Morning journal and courier., 1893-11-22
MUSIC IN NEW RAVEN.
Something of Interest to Our Music

OF Interest TO our M us1c
New Haven is . city quite renowned for
it's interest In music, both vocal and in
and probably in no city in the |
union Of its size Is this fact more appar-
emit. New Haven was one of the first cit
les to introduce instruction In the elements
of music In Its public schools, thus recog-
nizing music as an important branch of
popular education and awakening and
maintaining wide popular interest in the
art here among the masses. The piano has
been introduced into thousands of New
Haven homes, and no city can show more
pianos in its homes in proportion to Its
size than New Haven. In late years there
has been quite marked interest and dis
cussion among New Haven musicians over
the possibilities of the further development
of the piano, especially in the line of in
crsssed facility of evoking the harmonies
of the instruments. For this reason the
Janko keyboard has created much discus
sion. There are no Offices in New
Haven for the sale of pianos having
this keyboard, nor for the concern which
puts pianos having this invention upon the
market, though In many of the larger cities
there are such agencies. Our music lovers
are nevertheless alive to the possibilities of
any sure and undeniable improvement of
the piano such as the Janko claims to be
and will be interested to know that under
the auspices of a scientific examination
conducted by an institute of science another
distinguished recognition has been accorded
to the Janko keyboard, one that must aid
to substantially enfore the claim made by
its advocates that its general introduction
must be g nscsssity consequent upon Its
obvious and inherent merits. It ia further
claimed that Eventually this pianistic
and musical world will be compelled to
follow the laws of natural selection In the
culture of a new keyboard method and
simphfcation of the technic of piano play
ing, in the adaptation of the advanced
theories of mechanics in playing to the
parallel advancement of music itself. We
cannot continue to restrain the advance
ment of the piano toward more perfected
forms and conditions; the instrument Is
bound to expand In one or another direc-
ton" A piano with a Janko keyboard
has been subjected to the investigation of
the committee on science and the arts of
the Franklin institute of the state of Penn
sylvania at Philadelphia. The report of
Gne committees NATURALLY gives sat1sfactlon
to the advocates of the invention, and ia
hailed as marked triumph and vindica-
ton of the fact that the 'tworld moves, !"
even as far as conservatism in the
musical world is concerned. The committee
awarded the Cresson gold medal to Won
Janko and on it's very fa,tering report de-
nominated the piano "as one of our social
necessities" The committees report, af-
ter describing the key board and its OBJ
ject, adds: 1--WE cannot lightly esteem an
invention which shortens by years the
path to proficiency, which lessens the IA
tigue of practice and puts within the
| reach of child's hand the rendering of
| the music of the masters, and which ad
mits of still greater possibilities of execu-
ton than could ever be realizsd upon the
old key board. It Ia not to be expected
that the older musicians will hail with de-
| light any radical improvement which
places them at a disadvantage with
the younger student, and yet to acquire
| skill upon the new keyboard it is not 60
difficult that any good performer on the
piano need hesitate to try to master it.
Three months of average diligence will
suffice to make good player quite at home
| also upon this new manual"
| Won Janko, the mastery inventor of the
new keyboard, Ia one of the most noted
foreign noblemen who have made brilliant
success in the field of invention. His
home is Hungary, where he stands high
among the nobility of that land.