Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-08-26
Miscellany.
PianO.FOrtes.


The invention of the piano-forte is
claimed by the French, Germans, 1tal-
ians and English, and there are numer-
GUS authentic facts on record in the
history of each nation which are sup
posed to establish their claim to the
real invention. A little research into
the merits of these respective claims is
OF interest to all and perhaps will en-
able us to settle into a final decision.
According to all historians the 1tal-
ians are shamefully neglectful OF their
inventions, and allow the glory of native
merit to be assumed by foreigners. This
arises from the disposition of the peo-
pie, which lacks the energy Of the north
erner, and displays rather the slothful-
ness peculiar to the southern nations.
Upon the other hand the obstinacy of
the German mind refuses to grant that
what has once been attained by them
may be but the reproduction of a pre-
vious invention. The French accept
any fact, if once stated on moderately
reliable authority, and perpetuate even
fallacy with clear conscience. Eng
lishmen refuse to be moved from the
national rut which runs into the deci-
sion that nothing was ever invented
outside of their land, and like the trav-
eler who wrote while in England that
he "dared not leave his hotel open at
night for fear of falling overheard" +"
that nation refuses to look beyond its
own domain for fear of being swamped
in unanswerable facts.
In the yea r171S Bartolemmeo Cristo-
fall, of Padua, made the first improve
ment in the harpsichord and produced
what is now known as the piano-forte
in crude form. He arranged the strings
SO as to be vibrated by hammers
through a complex mechanism, the
parts of which were key, lever, NOV
able tongue acting on the hammer, the
hammer, its rest of silk strings and a
damper. So writes an italian. The
Germans claim that IN III Christopher
Gottlieb Schroter made a similar ar
rangements of keys, springs and ham,
mers, which acted upon longitudinal
springs of copper and steel wire SO ar
ranged as to produce the scale. These
strings were extended over bridges rest
ing on a sounding-board, and we're
made to vibrate by means of small ham,
mers which were put in motion by keys.
This, however, is not substantiated,
though the honor of naming the instru-
ment belongs to Germany. In a pub
lished account which appeared several
years later, Schroter speaks of his in
strument as enabling the performer at
pleasure to play piano or forte.
In l716 Marius, French maker of
harpsichords, who had great celebrity,
submitted to the academy four forms
| of improved instruments which he
termed harpsichords. These were but
slightly changed from his original in
struments, and simply introduced the
hammer which was made to act under
the control of keys. Very little COM
ment was excited by these instruments,
and they are the unsubstantial fact up
on which the French base their claim.
The origin of the English claim arises
from the fact that the maker, Silbor-
mann, of Freyburg, who was quite pop
ular as a manufacturer, made fifteen in
struments on the improved order, which
we're all bought by Frederick the Great,
in 1747, but which proved so imperfect
that they were discarded and an in
strument made by Ischudi, in London,
adopted. This is in reality the extent
of the part played by England in the
invention of the piano-forte.
The form of the first pianos was
square, and they were but four octaves
long. The strings were mere threads
of wire compared with those now used,
and had but one string to each note.
Gluck had an instrument which was
five octaves long and most of his music
is written to come within that scope.
These pianos were used in France and
Italy, the northern workmen having
taken the italian idea and clothed it in
practical form.
The first piano known in England
was IN 1757, which was made by an
English monk in Rome; it was four
feet long, two feet broad, and two feet
deep. This piano is still to be seen in
London and is in quite perfect state
of preservation. Rev. William Mason,
the poet, made the important improve
ment of detaching the hammers entirely
from the keys, and giving to them only
a momentary connection when the key
is struck by the finger. In 1760 many
German workmen arrived in England
and were employed by Ischudi. Among
this number Viators and Backers be-
came famous for their improvements
ano was introduced on the stage in
Covent Garden theatre as ''new in
strument" according to play-bill bear
ing the date of May 16, 1767-a little
more than hundred years ago. From
this time harpsichord manufacturers
gave up their occupation to become
piano makers. The parent instrument
is now only to be seen in the fami-
lies of Germans who have brought their
household gods to America.
We as a nation cannot claim the in
vention, but we do claim the perfecting
of the instrument. Foreign workmen
have been employed by US, and though
they have been perhaps the best arti-
sans, it has been native cleverness
which has brought the imperfect in
vention to perfection. The fines:
piano-forte makers are in this country,
and the great artists abroad prefer to
use the instruments made in this
country.
Thus we see, in this brief history,
that the piano-forte was of italian con-
ception, German birth, in England ru-
dimentally improved, and perfected in
our own country.
Orderly People.
There are persons who are never easy
unless they are putting your books and
rov,ora irr Or1ar that onaor1ip0 IN