Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-01-25
MUSICAL FLASHES FROM
ABROAD.
OF DIR. wALDTERN PRGG.

In the vibration of stringed instru-
ments, perchance, the primary idea
was given to the human mind by listen
ing to the slender branches of the
trees, the vines and the runners of the
forest; or the cordages of the ship, as
they were played upon by the action
Of the wind, as it swept through them,
eliciting wild, weird music, which even
in these modern times has II most SIN
gular effect on ones senses. For in
stance, the Eolian harp is one of the
samples of Natures prompting to pro-
duce musical sounds and instruments.
On this I presume | may call 1t an
instrument), the strings are all tuned
to the same note, apparently SD" ap-
pears to be the one generally used,
because of it being the most free from
incorrect or false tuning, and less lIs-
BILE for the errors of temperament.
Several of the strings are an octave
lower than the others, bat the tune, of
course, is always the same. The Eoli-
an harp Is placed in a current of air as
under a raised window; thus the wind
acts upon the strings In a similar man
ner as it does in the forests, over and
through the slender branches, the
vines and runners and the ships cord
a-es. 1t is not necessary, really, to
state that the strings of the Eolian
harp are not touched by bow
or fingers, but the current of
air acts upon the strings and
sets them vibrating IN the most as
touishiag manner; further, they auto
ma ically divide themselves into the
component parts of the common chord,
and produce octsves, fiiths and thirds
nd infnitum. Again, If string be
stretched to two supports, and then
with the finger made to vlbrate, one
produces the same effect. Should this
string be lightly touched, or damp
ened, (as it is styled, i'll the middle, it
will divide itsslf into two parts, ESQ to
speak ard sound octaves. Executants
of stringed Instruments are aware how
j. valuable are these barmonics, which
are brought INTO use,-wIthout which
certain passages in many famous mu-
sical works could not be performed;
these harmonics are produced by
dampening, and not pressing the
strings. Even strips of fibre, torn from
trees or plants, will often vibrste by
the winds action, and cause bass like
tones which are heard IN the forests
The Harp owes its origin to a savage.
Ages ago, testing the strength OF his
bow-string by twanging 1t, he was
actually twanging rude one strin9ed
harp. One Is Taught to believe, that
the world Is indebted to Apollo, for
the Lyre. In srcient Egyptian
history, the Egyptians have a legend
which rms as follows: The God Apollo,
was one day wandering on the banks
OF the mill after an Inundatlon and OBJ
served that tortoise had been left
there by the recediDg water; it was
dead, and only few tendons of its
body were remaining, stretching
from the lower to the upper shell.
The god struck it with his foot, and
the tendons resounded. Thus does the
world owe the god a debt of gratitude
Tor causing TO be produced the first
Lyre. The sweet old Spinet and the
harpsichord, now superseded by the
pianoforte, was the conception of an
ancient Assyrlan. The crude harps
at that period in use gave him the idea
OF tue strings being struck instead of
plucklng them. Tins from this change,
the Splnet and the Harpsicord came
into existence.
Apparently the Violin does not owe
is origin nor wasit indirectly prompted
bv nature. The Violin appears to have
been IN existence at the period of the
ancient civilization of India and its
orlglnatlon took place about that era.
1t was then styled IN India the Raw
anostron. In ancient time, l should
state) the Romans, Greeks and Egyp-
tians, had no sdch instruments of the
Violin School or style; and the alb
surd and incorrect saying or stale |
ment that (the pagan musician) the |
Emperor Nero "tIjdled while Rome +,
was burning" must, most decidedly |
be placed In the vast realm of exags |
gerailons. What that strange and won
derful Roman Monarch did do was to |
go to hrs IhespIan Temple during the |
conhagaratlon, and, arraying himself |
in robes appropriate to the theme he
sang OF the destruction of Troy. |
This event cen passant, Anton Rubin !
stein has mastery treated and utilized
in his opera entitled "Nero." But, |
par donnez-mof, L must not digress |
further, to revert to the point. The |
violin made its appearance in Europe |
about the end OF the Eighth century or |
the beginning OF the Ninth and from |
that period dates the true development
OF the violin.
The trumpet and the Horn date back
20 the earliest pe1lOds. Inese 1nStru- /