The New York herald., 1874-08-19

not only to play by electricity but also to~empioy
this agent to
READ THE VERY NOTES
from the printed sheet; and tins they have noe'
only succeeeed in accomplishing. but have demon
strated Its entire feasibility and practical working
In the pioneer instrument which have inspected
and 10 whose performance have listened.
THE MUSIC
is printed on sheets or rolls OF paper by the pro-
cess which printers use for illuminated work, the
notes, instead OF being in ink, appearing In gilt
marks such as are frequently seen in fancy cards,
circulars, &c. Being metal these notes are con-
ductors. and are distinguished by the electric cur
rent from the parer, which is non-cOnductor.
ana are thus read on with the certainty and
rapidity which characterize the movements OF this
most subtle and dexterous force.
THE READING APPARATUS
consists Of dimnutive metallic Fingers, set closely
together. SO as to occupy little space. The music
sheet moves gently under these fingers, electric
connection being made as the gilt notes pass
them.
series OF wires connect the reading apparatus
with the performing parts, ana thus the different
notes on the music sheet are teegraphed to the
different parts OF the instrument
most surprising part OF the invention is that
a small battery, Of the size of single half pint
table glass, is sufficient to operate the whole in
strument.
the pioneer instrument which have seen con-
ssts, as far as now completed OF an organ OF four
teen stops and drum corps OF a bass and tenor
drum, cymbals triangies and bells; the parts yet
to be finished being the violin corps and the piano.
forte. The finished parts represent the wind pieces
Of an orchestra from the horns TO the utes. Their
performance Is extremely accurate and the time
well kept; their tone Is very full distinct and pow
erlul. point Of special remarK Is the vgor OF the
horn music, 80 different from the dr0wsiness OF
that class Of instruments as inserted in organs In
Strauss autograph watzes one Of the selections
which l heard played, these instruments were
brought out In the horn passages with specially
fine effect, braying with the vigor OF brass band.
The drum corps also was remarkably well ham
died, q most interesting feature being the differ
ence IN the force OF che blows struck according as
! the accent was desired to be loud or soft. This
was especially apparent in the cymbais, which
clash and again were barely tipped together, the
gradatlons being represented to the electricity by
differences IN the shape OF the notes upon the mu'
! sic sheet.
In addition TO the printed sheet music the elec-
pSy pece by Be
done by simply cutting holes in sheet OF paper,
where the notes s Should ee and placing metallic
when such holes pass under them, fall through
and touch upon the plate, which answers the pur-
manner any piece of music can Be easily prepared
by hand, facility Of practical value to musician
leisure the music he wishes to play, studying the
effect OF each passage and altering and improving
ss s' moe be-
as at present, to what can be performed by ten
fingers ana the pedals, but can contain any num-
Der OF notes.
Tue gilt or printed sheet music may be produced
with all the facilities offered by the press for in
electricity into every parior as the automatic per-
former ofour household music. 1t saves not only
the 11s the Sas and ns aSo5
ana Better music than csn 0fs os aone % By
ana ad Il in Tsaa ever
persons can buy sheet music, which will play their
pianos for them at sight and without their assist
played by patient and diligent practice, the value
OF electricity as household musician will be fully
those @ luxuries which we cannot 90 without. WV V
Besides the automatic reader, the instrument Is
also provided with double bank keyboard ior
mechanical connection with the instrument, but Is
simply an electric attachment. Each key, on be-
ing depressed, makes an electric connection, and
current is thereby transmitted to the proper
else than this Keyboard. and were the employment
OF electricity limited to the organ alone instead OF
Of MUSICAL instruments, the advantages Of the
electrical over the mechanical action are SO mani
toic and radical that they would compel It's adop-
In the first place the touch Is light easy, superb.
The performer does not have to open the valves
the pallet springs BY the force of muscular effort.
! He simply has to depress the keys until he makes
an electric contact the rest he leaves TO the elec-
/ tricty No matter what the size OF the lnstru-
ment, no matter how great the wind pressure nor
! how many keyboards and Octsves aud super oc-
| taves are coupled together nor how many stops
are drawn, the resistance on the keys does not in-
crease feathers weight. The iui peal Of the
! most powerful instrument may be drawn by the
! gentle pressure OF lady's hand.
Again, there Is an almost unlimited power OF
liV lhlv In nj
Not key moves except those directly played upon,
and yet organ may be coupled to organ and octave
| to octave rs many as may be desired.
The Keyboard can be placed at any distance from
| the instrument, which 10 point OF advantage to
ter Of the style and effect OF his own playing Be-
sides this, the separation OF the Keyboard from
the instrument Itself would enable the latter
TO be placed In such position in building as will
best conform TO the architectural design and the
laws OF resonance, while the performer can have
his desk situated in any convenient place. as. for
instance, facing the congregation in church or
among the musicians in concert room or theatre.
The drawstops can be worked at pleasure without
taking the hands rom the Keyboard. This Is done
by means OF pedal which can call out or in any
or all the stops at the pleasure OF the player. The
particular stop stops desired are indicated to
the electricity by taps Of the foot, differing for
each stop and easily learned, so that the player
be changing his stops continually during the per-
formance without interrupting the music IN the
least. This pedal may also act as real swell by
calling out stop after stop in succession. in the
order OF their lOudness and just as slowly, or as
rapidly as the player may indicate, and 1t can turn
them of in the same way as slgnaed by the move
ments OF the foot. This pedal gives the player the
most unlimited control over the instrument
Finally, that great desideratum ever heretofore
totally unattainable in the organ-namey, accent,
can be obtained by electricity. The player by .
light pressure upon the keys, obtains light and
soft tone, by irmer touch the tone correspond
ingly increases in strength, until under his heav-
lest pressure, the music comes out with powerful
force.
lie can also accent any individual note in q
chord. without affecting the. others, by. simply
niynh rda trnHE Enu In hf0 ~
POSITION, may be made prominent at pleasure
above the other parts, as In an orchestra and the
music entirely loses that sameness of tone which
Is characteristic Of the unaccenting or mechanical
organ.
These great and radical advantages Of the eiec-
trc keyboard would alone be sufficient to cause its
universal adoption, even were they unaocompanied
py tne music reaqing powers OF eiecIrlcity.
striking example OF what perseverance,, accom-
panied by well directed and intelligent effort can