New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-04-03
TILE TELEPHONE CONCERT.

The first OF a series of what are designated as
olepbopc concerts" was given last night at Steinway
Hall. The musical telegraph, or telephone, OF Mr'
Elisha Gray Of Chicago contributed lis performance
This was sandwicEcd in the middle OF the concert
Apart from the telephone the concert was good one
not at all striking but fairly credtable. The tee-
phone performance, considered as mere music,
as an addition to a hrstclass concert WAS
10, remarkable; but scientific experiment showing
that music be transmitted by telegraph 1t was quite
successful The audience fully filed the hail. ana was III
a very kindly humor. The solo singers, who are well
known to NewYork audiences were in good voice. were
loudly encored and amaby responded TO the extra de-
mand As the most Of the people had come rather 10
hear the telephone than the singers the encores IN the
first part of the concert (Which OF course delayed the
,eepone) regarded as more than usually conp-
mentary and they were fairly deserved.
Mcanw bile the audience had been studying through
their opera-gasses the telephone apparatus on the
stage il seemed consist simply OF sounding boxes ana
telegraph wires telegraph station with an roper
ator" was provided end Of tie stage and its in
strumcnt kept up annoying click during the nonele
pbonic performances. There was no Use OF eXhibing
this telegraph in connection with the telephone its prac
teal purpose was merely notify to Mr. f. Boscowtz
who was in philadelphia. to the moment when he was
to play the keyboard there After the
first mart Of the programme had been executed.
Mr.. Elisha Gray came forward and addressed
the audience. He aware that great confusion ex-
listed in the popular mind as TO what TINS telephone
could perform; in particular it had been COMPOUNDED
with the speaking telephone invented by Prof A. Ora
ham Bell of Boston. Prof. Bell Mr. Gray said, was
present in the audience No attempt could be made in
the concert room to give an explanation OF the
working of the telephone; that could only be
done in scientific lecture Mr.. Gray wished.
however to mention that the instrument when
Mr. Boscowitz would play upon III Philadelphia,
was not like piano in any particular except that IL mad
a cupboard. BY complex machinery the notes struck
upon that keyboard communicated as electric
pusatons upon the telegraph wire here, AZ Stenway
Hail. they were transmitted into sound vibrations by
means OF sounding boxes one for each note. The un-
fortunate condition OF the weather lit had been rainnc)
caused an unusual leakage of electricity from the wires
in transmsson the sounds would not be so loud
and fun as had been expected
After Mr. Grays remarks tho music Of the telephone
WAS heard 1t proceeded from 10 sounding boxes, OF
different sizes according to their notes The compass
appeared TO be octave and a half The sound was
clear and SOFT in quality very much like that OF
played very softly The lower notes were very distinct
the higher ones scarcely to be audible through
out the hall. There was no attempt to transmit
any music except the melodies named in the programme
and for an encore Yankee Doodle" The simpler meo-
dies such as "ome Sweet Home and the Last Rose OF
Summer" were far successful than the others No
effort was made to show the effect when chords
were transmitted CuriOusy enough the airs sounded
If they were played instrument at great distance
from the bearer Excepting that occasionally low notes
were Extraordinarily loud and high notes heard
with difficulty TIE effect Of the telephone muse on
the whole very pleasant.