Maumee City express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1838-184?, 1840-01-04
For the Maumee City Express.

HE llAhmONlol. .-Mls uUpuiij tbc IN
gcnous inventor of this new instrument,
is well known to the citizens of Perrysburg
ard Maumce, rs manufacturer of the Sc
raphine. When this instrument was first
introduced in America, he discovered that
the effect of the base notes in drowning the
treble, might be successfully obviated, and
all the notes struck at the same time, be
made to produce a clear, distinct and full
expression of sound, by substituting pipes
for plates, and so constructing the wind
chest, that each note should be supplied with
separate reservoir for the reception of air.
On this principle he has made several Of
these inst ruments within the past six years,
of surprising compass and sweetness. As
proof of the high estimation in which
they are held, need only advert to the
facts, that several of our citizens have pur-
chased them in preference to the piano, or
quarter organ, and they have been substitu-
ted for the organ in two of the churches Of
Maumee City.
During the past two months, Mr.. Tap
pan has been engaged in the construction
of an instrument Of his own invention, up
on the Seraphine principle. This is now
completed, and i! is feeble praise to say of
it, that it has more than answered the ex-
pectations OF the inventor, and elfectually
si!enccd the busy tongue Of incredullty.
This instrument, which is appropriately
named the Harmonist, is sixteen inches by
eleven square, and nine inches in height;
containing by cubic measurement one hun
dred and forty y-four inches less than single
foot. The notes, beginning with the dou-
BILE G, and including semi-tones, are fifty.
four in number. A double ivory key board
q runs from end to end along the centre of the
lid, the keys OF the base and treble, ranging
pcrpendiculary, directly opposite each 9th
er, with an arrangement Of the semi-tone
Q similar to that Of the organ. This key
: board is so narrow, that the performer cal
a manage the notes of the base and trebl,
with one hand, with perfect freedom.
The bellows is divided into two reser
: voirs of equal size, each of which is sup
l. piled with an aperture for the discharge o
q air into the wind chest. The valves b,
which these apertures are protected obe,
: the movement of the bellows rod in such
/ manner that the different reservoirs of tn,
e bellows are filed and discharged alternately
is BY this means the bellows is constantly in
fated, and a continual current of air is is
= suing into the wind chest. The bellows i
6 SO constructed that full or fain. expression
may be produced by the management of tn
rod attached to it. This obvlates the ne
cessity Of striking the keys, as upon tn
organ or seraphinc, in order to produce
succession of heavy sounds upon the sam
letter. The instrument is played with TIL
left hand, like the accordon:. but the bel
lows is much easier Of management, tha
I that of this litter instrument, which bear
o no resemblance to the Harmonist, excep
in the arrangement of It's keys. The Who'll
=. instrument weighs but fourteen pounds.
could wish, fer the sake of the inven
l. tor Of the Harmonist, that the newspape
ID press was employed less often as a vehicl
: of imposture, for I can readily conceiv
that the foregoing description, communca
> ted to the public through this mediam, wi
y not obtain very general credence, eve
" among musicians. TIE idea that the ful
e solemn notes Of tine quarter organ, in a
their extent, variety and richness, can b
produced by an instrument which a ma
lie holds in his lap, seems incredible, and te
,r years ago would have been secuted at q
|, ridiculous. can hardly suppose, indeet
~ that such an assertion made, even now,
y any instrument constructed upon the sert
" phlne order, will meet with very easy cu
~ rcucy among musicians, for the reason thu
the French, who first invented this order ,
music. Of some five or six different instrt
in ments, have failed to construct one, upo
of which perfect execution can be done
,r playing the simplest piece. The Accord