Evening journal., 1892-06-03
The JANko KEYBOARD.
An Invention Which May RevoIutioniz,
the Prevailing Method of Playing d
Plano.

An Invention Which May RcvoIutfonize
the Prevailing Method of Playing a
Piano.
Much has been written and said about
the historical development OF the piano
its tone. its mechanism. its literature.
hut about the origin of It's keyboard very
little is known. The old keyboard. it IS
claimed has many defects. which Paul
Won Janko determined. If possible. TO
overcome The extreme Inconvenience Of
many keys, and the almost endless variety
of complicated lingering 20 be learned.
taking years of hard work to acquire and
scarcely less time and practice TO retain
would serve in themselves sufficient rea-
sons TO have condemned long ago this
present system; at least so thought Won
Janko and so after hard study he CON
ccived new keyboard system. and
brought ii before the public few years
ago, and il is now manufactured by the
leading piano firms IN Germany and Aus
tria and by one hrin in the United States
The exterior appearance of the new
Keyboard resembles fight Of six steps
Each key Of the new keyboard when
viewed from the side looks like stair
consistingo of three steps. and can therefore
be struck In any of these three keystOps
covered with celluloid touch plates. The
touch-plates of the first, third and fifth
row slope in a straight line. one above
the other forming one key. Those Of
the second, fourth and sixth row the
same, giving the next half tone The
touch plate of the notes Il sharp
G. sharp, A sharp, G sharp
and ID sharp are distinguished
by a black stripe, while G. ID, h. +. q, A.
b, are white. The groups Of two and
three blacS touch-plates. with three and
four white ones, are easily recognizable
ut first sight and are exactly the same as
ON the old keyboard The new system
has just as many keys as the old one
having one lower and one upper set. To
each octave on the JankO keyboard be-
long six lower and six upper keys The
six lower are: G., ID, +, Il sharp, q sharp
and sharp. The six upper are G sharp.
d sharp. F, g. A and B.
The advantages claimed for this svs-
TEN are a natural and perfectly easy
position Of the hand, no matter what
size q greatly reduced width of stretch
for the hand a uniformity of all scales
and chords, and perfect freedom of
lingering II is claimed that beginners
can learn toplay i'm half the time. and
that a pianist can learn to perform ON
the new keyboard in about three months.
IL does not necessitatc the purchasing of
new instrument, as it can be adapted
TO amy piano, whether grand or upright.
Professional piano players have not as
a. rule, taken to this new keyboard, as
they do not care 10 devote the time to
the study of it, While number speak
favorably Of IT, there are also others who
claim that there is little advantage to be
gained over the old system.
The scales and the lingering are all
alike; when one Is learned they are an
learned. A piece learned i'm one KEY can
be played with equal ease ia any other
Transposition is claimed to be as easy
and natural as for a singer
The Ferd Fullmer Male Chorus viii
have one of these pianos ON the stage ON
the night of their concert next Tuesday.
and have secured the great pianist. Leland
Howe of Philadelphia who will perform
on this instrument He win also render
one number ON the clubs Grand piano
All those who desire to hear first st.class
concert in every particular should not
fail TO attend this concert. and see the
famous Janko keyboard that has created
so much comment in musical circles both
favorable and unfavorablc. Mr.. Howe is
pianist of enviable ability. and his per.
formance viii be rare treat. Tickets
are now on sale 40 H. A. Bndfeld's. No
$50 Market street