New-York tribune., 1901-08-04

paclty IN some degree of moderating and incrcac-
ing the tone given out at the viii Of the player
The tone of the harpsichoIds spinets virginals
and all the other instruments Of their kind was
after all, as somebody said loag ago "A scratch
with note at the end
Ihe first efforts not only to increase tho
quantity but To vary the quality Of the toEc
seem to have been directed to the improvement
"i the jacks. The quIIs had an unfortunate
hahlt Of wearing out rapidly 50 builders expert
mehted with leather. fshbone. metal and various
other materials. The fundamental difficulty
however. rerIaiaed-th4 jacks tvanged IL,
strings, and 40 matter how the keys welc
pressed, tWanged them with uniform Ioudness
For tht sake of variety in effects, dsmpars Cf
various kinds We're also invented which checked
The vbrati ms of the strings by the int rpositicr
OF cloth and other materials against them. a. q
later strings were added. which could be plucl1l
simultaneously 10y additional rows of ja-I.-
These added strings ii. :, tuned in unison
so as to get just twice the amount of tone: tut
the most famous harp builder # Antwerp Ruc..-
ers, conceived the idea Of adding an extra sy--
tenn of suings turei in the octave above yyhi Il
could be coupled with th- others at VIII Tie
builders also used differ MT kinds # material n
ihelr strings Tor the sake cl added effects. ard
since the quantity Of tore could not be varied ly
the touch the swell box idea was borrowed from
the organ. the entire sound card of the instrli-
mcnt being covered wiki Stats. like the blinds Of
a Venetian curtain. which could be opened and
closed At VIII to 1t out the sound. These vari-
etes of effect were placed al the command e
the player hy means If mechanical contrivances
regulated by knobs. like organ stops pedals
knee swells and forth. They were. however
mere makeshifts. They did go TO the real
seat of the difficulty, and the inventive in
genuity which prompted them spent Itself largely
in the creation of merely fantastic contrivances
Whose WORTHLESS snesS is demonstrated by the fact
that they have long since ceased To occupy the
initiate flutes, ;rumpets haspipes. bassocns.
ohoes, hfes, drums. caStanets and ever the
noise Of the wind. of rain and # thunder.
These Instruments looked ur=fi. however.
by real musicians as mere mechanical curosi-
ties. Their effects were admired hy the idle aud
the curious, just We to-day wonder al the
ciaptrap which concert "rEan.s;s exhibit for
Us in their storm fantasias. Seen in the
Alrs" and what not Several 81 tha mechauicat
means employed 10 prodCca effects in ,ke harIsi-
, chords We're aft-rVard utilized in the piano
fort. for uohlyr purposes. Tn. shifting OF the
Keyboard for instance by means Of a pedal
which now is used 70 divert the blow II the
hammer from one or two Of the unison strings
was first applied Ia tho harps.chorl ana iustrl-
mouts of ITS class for the purpose ~ transpo-
s4;icn Th- cloth dampcrs ar- ALSO s,ilI used r
cheap upright riauof.rtrs for TN purpose Of Ie-
rrsasiuc and changing the quality Of the tone
Among thc German Sbermann'~ inventions
the -c"Uhal d'1mour.' ciaVichord IN whiCt
the tang, struck thr string exact in the mid
dlc. that both halves could Vihrdte in unison
The strings were damp-d 10y failing upon little