The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-01-07

teils Us . great deal shout Koch, the
German player. which IL worth record
ing. This soldier, who Il described a
q 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 Jew's-harp
with considerable skill. One night
Frederick, who was an amateur musi-
clan, heard what he thought was . dis
tinct orchestra under his window.
when no discovered that the sounds
came from one Of his privstes. Sur.
prised on learning that such wonderful
effects could be produced by single
man with two Jew's-haTps, he ordered
the player into his presence. He wan
duly presented to the king the follow
ing morning. and performed TO the
delight and satisfaction Of his majesty.
who rewarded Koch with $50. and gave
him h;a discharge that he might de-
vote his time and attention to the ad-
vance OF his talent. Koch had not tho
slightest knowledge Of music, but owed
his ability 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 80. he died
about 1880. He used two harps at
once, in the same manner a. the peas
ents of the Tyrol. and produced with
out doubt the harmony Of two notes
struck at the Same moment, which was
considered by the musically curious a.
somewhat extraordinary, when the linn
tied powers Of the instrument were re.
membsred. Herr Koch had fine idea
Of theatrical effect, for It was his Gus
tom to require that all the lights be
extinguished In order that the flu
eion produced by his playing might be
increased.
Another German, q peasant and
herdsman named Eulenstein, about the
beginning OF this century devoted his
attention TO the cultivation Of heJew's.
harp, softening and enrichtng the tone
OF this "twanging" instrument into al.
most perfect harmony. Indeed, Eulen-
stein acquired q musical reputation
from the way he manipulated this
n,eager end hot over-agreeable instru-
ment. The Jew's-harp, usually dc.
spised and ignored. possesses three diff
ferent tones; tho bass tones Of the
first octaSe have some resenr
blance to those Of the Cute
end clarinet; those Of the mid.
die spd high Of tho vox humana o:
some organs; lastly, tho harmonical
sounds ere exactly like those of the
harmonica. 1t Is conceived that this
diversity Of tone, quoted the Mirror
(1s37), affords already o great variety In
the execution, which is always looked
upon as being feeble and trifing on &C.
count of the smallness Of the instru.
n,ent. 1t was not thought possible to
derive much pleasure from any attempt
which could be made to conquer the
DIFFICULTIES of 20 limited an instrument;
beeailse in the extent Of three octavcs
there were q number Of spaces which |
could not be filed up by the talent Of
the player, Besides, the most ample
modulation is impossible. Herr Eu.
lenstein remedied the Inconvenience
by joining 1s Jew's-harps, which hs
tuned in bis own special way. and 50
performed his selection by changing
the harps with extreme Iapidity, al |
ways keeping one harp in advance so uz
rot to interrupt the measure. He be-
came so proficient that be was able t.
with grace and case. running
orey four octaves, many quite dificult
italian. French and German pieces. He
was induced by the duke of Gordon in
1928. who was delighted by his perform.
ances, to tour in Scotland, where the
Jew's-hsrp is still rather popular. Flu.
also visited the chief towns OF
England and drew crowds 20 hear his
howell entertainment In London. It "a
presumed that he returned TO his own
country about 1882. Since then the
Jew's-harp seems to have fallen into dis.
repute and It's position as a serious
means OF musical enjoyment is no long
er Standardization Standard.