Whilst researching antiquated and unusual instruments for this strip, I found many different shapes, sizes and purposes, with one common thread: medieval music sounds terrible. YMMV, but them’s my deductions!
I also found a few lovely quotes, such as this one from Berlioz regarding the serpent:
The essentially barbaric timbre of this instrument would have been far more appropriate to the ceremonies of the bloody cult of the Druids than to those of the Catholic religion. There is only one exception to be made – the case where the Serpent is employed in the Masses for the Dead, to reinforce the terrible plainsong of the Dies Irae. Then, no doubt, its cold and abominable howling is in place.
The shofar, in addition to being used on high holy days, was mentioned in the Biblical era quite a bit:
Its blast destroyed the walls of Jericho, and in the Dead Sea scrolls we read that during battles shofar blowers sounded a powerful war cry to instill fear into the hearts of the enemy while priests blew the six trumpets of killing.
And you thought the serpent was badass.
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