The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-12-16

reach, more clearness and purity or note,
and, if the tone be sweet, wave upon
wave of delicious music is thrown out.
There was comparatively little change
made until the zinke, a German horn,
was invented. 1t represents the intro
duction of a number of openings to be
covered and uncovered by the fingers.
Such had been done before to a limited
extent, but not so as to lead directly to
present forms. It was a simple twisted
horn of metal with a small mouthpiece
and wide bell, having stops ranged along
one side. This for a time gave satisfac-
ton, but was quickly followed by the
serpent, as it was called, made in Eng
land. The convolutions of the zinke
were designed to give it length, confined
within convenient COMPASS; the coils of
the serpent gave it still greater length,
and. in addition, it had an increased
number of stops, and the ''key," since
so much adapted to flutes, fageolets,
etc. No material Improvements in tone
was obtained, but greatly increased COM
pass.
From these two dates the multiplied
ton of stops and keys were made to such
extent, and the use of coil upon coil, un-
til now an instrument may be ten feet or
more long. It seems that the length is
of great importance. This was not un-
known-it was the object of stops.
Thus a flute is of a given length if the
stops are all closed. Now, if n of the
stops be open, the flute is shortened.
This frightening and shortening gives a
lower and higher note, for the longer
the sound wave the lower the note and
the shorter the higher. The longer the
instrument the lower the note which may
be obtained and the high ones may be
made by operating the stops.
Three instruments of the old type may
be reverted to for their special interest.
King David's pipes, probably used not
by a king, but the young ladies vino
danced before him when he was tired of
going to war and desired amusement. 1t
consisted of two short reeds placed side
by side with parallel stops. Each pair
of stops was covered by a finger, which
by being tilted the corresponding stop of
the right or left reed could be opened, or
both. Thus one hand could play eight
notes while the other hand held the
drapery in dancing. How he must have
enjoyed it.
The Greek dialos was a less convenient
instrument, for in its use, the dausause
had 70 hold and play a hageolet in each
hand. One would suppose, however,
that she had become quite al fait with
it, Judging by the animation of her move
ments, facilitated, no doubt, by the light
ness of her costume.
One could hardly get along with col
Letting or describing such things without
introducing Chinese grotesqueness. There
is hardly an instrument in China that is
not such. Those of Siam, India and
Japan are almost always artistic and
picturesque, if odd. Here is a Chinese
horn. In tonic effects it has no merit.
The snake charuler's pipes in possession
of the museum have been in use and
charmed serpents, too. It has a most
singular note, by reason of one reed be-
ing made of thicker walls than the other
and the bulb containing a pith ball that
seems at random to stop for an instant,
now one and now the other. The cobra
seems to become entirely confused with
the broken and uncertain intervals, and
finally succombs and may be picked up
and handed around among the audi
ence. =.
The rama singa from India isa beauty
full horn both in construction and tone.
It is of bronze, has q mellow effect,
which ID influenced To the aYtant al q