New-York tribune., 1910-06-19

It has been told only because it illustrates So
luminously the principles which we are trying
to keep in view in this chapter of musical eVolu-
ton. Discoveries and inventions of all KINGS
are growths; there was never anything new
under the sun.
The three men to whom I have left the honor
of being independent inventors of the planoforie |
are the Italian, Bartoommeo Cristoforl; the |
Erenchn2an, Marius, and the German. Chris |
toph Gottlieb Schroeder It is in the nigh |
est degree probable that efforts had been
made in the direction in which these men
sabored a long time before they came forward
with their inventions. The earliest use OF the
word pianoforte Cor, literally, piano foffo as
applied to an instrument of music antedates the
earliest of these inventions by one hundred ana
eleven years, but the reference is exceedingly
vague and chiefly valuable as indicative OF no"
early the minds of inventors were occupied with
means for obtaining soft and loud effects from
keyed instruments. Cristoforls invention taxes
precedence of the others in time This has been
established after much controversy, beyond
further dispute. In 1903 he exhibited specimens
of harpsichords, with hammer action, capable
of producing piano and forte effects to Prince
Ferdinando del Medici, of whose instruments
of music he was custodian at Florence, and two
years later-that is, in 1711-his invention was
fully described and the description printed, not
only in Italy, but also in Germany. 1t embraces
the essential features of the pianoforte action
as we have it to-day-a of hammers con-
trolled by keys which struck the strings from
below. the description, written by Scpione |
Maffei the instrument is designated New |
Invention of a Harpschord, with the Piano and |
Forte Nuora Inrcnsi0ne dun GrdUiccmbdto |
col Piano FortO. In February, 1716, the |
Frenchman, Marius, submitted two models for |
a 'Harpsichord with Hammers (CtGrccin q |
NdIlCtS) to the Academic Royale des Sciences; |
illustrated a device for hitting the strings |
from above, the other from below. 1t was |
much cruder invention than Cristofori's but it I
contains the vital principle which differentiates
the pianoforte from its medieval and later pre-
cursors. Mariuss confessed purpose in devils
ing the new mechanism was economy. He |
wanted to save musicians the constant trouble
and cost of requng the harpschord Jacks.
Schroeter's models also struck the strings-one
from above, the other from below.
There only two pianofortes made by |
Cristofori known to be in existence. The older,
made in 1920 was bought by Mrs. John Crosby |
Brown in 1895 and is housed in the Metro
politan Museum of Art, in New York The
other is the property of the Commentators AL
lessandro Kraus and is preserved in his museum
in Florence; it is pictured in Mr. A. ]. Hipkinss
History of the Pianoforte' (Novello, Ever &
Co, London and New York, 1886. The instru-
11ent bought by Mrs Brown was long the prop |
erty cf Signora Ernesta Mocenn Martelli, Of
Florence, whose father bought it according to |
family tradition) in 1919 1920 at public
sale of supposedly worthless furniture in the
Grand Ducal palace at Sena. sentimental |
feeling the part of the Signora Martelli led |
to its preservation by her until her death. A
father whose memory she reVered had bought |
it and she had learned to play upon it a
child. That it had value historical relic
was not suspected until 1872, when Signor
COsino Cont, a scholar and intimate friend of
the Martelii family, discovered, the board |
which serves a hammer beam, inscription |
as follows: "Barth0lOmGuS di ChfiStOphOlus PGtG- |
rnnS InreHt0r, fGcietat, FtorcntiG, MDCCIX."
He communicated the fact to the Cavaliere L.
Puliti, whose investigation finally and definitely
established priority of invention for Cristofori.
Puliti confirmed the authenticity of the instru-
ment which was restored in 1875 by Cesare !
PonSicchi, of Florence and described and pict- |
ured il in his monograph the origin and
evolution OF the pianoforte, published in 1876
A reproduction OF a photograph of the instru-
ment is given herewith.
The case of the instrument, which preserves
the shape of the od-fashioned harpsichords is
seven feet and and one-quarter inches
long. three feet and three inches wide and three
feet high. 1t has a compass of four and a
half Oct1VeS fftv-fOUr notes. from the second |