Hornbostel–Sachs
Also known as: Sachs–Hornbostel · Hornbostel-Sachs
- 1The system was created by Erich Moritz von Hornbostel and Curt Sachs.
- 2It was first published in 1914 in the journal Zeitschrift für Ethnologie.
- 3The 1961 English translation facilitated its widespread adoption in global musicology.
- 4The system was updated in 2011 by the MIMO Project to maintain its utility.
- 5It serves as the primary classification tool for organologists and ethnomusicologists.
Hornbostel–Sachs or Sachs–Hornbostel is a system of musical instrument classification devised by Erich Moritz von Hornbostel and Curt Sachs.
Connections1
defines the classification system for the lyre
This systematic classification scheme categorizes the lyre as a chordophone, providing the technical framework for understanding its acoustic properties and construction.
The Hornbostel–Sachs system is a comprehensive framework for the classification of musical instruments. Devised by Erich Moritz von Hornbostel and Curt Sachs, it was first introduced to the academic community in 1914 through the journal Zeitschrift für Ethnologie.
A picture of a modern glockenspielWikimedia Commons: File:Glockenspiel-malletech.jpgThe Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra, in which the first four main classes of musical instruments according to Hornbostel and Sachs are represented.Wikimedia Commons: File:Orquesta_Filarmonica_de_Jalisco.jpg This system remains the standard methodology for ethnomusicologists and organologists worldwide. Its utility was further solidified by an English translation published in 1961. In 2011, the system underwent updates as part of the Musical Instrument Museums Online (MIMO) Project, ensuring its continued relevance in the digital age.