. All compositions and arrangements are hypothetical and result from the very own features and potential of each single object aiming to produce a possible Palaeolithic sound. The repertoire is not proved but just joyful speculation.