The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-09-11


whole story Of the piano. from the
primitive monochord Of long ago.
which yielded music to . cunning
skill, down to the modern player
piano with ita 80 notes and Its rec
ords which put the music Of the
world ct the disposal Of anyone
who has the prtcA y told In the
Worch collection OF pianos which
has been Installed in the National
museum here.
This collection Of las instruments
ID Of interest to everyone who lis
tens to music with pleasure, for It
shows how much We owe to the
generations that have gone before
rs. The piano, which IL = common
place fact in the life Of almost
every modern, 10 one OF the most
intricate and artificial Of all mans
achievements. It II not an inven-
ton but an evolution and took ~
long to grow ~ modern civilization
itself. First no doubt men sang
and whistled. And then they learn
ed to multiply and enrich the VI
brations of breath BY blowing
through pipes. And then someone
discovered that there was music in
q stretched string, and out OF this
grew the harp. The piano Is a harp.
marvelously complex, and mechani-
cally manipulated.
The exhibit IL 30 arranged as to
give a comprehensive idea Of how
the modern piano came into being.
Starting With the more remote mem
beers Of the family. such ~ the CLAW
ichord. hammer clavier, spinet and
harpsichord, the collection ranges
in almost unbroken sequence ur
through the various stages Of evo-
luton until the modern piano IL
reached.
Hugo Worch. . piano merchant
of Washington, is the donor Of the
collection. For over thirty year
he has been searching the civilfsed
world for links in this evolutionary
chain. and the quest still goes on.
Tho ON.Timo HakerM
The older instruments were large.
ly experimental in character, each
individual maker working more OF
less independently and putting 9
deal of his own personality into his
creations. The keys Of the earlier
instruments were Of wood, instead
of ivory. as in the present day. ant
several of the specimens have blacl
keys with white sharps. One o
the instruments bears the name O
the maker and the date. Of manu-
facture on . large brass plate.
In these times, the purchase Of q
piano was something Of an event
The early master OF the art wal
often . proud and tempersmenta
person. The would-be purchases
of his wares sought him out ant
begged to be allowed to own one o
these matchless instruments. Thu
maker would take his time consid
ering the matter and il he wa,
agreeable. q contract was signed
in which the prospective buye1
agreed to allow him to set the price
style and date Of delivery. 1t wa
a slow business for. every part O
the work was done BY, hand. Fin
ally, when the task was completed
and the instrument safe in his pos
session, the new owner would maxi
a great feast to which all the no
tables were invited to view thi
eighth wonder of the local world.
These ancestors of the pian'
were made in many different styles
ranging in size from the tiny to tn
immense. Some OF the, models OF
exhibition look almost like child
toy. while others are great un
wieldy affairs which would almos
I'LL the floor Of . modern sittinl
room. -.
In the first stages Of their devel
opment both harpsichords ant
pianos were made with side lever
instead Of PEDALS. Both instru
ments were profusely ornamented
One Of the harpsichords in tn,
Worch collection. has its cove
filled with paintings depicting pas
toral scenes. But one should hav
q deal Of reverence for these old in
struments. It was on and for tn
harpsichofd that the elder BAG
composed his matchless music. H
; had no respect for pianos.
Beethoven q Piano Pioneer.
Beethoven was the first Of tn
famous composers to take kindly
the piano. He used one Of the "a
: nous Stein instruments, manufas
tured by Nanette Stein Of Vienn,
who, in addition to being one Of tn
first business women of her da