New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-03
GROWTH OF THE PIANOFORIE.
AN INTERESTING LECTURE BY MORRIS
STEINERT

HE ILLUSTRATES HIS TALK BY MEANS OF MANY
QUAINT INSTRUMENTS OF THE oLDEN DAYS
The last lecture OF the course on The Develop
u.nt of the Musical Instrument" which mas oeeh
given on Saturday mornings by Columbia college, IN
cooneration with the Metropolitan Museum OF Art,
was held Yesterday morning at the Museum, MOT
ris Stenert lecturing The Evolution or the
Pianoforte' and being assisted by r.. H. Far'o"s
and Alder. Steinert, In the musical programme
which followed the lecture The platform was
fully covered with the ancient and valuable insru
ments the description and history of which consti-
tuted the lecture and which afforded. also. much
pleasure as well amusement by the Varied souhus
which were produced from them
at the birth OF such great composers as scar
lat,l Handel and Bach" began the speaker, tine
pianoforte was not in existence. and even quar-
ter OF a century later Its production remained
unheard OF. Most OF the compositions or these
masters were written for other Instruments the
then existing keyboard Instruments being the cIa"-
chord harpslchord and splnnet The clavchord had
no rival in expression until the panoforte was an
accomplished fact but then Bach preferred
the former and Beethoven has been quoted az
saying: Among all keyed Instruments the ciav'-
chord IL that on which can best control tone
and expressive Interpretation. At the close OF the
seventeenth century there was no other instrument
which produced both loud and soft tones. IL was
essentially the instrument OF the recluse. the monk
priest. organlst ana teacner or tnose VIM uhue''
stood how 10 pay as above all other instruments
I. EXPRESSED soul The Oldest clavichord known to
be In existence bears the date of 1870 II has four
oc,aves but two notes missing"
The clavichord peculiarly shaped. being quite
wide but the keyboard occupied only a part OF
this width. at the left OF the instrument In depth
II was very shallow While there was not much
shading the tones were soft and clear and strongly
resembled those made by aeolian harp. splnet
WAS next in order being described as "a small harp
schord. or virginia.. with string TO each note.
the strings being Set IN vibration by tne points Vi
a quill elevated wooden uprghts The spinet
which was exhibited wa 5Wnade by John Hitchcock
in London about 1850. and SOMEWHAT resemoled
fat-top melodeon. Tho instruments were all OF
handsome finish most OF them being OF rose
wood and nlald There said 10 be many forms
OF the harpslchords the earliest mention OF
these Instruments being in liN. the earliest record
OF wire-drawing being In 1881 A. d., at Aussourg
Two harpsichords were exhibited one having Two
manuals and eight registers, made by A. Hass IN
HAMBURG ir no and the other having four reg
listers and made by kinkman. in London, IN l"o
They were much In the style or a concert srahu
plano on a smaller scale the large harpsichord
having four legs side. oddly curved on the
other and with double rows OF keys The tone was
remarkably pleasing Mr.. Stenerts lmprovisations
being received with much enthusiasm by the audi
THE piano VIOLIN" II was said, partly solved the
problem OF a keyed instrument. but the trouble or
working the treadles too great a drawback FOR
its use Many experiments were tried, but all faed
TO produce a useful Instrument from the imposs-
bility OF playing with rapidity. An instrument WIS
introduced in Paris by Baudet which he named
the plano quatuor this being capable of the desired
execution"
This plano violin. piano-quatror, was In the
collection, and It's queer sounds Afforded much
amusement. The strings were rubbed by bristles.
.tal LNv tyinl N
ducing a tone resembling the string quartet In
appearance IL was much like organ. and In
sound like that instrument when wheezy, and In
sufficiently rUpplied with air or violin when
cracked and worthless The dulcmer was in
vented In III. and this. II was said. led TO the
invention In Germany OF the pianoforte In
Germany. France and Italy" continued the
speaker the celebrated organ-builder. Gottfried
SHERMAN. considered TO have been the IN
yentor OF the piano.ortc until after his death In
l7sa. when Christoph Gottlieb Schroter Gained me
honor for himself Lately extracts from the ltaian
and French archives reveal the part taken by eacn
and necessta,e complete revolution OF previous
Florence which celsbrated March I. 1874. the
OF crstSfSri the rst ana Ts9 1,S
having in ms presented four dineren, Inventions
The other Instruments which exhibited his
tories being given OF each Tere eonSea g maas
by Johann Andreas stein: in AUGSBURG. about lig,
n concert grand piano OF SIX octaVeS ana WIN SIX
pedals made by Anton Walker X Son IN Vienna
about 1850; and concert grand piano or six and
"A half octaves and with five pedals built by Nine
Nannette Strecher, born stein, who was closely
connected with Beethoven. the instrument
by Beethoven An amusing description
was given OF the importance Of the plano-buildeI
In those days and the festivities which marked
| the event Of the delivery OF one Of the instru
| ments The maker was accustomed TO sign con
| tract the limit given for building being from siN
| to twelve months and his pay consisting OF par
cash. a few casks of wine certain amount OF corn
| KEYS and even few cords OF irewood At IN,
close Of the lecture selection on the clavlchoro
was played by Mr.. Steincrt. Il duet for violin am
| harpsichord by Albert Steinert and T.. a. Parson;
| three artists the piano used being the Stein in