The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-05-20
A New Wind Instrument.

An iiiNVlCSlluS lIldl VI Il new musical
Instrument took place Thursday after
noon in the speech-room of Harrow
school, before a numerous audience, COM
prising many old pupils of Harrow and
other distinguished persons. The name
of Mr.. Baillie Hamilton, the inventor of
the instrument in question, has LONG
been known in connection with practical
acoustics. As long ago as January, 1875,
he read before the Musical association a
thoughtful paper on the application of
| wind to string instruments, in which he
ic4plained and developed the idea, orig
1nsal}y invented by Mr. John Farmer.
the organist of Harrow school, of effect
ing the harmonious vibration of strings
by means of current of air instead of
striking them with bow, or plectrum, or
fingers. Mr.. Hamilton's plan of apply
ing this invention to instruments of the
organ type has for the present been
abandoned, although we believe that Mr..
Farmer still hopes to turn his idea to
practical account. The principle of the
instrument shown yesterday is en-
tirely different from that of the sys-
tematized Eolian harp above re-
ferred to. 1t resembles in shape
the harmonium, and the means of pro-
ducing sound are substantially those used
| in instruments of that class with very
important modification, however. Mr..
Hamilton employees what is technically
known as free reeds" but instead of
acting upon them singly, he divides them
into groups of three connected by a
| bridge, which SO modifies their indi-
vidual sounds as to emit single note of
great sonorous beauty and power. To
each group of reeds belongs sounding
box or cavity through which the air
| passes very much as our breath in sing
| ing passes through the throat, the inten.
ton being to produce quality of tone
resembling the human voice. In this
attempt Mr.. Hamilton has been remark
ably successful, by means, it will be
seen, entirely different from those en-
ployed in the ''voX humana' stops of or
binary organs. The timbre of the new
invention varies somewhat between the
voice and the softer wind instruments,
such as French horn, clarinet, ETC., par
taking of the qualities of both, the beauty
of the sustained notes being, indeed, very
remarkable, The chief defect of the in
strument-and, like most new inven-
tons, it has defects-is its slowness of
speech, which makes the execution of
rapid passages a matter of extreme
difficulty, if not impossibility. This
drawback, however, does not appear
to be structural, and may, no doubt,
be remedied in subsequent specimens.
Comparing the new instrument, which,
by the way, is still in want Of
name, with its congeners, the organ
and the harmonium-and in discussing
the usefulness of new invention com
parison becomes duty-we find that,
as a matter of course, it is inferior as re,
CARDS power and nuance of tone and
variety of resource to the former, which
is altogether on a different level. On
the other hand, it is decidedly superior
in all these respects to the ordinary run
of harmonious and will. no doubt, be a
dangerous rival to them, both for the ac-
compartment of voices and for solo per-
formances, provided always that its
mechanism can be improved in the d.
rection pointed out by us. We should
add that the instrument was not in per-
feet tune, and owing to the defective
action of the ''swells," an unintentonal
and by no means pleasant vibrato was
now and then observed. In spite of these
accidental drawbacks, the general i'm
preston was decidedly favorable, cir
cumstance partly due to the judicious
treatment of the new instrument by Mr.
Farmer, who played such specimens OF
solemn and slow music as are best
adapted to its character. We have en-
deavored to give general idea of Mr.
Hamilton's invention, without entering
into technical details, which would be out
of place for the present purpose. Lon
don amateurs will, Moreover, soon be
able to Judge for themselves, as we I'M
derstand that it is intended to employ
the new instrument temporarily at West
minister abbey. -L0ndon Times.
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