Sachs, Curt

Curt Sachs (German: [zaks]; 29 June 1881 – 5 February 1959) was a German musicologist. He was one of the founders of modern organology (the study of musical instruments). Among his contributions was the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which he created with Erich von Hornbostel.

Hornbostel–Sachs or Sachs–Hornbostel is a system of musical instrument classification devised by Erich Moritz von Hornbostel and Curt Sachs, and first published in the Zeitschrift für Ethnologie in 1914. An English translation was published in the Galpin Society Journal in 1961.

The idea was originally conceived by the Hindus in the 1st century B.C. They created four main groups, vibrating strings, vibrating air columns, percussion instruments made of wood or metal and percussion instruments made with skin heads.

The Hornbostel–Sachs system categorizes musical instruments by how they make sound. It divides instruments into five groups: idiophones, membranophones, chordophones, aerophones, and electrophones. A number of instruments also exist outside the five main classes.

Curt Sachs then devoted himself to musicology, specializing in the history of musical instruments. In 1919 he became director of Berlin's Staatliche Instrumenten Sammlung. He also taught at the University of Berlin, the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik, and the Akademie für Kirchen- und Schulmusik.

Along with his brother William, John is the adopted son of Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs. He also has a half-sister Kate.

Under the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, aerophones are broken down into free aerophones and non-free aerophones. Free aerophones are instruments where the vibrating air is not confined to the inside of the instrument itself (eg. accordions and pitch pipes).

Hornbostel Name Meaning North German: habitational name from a place so called near Celle.

Among ethnomusicologists, it is the most widely used system for classifying musical instruments. Instruments are classified using 5 different categories depending on the manner in which the instrument creates the sound: Idiophones, Membranophones, Chordophones, Aerophones, & Electrophones.

Orchestra Instrument Families: Strings, Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion | Oregon Symphony.

Under the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, aerophones are broken down into free aerophones and non-free aerophones. Free aerophones are instruments where the vibrating air is not confined to the inside of the instrument itself (eg. accordions and pitch pipes).

Among ethnomusicologists, it is the most widely used system for classifying musical instruments. Instruments are classified using 5 different categories depending on the manner in which the instrument creates the sound: Idiophones, Membranophones, Chordophones, Aerophones, & Electrophones.