Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1878-12-21
The Needham Musical Cabinet.


This is musical invention which
is perhaps one of the greatest novel;
ties in this age of mechanical sur
prises. 1t is nothing less than a par
lor organ on which any one can play
the most difficult music, no matter
whether he has a knowledge of mu.
sic or not. All that is necessary is to
put the music one desires to play in
side the organ, and blow the bellows
with the feet, when the music will be
correctly executed consequently any
one, even a child who has the ability
of working the pedals of sewing ma
chine can produce all kinds of music
as correctly as the most skilled pro-
fessional performer, and it is done to
such degree of perfection that we
may consider this instrument as q
musical educator that may teach peo-
pie in out-of-the-way localities the
style in which various kinds of music
have to be performed, whether vocal
or instrumental, sacred or secular, OPP
cratic or classical.
The instrument always plays in cor
rect time, and the most difficult pas
sages are rendered as fuently as the
more easy strains. The retardations
and accnlerations in time intended
by the composer, and which are so
beautifully observed by superior per-
formers, are perfectly rendered on
this instrument, entirely Independent
of the person working the pedals, who
has only to keep in rotation small
fly wheel.
From the above it will be seen that
to play this organ the use of the
hands is dispensed with, and that the
player may not have musical ear;
he may even be absolutely deaf and
still execute the music perfectly.
All mechanical organs that have
been built heretofore have been very
complicated and expensive contri-
vances on which only the pieces could
be played for which the cylinders
were arranged, while the length of the
piece was limited. In the Necdham
musical cabinet hav ng the special
sheets of music, any piece may be per-
formed. And the way in which this
is accomplished is beautiful for its
simplicity.
The organ has neither key board nor
valves, but consists of a set of bellows
worked by the pedals, a set of reeds,
to which the bellows furnish the wind,
and simple arrangement of mechan-
ism which carries the music paper over
the reeds. This music paper is the
most essential feature Of the instru-
ment, and constitutes the artistic part
of the same. The notes are holes
punched in the paper, the length of
the holes corresponding with the notes,
and when holes of the proper length
are punched at proper distances, the
while passing OYER the reeds, will smut
the wind off from some of the reeds
while it permits others to sound.
Ike pedals perform the doable duty
Of blowing tho bellows and carrying
the music Paper over the reeds.
The sheets Of music paper, which
are very strong, are Is inches wide,
and from 40 to 100 feet in length.
Music sheets of this kind do not cost
much more than ordinary sheet music,
the perforations being made rapidly
by means of special machinery. Dur
ing the performance the music PAPER
is unrolled from one cylinder and
rolled upon another; and as music
does not sound well when played
backward the mechanism is arranged
50 that while one piece is being play
ed another is re-rolled.
Few persons are aware of the great
number of notes in musical compost.
ton; the number OF holes in the mu-.
sic for this organ gives a striking H.
Iustration of this; for example, the
music for the overture of civilian
Tell" contains 5000 notes or holes.
This is one of the 400 piecss contained
n the present catalogue of Messrs.
Needham & Son, and the number of
pieces is being daily augmented
SLsns,fafc Lon, ossn0a,