Evening star., 1909-05-23

i the medieval ages. to the
effect that one Zusca, gallant
warrior wished that, even after death, he
might still afford inspiration to the armies he
had so often and SO VIGOROUSLY led, and that
accordingly he gave direction that his own skin
should be utilized to make drumhead
Provost's Eolian Harp
zUSCA'S drum is not, however, the most ex-
- traordinary of musical instruments Veri-
tan Provost, of Basel who lived about 1881,
produced most mysterious effects with his "gi-
gantic meteorological Eolian harp" as it has
been called. This strange instrument. which
was set up in Provost's garden, consisted of
fifteen iron wires, each of which was no less
than three hundred and twenty feet in length
These wires were stretched between two poles,
in much the same manner as modern telegraph
wires They were two inches apart, and varied
in thickness from one-twelfth to one-sixth OF an
inch They were set in north and south dlrec-
ton, at an angle of twenty thirty degrees
with the horizon, the proper tension being OBJ
tained by means of rollers attached to each end.
The wind Of course, was the performer on
this instrument; and it is said that the effects
secured were wonderful and weird to degree
Sometimes the harp gave out Kissing sound
like that of mighty waterfall; at others 1T re-
sembled harmonicon. while at frequent inter-
walls there came strange sweet music somewhat
like that of chimes in distant belfry, accom-
panied by great organ
Louis Pig Organ
nNE of the strangest means Of producing
music" was that devised by that cruel
monarch. Louis XI. of France. 1t is related that,
tiring of the ordinary methods of ministering
to his musical needs Louis commanded the
Master of Revelries to provide what he was
pleased to term pig organ"
Accordingly, numerous live pigs OF various
ages and sizes were set aside for the Kings de-
lectation They were arranged in tent, in
rows according to the pitch and quality OF
their respective grunts and squeals Then a
keyboard was erected in front of the tent, the
keys made to act on sharp pointed instrument.
which in each case was calculated to elicit the
desired tones from the unfortunate animals
When the performer began to finger the key
board there arose the cries OF the unhappy
pigs. which presented to the cruel Kings taste
some measure of musical harmony Louis is
said to have enjoyed this performance greatly
A Man for Every Note
MANY accounts are given of an extraor-
~ binary band once stationed at the I'M
perial palace in St Petersburg. OF these per-
haps the most interesting is that OF the visit OF
famous composer, who had been taken to a
darkened room to hear this band play one of
his own compositions. He was, of course, en-
tirely ignorant of the makeup and methods of
the band He was much impressed. Seeing
this. the officer acting as escort inquired po-
litely as to whether the composer could guess
how the effect was produced.
mo-" answered the musician, | am utterly
at loss to understand it. 1t is magnificent,
quite unlike anything else ] ever heard y
Whereupon the apartment was flooded with
light, bringing two hundred musicians into
view. Each held horn or trumpet, these in
struments varying in size from an inch and
half to twenty feet. Each instrument and each
player produced only single note. but the per-
fOrmance was so perfect and the notes fell upon