Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-06-28
The JeMSharD.

DC WOTtu lHc inquiries OF musical anu
luaries. This little instrument is in
common use in all Europe. In Ger
many it is called ''Maul Harmonica;'
In Denmark, '.Mund -harpe;;' in Sweden,
"Mungiga;;" in France, "Guinbarde;' in
Italy, ''Tromba;" and in the Highlands,
''Tromp.' The Greeks Of Smyrna call
it, in immitation of its sound, .Biambo' -
In the Netherlands and Tyrol it has for
a long time been the delight of the
peasants, the. laborers and'their fami-
lies, and at present it seems TO be in
exceptionally great favor in America,
where an Englishman has established a
factory of these vibrating instruments;
and so brisk has the business been that
another factory has been started recent
ly, where the commonplace jewsharps
are turned out in hundreds of thOus-
ands. The jewsharp is composed of
two parts, the body and the tongue,
denominated by the French .'the sonl.''
The body has some resemblance to. q
certain kind of corkscrew: the tongue
consists of little strip of steel, Joined
to the upper part of the body and bent
at its. extremity. so that the fingers may
touch it more easily. Notwithstanding
it looks so simple an instrument, it is
not complete until it has been the
subject OF, thirty distinct operations
and yet, as the London Figaro says,
the whole. price of the cheapest variety
is but six shil1ings q, gross.
The first noted performance, on this
simple instrument is mentioned in the
memoirs of Nine. de Genlis, in which
is described the astonishing power of a
poor German soldier, named Kock, on
the jewsharp. This musician was in
the service of. Frederick the Great,
who was, as is welT known. a passion
ate lover of music, and good amateur
player ON tho flute. One night when
Kock was on duty under the windows
of the King he began to play different
tunes, and did it so skilfulIy that it
attracted the. attention of the monarch.
who at first thought he heard a distant
orchestra. Surprised to learn that such
an effect could be produced by a single
man with two jewsharps, he ordered
him into his presence; but the soldier
refused on account that he could only
be relieved by his colonel, and that if
he obeved, the King would punish him
next day for having failed in his duty.
The King, instead of being offended at
the answer, called the soldier to
the castle the following morning,
and having heard Kock perform
several pieces, discharged him from his
service with a generous gift. kock' s
success was entirely due to his natural
taste for the art, for he had no knowl-
edge Of music. He made fortune by
and playing in private and
public. kock used two harps at once,
and produced the harmony of two
notes struck at the same moment, which
at that time was looked upon as some
thing extraordinary, considering the
limited power of the instrument. In
order that the illusion produced by his
playing should be greater, kock always
that the light should be extin-
pushed. Kock afterwards settled in
Viena, where he lived to the advanced
age of more than eighty years.
1t was reserved, however, for Ger
man herdsman and laborer of the name
Of Eulenstein to acquire great reputa-
ton as player, after ten years study.
He appeared at concerts first in Paris,
in January, 1926, and in London, in
French and German airs to the great
SIGNALS alike. He played with Mr.
who accompanied him
IN the pedal harp pianissimo. touching
tein's part could be perfectly heard.
'overies concerning the jewsharp and |
~ which he converted this meager instru-
nent into one ''of the most elegant,
ACRIMONIOUS nd pleasing character as
critic of that time writes. Il
A jewsharp taken singly gives almost /
my harmonic sound you wish to pro-
luce, as a third, a fifth. and an octave. |
f the grave tonic is not heard in the |
'ass iewsliarp, it must be traced to the |
'layeF, but not to the effectiveness of |
he instrument. The jcwsharp has
hree different tones; the bass tones of |
he first octave bear some resemblance
o the flute and clarinet; those Of the
middle and high to the v0X humana
top of some organs; lastly the harmon
: sounds are exactly like those of the
This diversity of tones can
lways afford a. variety in the executions,
nut as in the extent of these octaves
here are a number of spaces which
annot be filled up, the most simple
nodulation is impossible. Mr. Eulen-
tein overcame that Inconvenience by
Dining sixteen jewsharps.> tuned by
ealing-wax, at the extremity of the
ongue. Each harp then sounds one of
he notes of the scale, diatpnic or chro-
matte, and the performer can fill all
he intervals, and pass all the tones by
hanging the harp. That these muta-
ions may not interrupt the measure,
ne harp must always be kept in adj
ance, in the same manner as a good
aader advances the eye, not upon the
'ord he pronounces, but upon that
-hich follows. The various sounds of
ne iewsharp are obtained by the at
'action and repression of air, the cur
ent of which is broken by the tongue
f the instrument. The pressure of the
ps. with the breath, serves to deter
line their'gravitv and actlteness. Con l.
this little instrument is verv1
stiguing to- the lungs and pernicious to
he teeth. because its application, when
lie tongue is put in! motioInn produces
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