Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-12
FRANKLIN AS MUSICIAN.
Topic Discussed in Paper Read Before
District Library Association.

Bad weather early last evening was re-
sponsble for the reduced attendance at the
regular monthly meeting of the District
Library Association, but those who were
present were amply repaid for their trouble.
The literary exercises consisted of two pa
pers, the first an obituary notice on Karl
Dziatzko formerly librarian of the Univer-
sity of Goettingen; the second, which was
the main paper of the evening, entitled
1.-The Musical Side of Benjamin Franklin,
presented by Mr.. o. G.. Sonneck, chief of
the music division of the Library Of Con-
gress.
Mr.. Felix Newman of the order division,
Library of Congress, in speaking of the ca
reer of Dziatzko and his services, showed
how he first became interested in library
work by serving as student amanuensis at
the University of Bonn to the famous phi
lologist F. w. Ritschl. This happened in
1861, when Dziatzko was not yet twenty
years old. His talents becoming early mani
fest, his promotion was rapid, till In 1856
he was appointed librarian at the Univer-
sity of Goettingen, a post which he con-
tinued to hold till his DEATH which oc-
Cured suddenly the 18th Of last month.
Always the lookout for opportunities to
broaden his intellectual horizon Dziatzko
undertook two important professional jour-
neys to England and Italy respectively. in
order to study library methods in those
countries. simultaneously with his call to
Goettingen department Of library science
was founded for him there, which is, up to
the present time, the only one OF the kind
in Germany.
AS author as well as librarian Dziatzko
has gained fame. His first Independent
work was treatise on the arrangement Of
titles in a catalogue, published in 1886, fol-
lowed by two papers, 1889 and 1890, on the
Gutenberg question. later work, on
books in ancient times, occupied him for
nearly thirteen years..
Mr.. Sonneck's paper showed d1ligent re-
search and was admirably delivered, espe-
cial interest being derived from copious
quotations made from Franklin's journals
and correspondence, as well as from maya
zines, papers and concert bills OF the elgh-
teenth century.
Referring to Franklin's services to music
the speaker devoted some time at first to
the philosophers Improvement upon the
"glassicord," music glasses" or "har-
monica" though Franklin did not invent
the instrument. Starting with thin glass
tumblers. filled to varying heights with
spring water and played by running
>mostened finger around the edge, various
musicians introduced improvements until
under Franklin's clever manipulation, the
music glasses, about 1851 became a verita
BILE musical instrument Of specially blown
and carefully graduated bulbs, before which
the virtuoso sat, playing with both hands
and producing harmonies said to be I'M
rivaled for sweetness Of tone. One Of
Franklns best instruments had a compass
of three octaves, with all the sem-tones in
Guided Once In tune the instrument al
ways remained SO, as the glass bulbs nat
urally were not subject to fluctuations, like
strings.
The fact that the harmonica was widely
known as a concert instrument during the
latter half Of the eighteenth century is at
tested in many ways. Professional perform
ers gave harmonica concerts, the first viz
tuoso of whom there is record being an
English woman, Marianne Davies. who, as
early as 1862, captivated large audiences by
her playing. With her sister Cecilia as
vocal soloist she made a successful CONT
mental tour, the harmonica proving a most
sympathetic and charming accompaniment
for the voice.
In the American colonies, too, especially
the middle and southern Ones this unique
instrument was fairly well known, particu-
larly in Philadelphia. The dignity of the
harmonica is also shown by the fact that
composers Of highest rank, including Mo-
Fart and Beethoven, wrote music for it.
Though proficient as performer on the
harmonica as well as on the guitar and
perhaps other instruments, Franklin
should be remembered also as a musical
critic and theorist. In most entertaining
letter to Lord Hume he formulates theories
on musical acoustics and ethics far in ad-
vance Of his time; and If song writers of
the last century have improved in form
and theory over those Of the age before 1t
may be attributed, in some measure, to the
beneficent influence of our most versatile
and learned BENJAMIN Franklin