The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-08-17
THE EITHER.
A Blind Girls History of It's Development
From Ancient Days.


'In giving the history of the either
from its remote ancestors down to its
present state of perfection, find great
pleasure in describing my favorite in
strument, and also feel justified by the
fact that, though we have numerous
accounts of the homes and histories of
nearly all the musical instruments, the
either is hardly mentioned among
them, even the descriptions of its near
relations, the modern guitar and the
old-fashioned lutte. The either is prob
ably of Asiatic origin; the word being
derived from the Persian Sch, meaning
three and a tar, string. We might
expect to find the either mentioned
with the harp and psaltery of Biblical
consisted merely in producing loud
tones the softer notes of the either did
not 1--WE may suppose) figure very gen
orally in those ancient orchestras, but
when this instrument had found it's
way to the more enlightened land of
Greece, where it became kithera with
five, and later, with eight strings, it
wa, far better known and appreciated.
We can now imagine the fond lover
choosing kithera to serenade his lady
fai-, first with soft, caressive tones,
| bm by and by, as fervent devotion in
l.Neased, the volume of sound was also
augmented by the use of a plectrum or
quill.
This instrument was first triangu-
lo hnt % 81
half moon, but its course is not trace
able beyond this period, until about A.
ID. 900, when one existed in the monas-
terry of st. Blasius in the Black Forest,
Germany. This instrument was de-
stroyed in the monastery fire of 1868,
but tracing, indicating its rudimen-
tary character, has been preserved. 1t
consisted of long, narrow sounding
board containing nine strings 1t was
curved slightly at the back or part
where the strings are longest, while
the front, or fingerboard side, was
straight, having also a small, straight
handle protruding from the left side.
Five centuries later the either, as it
was called, was known in Venice, the
south of France and parts Of England,
but was much better appreciated in
Austria and the Tyrolean Alps a cen
fury or two later. A person standing
in wide stretch of land and calling to
some one at a considerable distance
will use for the first syllable low, and
for the second much higher tone.
Now, from this two-note call the wild,
fascinating Alpine music has been de-
veloped. The either, with its power of
sustaining notes, can render these jo-
dies with an added charm.
ut was natural that the either should
find home in the hearts of these
simple peasant folk, one of whom, PETE
meyer (born in 1870, with natural
musical ability, did much to make
this instrument more widely known
throughout Europe, by playing his ma
tive laendlers, or country dances. in
most of its principal cities. At this
time the either possessed twenty-eight,
and later thirty-three, strings. The
tiuger-board, or part which contains
frets, formerly possessed three strings
and whole tone to each fret: but now
III Is enlarPeu 10 HVe strings III leuPJn
and two semi-tones in breadth. Final
lv, in the commencement of 1898. J.
Gerbel, either teacher of New York
City, conceived an idea of constructing
an instrument of maplewood, with a
spruce sounding board. This has given
the instrument an added fullness of
tone without detracting from its former
ls-.~ .
more melodious with age. 1t is, there
fore, my hope that this charming little
instrument may become more and more
used, as it can render equally well the
melodies, both gay and sad, of many
nations, and it thus speaks language
which is understood by all."-Louise
NJ. Lee, Brooklyn Eagle.