Despite all the fear and rumours about the armonica, Franklin wasn’t affected and continued to play the instrument until his death in 1790. “Franklin himself ignored all the controversy and continued to play the instrument until the end of his life with none of the symptoms mentioned,” the Franklin Institute explained, as quoted by UNILAD. By then, thousands of armonicas had been made, but by the 1830s, public interest had faded.
The instrument gradually disappeared from mainstream music, overshadowed by newer inventions and wrapped in layers of mystery and myth. Today, the glass armonica survives in small, devoted circles of musicians who continue to preserve its unique and haunting beauty.
Disclaimer: The claims and stories surrounding the glass armonica, including its reported psychological effects and alleged links to death, are drawn from historical accounts, public beliefs, and folklore. While they are widely shared, their accuracy is still debated. This article presents them as part of the historical and cultural narrative, not as verified facts.
