The herald., 1896-11-29

on this instrument have been Koch, Q
Prussian soldier under Frederick the
Great; Kunert. Amstein and some
Others" He makes no mention of Eulen-
stein, who may be said to have been the
master of all players.
The celebrated Stephanie Felicite,
Countess de Genlis in her Memoirs, tells
US @ great deal about Koch. the German
player, which is worth recording. This
soldier, who is described as musician"
was in the service of Frederick the Great,
and being fond of relieving the tedium of
sentry go, he used to practice on the
Jews harp with considerable skill. One
night Frederick, who was an amateur
musician, heard what he thought was a
distinct orchestra under his window,
when he discovered that the sounds came
from one of his privates. Surprised on
: learning that such wonderful effects
could be produced by single man with
two Jews -harps, he ordered the player
into his presence. He was duly prs
sented to the king the following morn
ing. and performed to the delight and
satisfaction of his majesty, who re-
warded Koch with $50, and gave him
his discharge that he might devote his
time and attention to the advance of his
talent. Koch had not the slightest
knowledge of music, but owed his abil-
ity to natural taste and instinct He
made quite fortune travelling about
and performing in public and private,
and retired to Vienna where he lived
until long past the age of GO. He died
about 1890.
He used two harps at once, in "the
same manner as the peasants Of the Ty-
roll and produced without doubt the
harmony of two notes struck at the same
moment, which was considered by the
musically curious as somewhat extraor-
dinary, when the limited powers of the
instrument are remembered. Herr
M nf 10 trtc o.
fects, for it was his custom to require
that all the lights should be extinguish-
ed IN order that the Illusion produced
by his playing might be increased
Another German. peasant and herds
man, named Eulenstein, about the be-
ginning of this century, devoted his at
tention to the cultivation of the Jews
harp, softening and enriching the tone
of this "twanging" instrument into al
most perfect harmony. Indeed, Eulen-
stein acquired a musical reputation from
the way he manipulated this meagre
and not over agreeable instrument. The
Jews harp. usually despised and ig-
nored. possesses three different tones;
the bass tones of the first octave have
some resemblance to those of the flute
and clarinet; those of the middle and
high to the vox humana of some organs:
lastly, the harmoncila sounds are exact
ly like those of the harmonica It is
conceived that this diversity OF tone,
quotes the Miro G827, affords already
a great variety in the execution. which
is always looked upon as being feeble
and trif1ing on account of the smallness
of the instrument. It was not thought
possible to derive much pleasure from
any attempt which could be made to
conquer the difficulties of so limited
an instrument; because In the extent
of three octaves, there was a number of
spaces which could. not be filled up by
the talent of the player. Besides, the
most ample modulation is impossible.
Herr Eulenstein remedied the incon-
venience by joining sixteen Jews -harps
which he tuned In his own special way,
and so performed his selection by chang
ing the harps with extreme rapidity, al
ways Keeping one harp In advance, so
Is not to interrupt the measure. ffe
became 90 proficient that he was Able
to execute with grace and ease, running
over four octaves, many quite difficult
Italian. French and German pieces. He
was induced by the Duke o" Gordon in
1928. who was delighted With his per-
formances. to tour In Scotland, where
the Jews harp is still rather popular
Eulenstein also visited the chief towns
in ENGLAND, and drew crowds to hear
his novel entertainment In London 1t
Is presumed that he returned to his own
country about 1892, Since then the
Jews'-harp seems to have fallen into
disrepute. and its position as ser,-
Gus means of music entertainment IS no
longer admitted.-London Standard.