Above: Flower of Life TerraPan.
When PANArt’s Felix Rohner developed the original Hang in Switzerland, he attempted to place it within international, big box, retail stores. However, that short-lived tactic was quickly replaced by a much more intriguing sales ritual.
Musicians who felt the call to own a Hang had to write a letter to Felix. He would then personally select which individuals were deemed “worthy” of owning an instrument; however, he would not ship to them.
Instead, the individuals made travel arrangements to collect their instruments in person. They also used intuition to select their specific Hang upon arrival. The idea was that there would be some form of shared resonance between the people and their instruments, drawing them together as though by magic.
While I don’t take that outlook as far as Felix did, I do recognize there’s something special about the roles synchronicity and chance play in matching people to their pans. I also like to consider options and to exercise choice. I suggest that anyone interested in acquiring a TerraPan select a tuning and then remain open-minded as we discuss availability.
TerraPans come in a variety of tunings. However, our most popular are D Aeolian “Gloria” and C# Aeolian “Maher.”
In 2019, artist Kelly Ritchey produced this wonderful video of the D Aeolian Gloria. Meanwhile, Sam Maher’s subway video is the iconic example of the C#.
Each tuning is a natural minor, hence the word “Aeolian.” Each also blends well with other instruments and produces a diverse range of sounds.
In my opinion, the C# is a bit bright, while the D bridges the divide between the feeling of roots and the feeling of wings. In keeping with this idea, variations of D are used to play the Icaros, or medicines songs, during indigenous plant medicine ceremonies.
Presently, I have some C#s, Ds and variations of E and F available for reservation at a reduced rate. I’m honored to match these pans with their owners. If you are interested, please email kelli@terratonz.com or kellilynngrey@gmail.com. There are some known issues with the website; however, I will remain available via gmail even after all pans are housed.
Even after the last TerraPans have sold, there will also be talented tuners available to provide ongoing care for your instruments. Rob will offer retunings in the USA, and tuners often set up pop-up shops at festivals around the world. I will be happy to provide recommendations as needed. I’m also interested to see where my ongoing relationship with sacred sound leads. I welcome you to share your suggestions and contributions to this art with me.
In some ways, I feel TerraTonz is actually a seed. While the path to pan closes, there is space for new ideas to grow.