E E C OLLECTI ON M . ST I N RT

K E Y E D A N D S T R I N G E D

I N T M E N S RU TS .

W ITH V ARIOU S TREATI S ES ON THE HI STO R Y OF THES E I N STR U

M ENTS THE M ETH OD OF PLA Y IN G THE M A N D , ,

T I I F LU C ON M I AL A T HE R N EN E U S C R .

M O R R I S S T E I E RT N ,

N EW V HA CO . EN . NN

I L L U S T R A T E D .

P I : PAP C LOT R C E ER , H , F . T R ET BA R C . 1 89 3 , by .

firms of R O T A . S ,

1 F RA N K F O RT S TRE E T N O . 4 , 4m. em

DED I C A T E D T O MY F R I E N D

‘ F K . A . . H J I I S S . A P N ,

O F O D O G A D L N N , EN L N ,

A S A MA R K O F A PPRE I A T I C O N .

PR E F A C E .

T HE articles i n this p a mphlet have bee n written for a tw ofold

o he of . I n o de to c ta t t purpose First. r r serve as a a logue visitor the E b f him the u a nd o xhi ition , to ully explain to nat re c nstruction of the differe nt instruments of my collection and to serve as a book

r f f e . c e I fo uture re er nce My experien e at V ienna , wh re exhibited a

of c o t o i n 18 2 has t of m part this llec i n 9 , taught me hat students usic i n t v order to fully understand these ins ruments , should be pro ided

o k o f . I n with s me wor guidance , explanation and instruction this little volume I have endeavored to fully meet this demand .

e e of Second. I n ord r to t ach the student the polyp honic nature the m of m of the usic the great asters eighteenth century, as played on t e of t m him t of the ins rum nts hat period , to re ind hat the music Bach and his contemporaries was writte n for the instruments of that

t t c an f period solely, and hat heir innate beauty only be ully compre

d if th e of B hende rendered on em , although th music ach has been e b M t r m for r suscitated y endelssohn and o hers , the inst u ents which it e was int nded had been lost sight of. For this rea son I have made it one of my de arest tasks to collect and fully repair these i nstru

and the m t d of i n to ments learn original e ho playing them , order reproduce these works strictly i n conformity with the composer ’s intention .

I n m b m f y researches l have een greatly assisted by y riend,

. J. HI PK I N S F . S . A . of . Hi s k on A , , London various wor s the history and construction of musical instruments have been of im mense

to me a n f m for value , d have urnished me with any an item this

t k w m k of e d d him . li tle wor hich , as a ar appr ciation , I e icate to

MO R R I S S T E I N E R T .

CO NTE NTS .

N O .

N D N I TRO UCTIO ,

G E K E Y E D N M E N W N CATALO U OF I STRU TS , ITH ILLUSTRATIO S

Y T H E P N - E HISTOR OF IA O FORT ,

A SY N O PSIS OF T H E ATTAI N M E N TS OF T H E G R E AT PIAN O B D E T H E 1 T H A N D 18T H E N E UIL RS OF 7 C TURI S ,

’ S E B . B E P Y N G T H E R E N AISSAN C E OF JO H . ACH S M THOD OF LA I T H E D CLAVICHOR ,

E OF D . FE D V E N N ARTICL R HIRSCH L , I A ,

ARTICLE FROM T H E AUSTRIAN N E W S OF M USIC A N D D M M V E N N RA A , ( USIC I A,

” E F OM “ W E N E BE N D B T ARTICL R I R A LAT ,

W O . F OM T H E N E VE N E V E N N G E G E A L ST ART R HA I R IST R , N E M BE 1 th 18 2 OV R 7 , 9 ,

Y OF T H E N HISTOR VIOLI ,

I i . C OG E OF N G E D N M E N W ON ATAL U STRI I STRU TS , ITH ILLUSTRATI S

C ATA L O G U E

OF T HE

M . STEI N ERT CO LLECTI O N

IIEYED AND STRNGED NSTRUMENTS

EXHI BITED AS A LOAN COLLECTION AT THE

W O R L D ’S C O L U JW ‘B I A N E X P‘ O S I T l O zN

BY I T S PROPR I E TO R

MORR IS STE I N E RT ,

N EW HAV CO . U . s . A . EN . NN .

THE S AM E COLLECTION AS S HOW N AT THE

I N TERNATI O NAL EXPOS ITI O N FOR MU S I C A N D T HEATRE ,

V I A 18 2 . ENN , 9

I NTRO DU CTI O N .

T H I S CA T A LOGU E describes my collection of Keyed and

ul Stringed Instruments at the Exhibition at Chicago . To f ly

o f o n understand their construction , and the art playing them , it

n o n is necessary to resort to books treati g these subjects . Such

- a one I have prepared and submit it to the music loving public . A visitor glancing at these instruments may at first View c o n

M . sider them as antiquities , such as are met with in Art useums

H erein he commits an error . I t is true that while engaged in my task as collector I discovered them in a dilapidated condition , and unfit to be played on . I n that state they did not exhibit

n o o n e their former usefulness , and beholding them could surmise th a t they served the musicians o f the past centuries as m usi c al instruments , for which the great masters of that period composed

ffi their divine works , and that they were of su cient capacity to

o f transport the performer to the most exalted realms inspiration .

so I have succeeded in repairing these instruments , that now , after centuries Of quiet rest , they appear in their original living s tate . In this I was actuated by the desire that these instruments Should serve a s a medium for performing on them the

so compositions Of Bach and his contemporaries , as to enable the student Of music to hear these masterly works in their original garb .

F o r this purpose I present these classical instruments to the public , and hope that doing this I may render some service to our present generation .

. S T E I N T M E R .

N E W H V E N un 1 , 18 . A , J e 9 93

v‘y

I i ; 51 K b “ g M

m w g s 6m

W » “t

fi g M as m

. M . S T E I N E R T

C LAVI C H O RD S .

— N o . I . . b . C lavichord , 4% octaves Ge unden

O f the I sth century . In this instrument a small bit of brass “ ” called a tangent is fastened to the back end Of the key, and

when raised by pressing the key , both strikes the string and divides it , thus producin g at the same time tone and pitch . An excellent method to obtain variety in force and quality o f tone .

' d ifie re n t This instrument has more keys than strings , and three tones are produced upon each set o f strings ; a system which “ ” . is called in German gebunden , and in English fretted 1 6

— N O. 2 . Clavichord, 4% octaves . Gebunden .

1 6th Of the century . In this instrument two different tones are

se t produced upon each Of strings .

‘ 18

- ” . a . C 4 ta . No lavichord, 4 oc ves Gebunden . Mahogany naturals

and black sharp s .

The case is in black enamel with gold , and rests upon a frame .

d f se t Two if erent tones are produced upon each Of strings . I 9

— . 4b. . b No Clavichord, 5 octaves U nge unden ,

M Sc hi e d m a e r 1 8 . H as ade by y in Neustadt an der Aisch , 7 9

black naturals and white sharps .

' H e re e ac h o f tangent has its own set strings , a system which “ ” o r is called ungebunden , unfretted . This invention was made

1 2 . by D aniel Faber , in Crailsheim , Germany , 7 5 2 0

N o . . 5 c o a . Clavi hord, 5M ct ves U ngebunden .

e b c e V o S o n i n Sc w e u a y nf B ia G e rm n . Mad Mi ha l it , h i rt, var , a y

N . 6. un e b I In d e n o Clavichord, 5K octaves, g , made by

Michael Voit Son , in Schweinfurt , Bavaria, Germany . 2 1

— N O . o d . U b . 7 Clavich r , 5% octaves nge unden

’ The maker s name unknown , although certain peculiarities

1 68 indicate that it is the product of Gottfried Silbermann (born 3 , died 1 7 5

2 3

S PI N E T S .

N O . 8 . Of Italian Spinet , 3 % octaves , from the middle the

1 th s century .

“ o r The spinet is a keyed instrument , with plectra jacks ,

1 which was probably invented during the 4th century , and con

8 h r ti nue d in use until the 1 t century . I t was the favo ite instrument

o f %ueen Elizabeth . I t has one string to each note , which is

- p lucked by a crow quill fastened to a j ack resting upon the key ,

1 which sets the string in vibration when the key 5 pressed down .

2 6

l . N o . l Italian Spinet , octaves , from the middle Of the

1 sth century .

— N o . 12 . . . D ouble Spinet . 4 octaves W ith paintings

b the m o s H ns R e s the e l e r o r A we . Ma d e y a u a uck r d , nt rp

R 1 i nstru The uckers made spinets as early as 579, and their

Of ments were noted as being the finest quality . The little spinet at the left, which sets into the spinet proper, is tuned one octave

I n higher than the o n e whose keyboard is placed to the right .

performing upon both instruments at the same time , the smaller

r se t inst ument is removed and can be upon a table . The maker, 2 7

is R . an d h as is proved by his initials H . device in the rose Of

- the sound hole , is no other than the famous Hans Ruckers the

o n Of elder, of Antwerp , and the j ack rails both spinets may be read “ v e rs a J ohannes q rne fe t .

The paintings upon the lid repre sent a contest before the gods

M ars us between Apollo and y , the former divinity playing a Viol and the latter a pipe . The background is a hilly country , with a w lake and a castle , and a man in a boat . Above and belo the

a r e removable spinet painted landscapes , with figures immediately

above it , children dancing , and at the fixed keyboard men and

women dancing in pairs . The instrument rests upon a stand with seven pierced arches and columns . With the exception of o n e at

1 80 M N uremberg , made in 5 by artin Beest , it is doubtful whether many other double spinets are still in existence . 2 8

— N O . 1 . o t . 3 Spinet , 3 c aves

e b A n ea s R c e s A n twe 1620 . Mad y dr u k r , rp ,

Andreas was the son Of Hans the elder, and was equal ly ’ celebrated as a spinet and harpsichord maker . H andel s favorite

n o w S harpsichord , which he used , and is at the outh Kensington

R 1 6 1 Museum in London , was built by Andreas uckers in 4 . On “ the inside j ack rail is the name O f Andreas x v ke rs me fecit “ ” A n tve r i a R o n . . p , and the rosette his initials A and King “ o n D avid playing the harp . On the inside lid , Sic transit gloria u Mv di . 2 9

— N o . 1 . S t o t s . 4 pine , 5 c ave

1 0. s Made by Johannes Hitchcock , London , about 7 5 Johanne and Thomas Hitchcock were the most celebrated spinet makers in England .

N o . 1 . H 5 Spinet , 5 octaves , made by Thomas itchcock ,

1 0 London , about 7 5 . I t is to b e presumed that Thomas and

Johannes Hitchcock were brothers , but worked separately and ff followed di erent schools .

N o . 16 . Spinet , 5 octaves , made by Thomas Barton , London , “ ” 1 M X 0. CC XX. 73 Inscribed , Thomas Barton, D

N o . 17 . Spinet , 5 octaves , made by William Pether, London ,

1 2 o n - about 7 5, having the following inscription the name board ” So fli c i tae j ucunda Oblivio vitae, which motto reads in English “ ” o f as follows : The pleasant Oblivion long life . The upper keys

o n made Of ivory and ebony . This instrument is exhibition in the Connecticut Building .

3 1

HA RPSI C H O RD S .

N o . 18 . oc . Harp sichord , 4% taves

P e b F o e ne sa 162 6. Mad y a l r nti at i ,

c This harpsi hord , which sets in a separate case , from which it

o f can b e withdrawn , is according to the style the Italian school

1 6th r o n of the centu y . I t has three registers the right (outside) o f o f - the instrument , two strings eight foot, tuned in unison , and o n f - e shorter string o four foot tone . The natural keys are made 3 2

o f o f boxwood and the sharps ebony . The case is highly

wi th decorated paintings , representing figures and flowers , both

i s inside and outside . This highly interesting instrument probably o n e o f the oldest yet in existence .

— N o . 1 . a . 9 Harp sichord , 4 oct ves , 3 registers

e b oh n n e s Co c e r A n we 1 6 h n t n b V an K e sse . Mad y J a u h , t rp , 79 ; wit p ai i g y ll

o f Of This instrument has three registers , which two are eight

o f - foot and one four foot tone . I t rests upon a frame , and the case and sounding - board contain a most beautiful painting by the

t l C o uc he t celebrated Du ch painter Van Kessel . is considered o n e of the most celebrated harpsichord makers o f the N e the rlan d

o f H school , was a grandson the celebrated ans Ruckers the elder , and a nephew and apprentice o f Hans Ruckers the younger.

3 4

- o n e o f f - producing an eight foot tone , and a still shorter a our foot

- tone , and finally two very short sets , each giving a two foot tone .

o n e o n e Furthermore, stop imitating the lute and another the

o f o f i nstru harp . On account the extraordinary size such an

o f o f o f ment , and in View the diminutive size instruments that

period , it was deemed expedient to supply this harpsichord with

n b i n eight strong legs . The soundi g oard is pa ted with flowers

and o ther artistic decorations . But especially it is the rich paintings on the inside lid which display the most excellent

o f I n specimens J apanese art , . both conception and In execution .

- The outer case and legs are decorated in imitation of tortoise shell . The builder of this instrument was noted as the most celebrated

o f harpsichord maker that period in Germany . Whatever must have influenced the builder to produce a keyed instrument which

w as cap able o f reproducing the prominent elements inherent in

the organ , it is to be presumed that certain influences emanating

from great musicians must have Operated upon him ; and when we consider that Hamburg and its vicinity was the home of the a greatest musicians , such as Buxtehude, Reinken , H ndel , Bach ,

M atthe so n H asse and , it is to be deplored that this unique instrument

S o ur is ilent as to its past history , which , no doubt , would excite

who admiration , could we know who were the musicians have

’ used it . Bach s Concerto in the Italian style and his French

fo r ouverture were composed a harpsichord with two manuals .

Its original title reads as follows :

“ Z - U e b un weiter Theil der Clavier g, bestehend in einem concer to nach italienischer Gusto und einer Ouverture nach

fran z Osi sc he r vo r Cl a v ic m b e l m i t Arth , ein y ( zwei manualen)

G e m uthse r Otz un deren Liebhabern zur g g verfertigt von J . S .

Bach .

The harpsichord w as the most important keyed instrument

1 6 1 1 8th used during the th , 7 th and centuries . I t served as an

accompanying orchestral instrument in Opera and oratorio . Like

o n the spinet family , the harpsichord is the plectrum principle . 3 5

se t o f The strings were in vibration by points quill or hard leather, elevated on wooden uprights known as j acks , and twitching o r plucki ng them as the depression Of the keys caused the points to pass upwards .

The earliest mention Of the harpsichord i s made by Eberhard h Ce rsn e . . 1 0 . t e , A D 4 4 Vincenzo Galilei , father of the as tron om e r G alileo Galilei , infers its direct derivation , in view of

- d its harp like isposition , to the harp .

. z o b. o . D e . No Harpsichord , 5 ctaves ecorat d

H u b . A . a s H m b 1 10 B ilt y J a , a urg, 7 . — . 2 1 No . ar c two k b a p . H si hord , with ey o rds 5 octa ves .

a e b a c o b s K m an M d y J k Lo do n 1 6 . u ir , n , 7 9

i - Has seven reg sters , two of eight and one of four foot tone o n e r R , . . ha p one lute , and one machine stop Dr Burney , in ees

a ’ , Cyclop edia gives J acobus Kirkman s harpsichords high praise , regarding them as more full in tone and durable than those of

Shudi . They retained certain features o f the Antwerp Rucker

as as 1 68 ’ model late 7 , preserving Andre Rucker s keyboard (nearly 5 octaves) with lowest G sharp wanting . This , as well as

o f - the retention the rosette in the sounding board , in which we find King D avid playing upon the harp between the letters , J and 3 7

o n K . Dr . Burney met with no harpsichords the continen t that could at all compare with those made in England by J acob

’ - Kirkman and his almost life lon g competitor, Shudi . ( Grove s

o f v o l D ictionary M usic , . ii , page

N O . 2 2 . s Harpsichord , with two keyboards , 5 octave , made by Burkat Shudi .

- o f. o n e o n e Five registers , two eight and of four foot tone , lute

o n and e harp stop . Shudi was a celebrated harpsichord maker, ’ N o f O. and enjoyed Handel s friendship . One his harpsichords ,

1 0 m 94 , made in 74 , for erly belonging to %ueen Charlotte , is now in Windsor Castle . The harpsichord in the Steinert collection

1 n o bears N o . 44 , but has date , and was probably made about

1 1 1 1 2 74 3 . The two harpsichords N os . 5 and 5 , both built in

1 66 fo r 7 , were made by Shudi Frederick the Great, and are still in

. 62 the Royal Palace in Potsdam . The Shudi harpsichord N o 7 , f 1 o . built in 77 5, was once the property J os Haydn , and is now

Owned by the Music Verein in Vienna .

N o . 2 . 3 H arpsichord , single keyboard , 5 octaves , made by

1 Jacobus Kirkman in London , 7 55

o f h o f - It has three registers , w ich two are eight foot tone in

o n e s w as unison , and register imitating the lute . Thi instrumen t formerly owned by Napoleon Bonaparte ; was given , after his banishment to St . Helena , to a French sergeant , who brought it

‘

M . with him to this country , where he settled at Scituate , ass I n

1 8 o f 3 3 he sold the instrument to Simon Bates , Scituate Harbor

i t son Light , and by inheritance passed into the hands Of his ,

James G . Bates , who is still alive, and from him into the pos

o f W harfl M . . session his daughter , rs M , now living at Gloucester,

s o f . Mas , whom M Steinert purchased it . The Bates family is o n e o f us the Oldest in M assach etts , and traces its direct descent from Peregrine White, who came over in the Mayflower . They claim that Daniel Webster and other noted statesmen were in the

t l t o f habi of is ening to the music this harpsichord . . 2 . c a No 4 Harpsichord , 5 o t ves .

a e b c ob us a nd A h m K m a n L o n o n 1 M d y J b k d 6. a ra a ir , , 7 7

- Has four registers , of which two are of eight foot tone , tuned

o n e fo ur ~ fo o t in unison , and of tone , also one register and knee

pedal to throw on the octave . 3 9

HAMME R C LAVI E RE

ham m e rc l avi e r fo r The is the German name the pianoforte , a

o f musical instrument the percussive group , the tones being pro d uc e d r by blows of hammers upon stretched st ings , and the E hammers being operated from a keyboard . ssentially the ha m m e rc lav i e r is a large dulcimer with a keyboard; but historically it replaced the clavichord and harpsichord , which were keyboard instruments , more akin to the harp than to the dulcimer . Several attempts were made during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries to combine a keyboard with it, perhaps the most important being the pantaleone o f Hebenstreit . The keyboard instruments then known were nearly o r entirely incapable of gradation in the loud ness o f their tone ; hence the new instrument when invented i n Italy was called a piano e forte , because its main peculiarity w as that

o r t ’ its tone might b e made either loud sof at the player s will .

Its widespread use in conseq uence o f the many improvements made , brings into prominence , however, the disadvantages of a percussive tone , which cannot be sustained o r varied after the

o f initial stroke , of an ease manipulation which invites slovenly and vulgar use , and of a temperament which , with the common

’ neglect of frequent tuning , often hopelessly corrupts the player s musical ear .

N o . 2 . H a m m e rc l avie r 5 German , 4 % octaves , by Johann

e c ke l 1 8 1 8 S Christoff J in Worms , February , 7 3 , ingle action . “ ” “ ” There are two stops , one piano of the celeste and the forte .

Both are divided into two sections , the bass and the treble , each moved independently of the other by four regi sters o n the front 4 0

side over the keyboard . The chief interest lies in the forte stop , which raises the dampers in two sections by two stops . I t con sists of a strip of cloth fastened to a frame , which touches the

so strings lightly , as to prevent their soundin g when in their natural state ; havi ng no separate se t o f dampers for each se t o f

ri i ts st ngs , as in the present piano , which signifies very primitive

I I I 68 Of construction . Grove ( , 3 ) speaks a French instrument similar to this , which he supposes was made in the reign of Louis

%uinze . The action is very interesting . Grove calls it the

“

G 1 . rudimentary erman action , improved by Stein about 7 7 7

2 2 No . 5 . No . 6.

— N O 2 o m Ha lav ie r S m m e rc a . Ger an , 4 % oct ves

e b oh n n C s off e c kel W o m s F b u h M d y J e y 1 8t 1 8 . a a hri t J , at r , r ar , 7 3

. 2 6 . a Ha mmerclav ie r a . No Germ n , 5 oct ves

a e ab o 1 0 b o n F e S e e N M d ut 7 5 , y J ha n ri drich chn id r, ii rnbe rg .

Black natur als and white sharps,two stops to draw the forte

. n and celeste Small wooden uncovered hammers strike the stri gs ,

S . f ingle action It rests , like the clavichord , upon a rame .

4 2

. 2 . Ha m m e r lav ie r . No 9 Upright c , 4X2 octaves

’ T wo knee pedals , forte and celeste ; no maker s name (about

S - The case has the hape Of an old fashioned secretary ,

and its strings run in a horizontal direction , in Opposition to the

to usual vertical on upright pianos . I t is tuned the right , and

has double action , white naturals and black sharps . This is one o f the most interesting instruments of the collection . 43

. 0 . Pa f . O ne ed al . No 3 Square i no orte , 4 octaves p

’ I n form of a lady s sewing table ; Stein action , white naturals and black sharps ; is tuned o ne octave above the ordinary pianoforte .

This interesting instrument has been in the po ssession o f the R Princess of Turn and Taxis in egensburg , Germany , where it was purchased by Mr. Steinert . 4 4

P s N . 1. O 3 English Square iano , 5 octave , made by Broad

: 8 Co . 1 1 . wood , London , about 7 7 The action is single, known

“ ’ Zum e . . as the p I t has two stops , the piano and forte The forte is divided into two sections ; they are Operated by three

s its h levers inside the ca e at left end , moved by and . The

- sounding board only extends across the right hand , not over the R action . ests, like the English spinet , upon a frame .

— . 2 . E P 3 ct . P . No nglish Square iano, 5 o aves ainted

’

N . o maker s name Double action . The case and legs are beauti u f lly painted with flowers , and the top is richly inlaid with fancy woods . - N O . . P 3 3 Square iano , 5% octaves .

e b o ha n n S c ntz e n n a b o 1 80 Mad y J ha , Vi , a ut 7 .

T W O s knee pedal , forte and celeste , double action . The case decorated with rich brass trimmings o f the period o f M aria

’ 1 80 w a s o s Theresa , about 7 . Johann Schantz J . Haydn s favorite

pianoforte maker . . . P f No 3 4 iano orte , 5% octaves .

a e b o n G e b N e w Y o a b o 1 81 M d y J h i , rk , ut 5.

Three p edals and triple strung . The instrument , which is l inlaid with brass , rests upon a frame with c aw feet , which are

a n d beautifully carved gilded . — . . e 6 . No 3 5 Squar , octaves

a e ab o o s n u 1820 b A . B c c B o , ab o M d y k , t t

the The case , in empire style , is beautifully inlaid with brass .

o f o f The pianos Babcock were most delicious tone and touch , and this instrument repre sents an exc e llent specimen o f his pro

duction . — . 6. a P ofor of 6 t . No 3 Squ re ian te , German pattern , % oc aves

e b o se H s e a t m o e . a bo u 1 820 . Mad y J ph i k y , B l i r , Md , t

The sounding board covers the action , tuning pins above

r s the keyboard like the grand piano , t iple strun g ; four pedal

s r forte , celeste , ba soon , janiza y music with drum , triangle and c ymbal .

50

s - e e c o n the o call d Vienna pianofort action , the knee pedal , and tri v an c e s fo r r shiftin g the keyboard , whe eby the hammer, instead

f o n e o striking three strings , strikes string only , thus producing “ ” the una corda effect . Stein grands are hardly ever more met with

— . 8 . 3 r a a e . No Conce t Gr nd , 5 oct v s

’

e s n a m e un no w n . W a s se b Ha n Mak r k u d y yd .

o n e Black naturals and white sharps , knee pedal , and stop in

” o f a “ front the keybo rd to produce the celeste . This instrument

e e the r o f o s has b n p operty J . Haydn , and was used by him in his

r - s o n hi bi th hou e, and later in s summer residence in Rohrau near

Vienna . 51

. . e r k . No 3 9 Conc t Grand , 5 octaves and nee pedal

a o n Black naturals and white sh rps , with the inscription the

“ ’ ” ’ - N O . sounding board , Mozart s Spinet . maker s name This

w a s i s instrument found in Salzburg, and an exact counterpart

of the grand used by Mozart , now in the Mozarteum in Salz

’ n o t burg , which does bear the maker s name , but it is claimed

a W al e a w s made by Anton te r o f Vi nna . H ydn and Mozart used to play duets upon thi s Instrument . 52

. 0 . c a k . No 4 Con ert Grand , 5 oct ves and nee pedal

a e b ha n n a K On i ke i n e n n a M d y J o J c o b c Vi .

S . Has black naturals and white harps . A true copy Of Joh

r s 1 0 And ea Stein grand . Built about 7 7 . 53

. 1. c r d P 6 o . No 4 Con e t Gran iano , ctaves

a e b A n o n W a e S o n V e n a . M d y t lt r , i n

: N O 1 fo r pedals . , shifting the keyboard una corda ;

N O . 2 fo r . No . , shifting the pedal tua corda ; No 3 , bassoon ; 4 ,

6 . N o . forte ; No . 5, celeste ; , drum , triangle and cymbals The case with elegant decorations and the legs artistically carved .

’ Anton Walter was Mozart s favorite pianoforte maker . About

1 80 7 . 54

— No . 2 . C 6 4 oncert Grand, octaves .

e b o h rO r k . G be I n sb ruc T ro . Mad y J , , y l

e s N o 1 : . N O . 2 N Fiv pedal , shifting keyboard ; , forte ; O. 3 , N O . N O . . piano ; 4 , p ianissimo ; 5, bassoon 55

- ’ . B e 6 No 43 . e thoven s Concert Grand, % octaves .

b a a m e N a ne te S e ic he r n ée S e i n V e n na 1 8 1 6 B M d . uilt y t tr , t , i ,

N O 1 . 2 : . Five pedals , una corda ; No , tua corda ; N o . 3 ,

N O N o . . o n celeste ; . 4 , bassoon ; 5, forte Bearing the sounding “ a fo ll o wm I i : n ée bo rd the g nscr ption Nanette Streicher Stein ,

Wien , Madame Streicher was the daughter Of the cele b rate d o f piano maker, J ohn Andreas Stein Augsburg , and is o f s wa n m a the builder o thi instrument . She s an i ti te friend o f

i s Beethoven , and it said that this instrument has been loaned by her to the great composer during hi s stay in hi s summer retreat in Bad e n . — . . 6 . No 44 Concert Grand, octaves

e b m e N ne te S tre c he n ée S e n V e n Mad y Mada a t i r, t i , i n a.

1 0 has . : N o I t is marked No 57 , and four pedals .

N O . O 2 N . corda ; N o . , tua corda ; 3 , celeste ; 4 , forte . i s a grand piano made by the same lady at Windsor

o f England , the property the %ueen Of England .

— . 6. c r a 6 No 4 Con e t Gr nd , oc taves .

’ a e b A n e S e i n d A u sb ur V i e n na M d y dr t , g g , .

’ W s s ith knee pedal , black naturals and white harp . Andre

w a s so n o f e o h . o f Stein the the gr at J Andreas Stein Augsburg ,

and a brother to Madame N anette Streicher . 59

— e . . 6 , 4 No . 47 . V e rtical Grand octav s pedals

C LOS E D .

’ é d A u sb ur . Made by Andr Stein , g g , Vienna

h . S . 1 . On the inside are t e letters A , 7 7 9 60

— No . 47 . Vertical Grand .

OPE N .

’ é i d A u sb ur . M ade by Andr Ste n , g g, Vienna

1 . On the inside are the letters A . S . 7 79 61

— N o . . P 4 7 iano Violin . 6 octaves .

e b e P s Mad y Baud t, ari .

The stri ngs in this upright piano are made o f wire a s in a

o f b e I n pianoforte , but greater relative thickness , there g one

. h to only to each note T ey run in a vertical direction , and

o f each string is attached a small bundle bristles , proj ecting

. i s in front about one inch A metallic roller, slightly rosined ,

o f made to turn by means treadles . When the keys are put

o f down , a tangent holding a piece whalebone presses the bristles

i s toward the roller, when motion then communicated through

to the bristles the strings , and in consequence their musical

o n Vibration is excited . The impression the ear is that o f a string orchestra .

H I STO RY OF TH E PIAN O FO RTE .

66

o f along the left hand side the case , they were attached by small

- eyes to hitch pins o f thicker wire . On the right hand the strings rested upon a curved bridge , pinned to fix their direction , and

- a o f conducting their sound waves to the soundbo rd , a flat surface wood beneath , extending partly over the instrument . Nearly at

o f the back each key , in an upright position , there was placed a

“ ” small brass wedge o r tangent about an inch high and an eighth o f an inch broad at the top .

O F E “ USES T H TAN G E N T .

The tangent , when the key was put down , rose to the string and pressing it upward set it in vibration . With a good touch the

o f n player could feel the elasticity the stri g , and the more this was felt the better the instrument was considered to be . By the pressure o f the tangent the string was divided into two unequal

lengths , each of which would have vibrated , but the shorter was instantly damped by a narro w band Of cloth interlaced with the strings , which also damped the longer section as soon as the

to player allowed the key to rise and the tangent fall .

The tangent thus not only produced the tones , but served as a second bridge to measure o ff the vibrating lengths required for

o f the pitch the notes . Thus a delicate tone was obtained that

had . s m e thi n . o g in it charmingly hesitating or tremulous . The k tone of the clavichord , although very wea , was yet capable ,

o f o r o f unlike that the harpsichord spinet, increase and decrease , reflecting the finest and most tender gradations o f the touch o f f the player . In this power o expression it was without a rival

until the pianoforte was invented .

Koch , in his musical l exicon , describes the clavichord as

“ ” d e s D uld e rs F ro hsinn s the iln hm n Labsal , und des e e d e n Freund

(the comfort o f the sufferer and the sympathizing friend o f cheerfulness) . The clavichord was a favorite instrument with Johann M Sebastian Bach , who preferred it to the pianoforte . ozart used 67 the clavichord now in Mozarteum at Salzburg in composing his

“ ” a rfl Z ub e Ote and other masterpieces . Beethoven is reported to —“ have said : Among all keyed instruments the clavichord was th alt o n which one could best control tone and expressive

” interpretation . Clavichords made prior to the last cen tury had strings fo r the lower or natural keys only , the semitones on the upper keys being produced by tan gents directed toward the strings o f the lower . Thus C sharp was obtained by striking the C strin g at a shorter D S length . harp and E in a like manner also .

1 2 o f About the year 7 5 Daniel Faber , Crailsheim , gave the

o w n semitone its string , and instruments so made were distinguished

“ ” “ ” b un d fre i as from the Older gebunden , which was a system of ” fretting . The early history of the clavichord previous to the fifteenth

o f century , together with that the chromatic keyboard , rests in profound obscurity . Welcker describes the Oldest clavichord he

1 2 0 had met with as bearing the date 5 , having four octaves , but D G . the notes sharp and sharp were wanting Clavichords had , even with the last improvements, a soft , hesitating tone . After they came into general use the idea arose o f constructing an instrument whose strings could be se t into stronger Vibration by

i n means of more powerful tangents , order to gain thereby a more powerful , more intense tone .

ST I G D I ST M TS O F T H E MI L G S R N E N R U E N D D E A E , O N HE L T P E CTR UM SYSTEM . Of the many stringed instruments that could be used for this purpose there were known in the Middle Ages , in addition to the harp , the psaltery and the dulcimer ( German , hackbrett) .

The psaltery , in triangular , square , curved or harplike form ,

n o r was either carried with a ribbon around the eck , when used

o n o f I ts was placed some piece furniture . strings were operated

o f e by means a plectrum , which was fast ned by rings to the hand 68

o f the performer. The psaltery was the prototype of the spinet

and harpsichord , particulary in the form described by Praetorius ” “ ” r an o ra hi a so - in his O g g p as Istromento di porco , called from

’ i ts likeness to a pig s head .

i o f 1 6 0 sa Musical wr ters the year 5 y that the psaltery , played

to n o with a skilled hand , stood second other instrument, and praise its silvery tone i n preference to that o f any other and its purity Of intonation so easily controlled by the fingers .

o r The Spinet is a keyed instrum ent with plectra j acks . I t was

used in the sixteenth , seventeenth and eighteenth centuries . It

Or o n e may be described as a small harpsichord Virginal , with

to o f string to each note . I t is said be the invention the Venetian “ ” 1 608 i Spinetti . Banchieri , in , der ves the name spinetta from

a s has this maker . I t is in shape the same the clavichord and the

r same keyboard . The j ack action is de ived from the psaltery

plectrum , while the tangent of the clavichord comes from the f . o S monochord bridge All instruments the pinet , harpsichord ,

c l a v ic m b al o o n Virginal and y family were the plectrum principle , and therefore were incapable o f dynamic modification of tone by difference of touch . The strings were se t in Vibration by points

o r e o n of quill hard l ather , elevated wooden uprights known as

o r j acks , and twitching plucking them as the depression of the

keys caused the points to pass upward .

HE H A H T RPSI C OR D .

The harpsichord in its form and in the arrangement o f the keyboard and strings resembled a piano . I n form it resembled a modern grand pianoforte . The compass of the keyboard was from four to five octaves . The number of separate strings to

o n e n each key varied from to four , sometimes including o e tuned

o r an octave two above the others . Two keyboards were some ff times combined , one for soft e ects, the other for loud . Numerous devices usually connected with the j acks , were introduced at differ

ent times to secure variety in force , and especially in quality . 69

These mechanisms , which often aimed to stimulate the tone

o f qualities various orchestral instruments , were usually controlled

- by stop knobs near the keyboard . The harpsichord was the most important keyed instrument during the last century . I t was regularly used in all dramatic music , especially in accompanying recitatives , and in orchestral music . The conductor usually directed from his seat at a harpsichord placed amid the other instruments .

T HE E ARLI EST H AR PSI CHO RD .

The earliest mention o f the harpsichord is under the name of

” c la v i c m b alum y , in the Rules of the Minnesingers , by Eberhard

Ce rsne . . 1 0 . , A D 4 4 With it occur the clavichord, the monochord and other musical instruments in use at that time . The absence of any prior mention o r illustration o f keyed instruments is negative evidence only , but it may be assumed to prove their invention to — have been shortly before that date say , in the later half of the

1 2 fourteenth century . Jean de M uris , writing in 3 3 and enu m e rati n to g musical instruments , makes no reference either c la v ic m b alo o r as use y clavichord , but describes the monochord , in M for measuring intervals at that time . oreover , there was no music wire before this epoch ; the earliest record Of wire drawing

1 1 . D being 3 5 A . , at Augsburg . There were three different shapes o f — j ack instruments made the harpsichord of trapeze form , the

o f r i clavichord oblong or pentangular form , f equently called sp net

o r . or Virginal , and the upright harpsichord clavicytherium I t must be remembered that the long harpsichords were often described as spinets or virginals from their plectra o r their use by

- young ladies, but the table shaped ones known commonly by the

Latin names were never called harpsichords .

A D H H K FAMOUS S PI N ET N AR PSIC ORD MA ERS . The most celebrated spinet and harpsichord makers were

1 R 1 Joanes Antonius Baffo , Venice , 574 ; Hans uckers , 57 5; 7 0

86 w 1 61 P 1 . Andreas Ruckers , Ant erp , 4 ; ascal Taskin , 7 Paris

1 1 68 Annibal Rosso , 555; Keene , 5; John and Thomas Hitch

1 6 0 1 6 6 1 66. cock , 3 ; Charles Harvard , 7 ; Haxby , of York , 7

1 00 o f Haas , Hamburg , 7 . The Ruckers , Antwerp , stood the highest in the art o f harpsichord making . I t was the school o f the Ruckers , transferred to England by a Fleming named

Tabel , that was the real basis of harpsichord as a distinct business in that country , separating it from organ building , with which

’ T a l s a s . b e it had been , in Flanders , Often combined pupils,

urkha n d b r B Tse udi and J acob Ki kman , became famous in the

last century , developing the harpsichord in the direction of power and majesty o f tone to the furthest limit .

- F ROM D UL C IME R T O PI AN O FO RTE .

The dulcimer is the prototype of the piano , j ust as the monochord was that o f the clavichord and the psaltery that o f the harpsichord . The psaltery and dulcimer were so nearly alike that o n e n o t f description might serve for both , were it for the di ferent

o f o f se manner playing them . The strings the psaltery were t in

r m a o f vibration by a plect u , where s the tones the dulcimer were

h o f produced by small ammers held in the hands the performer .

It is also no less desirable to separate in description instruments so n o n n nearly resembli g each other , accou t of their ultimate de v e I Opm e n t into the harpsichord and pianoforte by the addition o f i keys . The roughness of description used by mediaeval I tal ans in

“ ” ’ naming one form of psaltery strumento di porco , pig s head was adopted by the Germans in their faithful translation “ schweins

” “ ” ’ kopf, and in naming a dulcimer hackbrett , a butcher s board for chopping sausage meat .

The dulcimer is a trapeze shaped instrument o f not more than

n three feet in greatest width , composed of a wooden framing e closing a wre stpl ank for the tuning pins around which the strings are wound at o n e end and a soundboard ornamented with two o r more sound holes and carrying two bridges between which are the 7 I lengths of wire intended to Vibrate and a hitch -pin block for the

f T w o o . attachment Of the other end the strings , three , four and sometimes five strings o f fine brass or iron wire are grouped for each note .

i s The dulcimer laid upon a table or frame struck with hammers , the heads of which are c l o the d l o n either side with hard and soft ff leather to produce the forte and piano e ects . The tone, harsh in

n o the loud playing , is always confused , as there is damping con

o f triv an c e to stop the continuance sounds when not required .

I ’ “ S . LO U I S X V . PA N TA LEO N

o f s 1 6 Pantaleon H ebenstreit , Ei leben , became about 97 a

Virtuoso upon the dulcimer , which he quadrupled in dimensions ,

“ ” and had constructed as a double hackbrett with two sound

i b o ard s e a c h o n e , with its scale of strings on side , overspun catgut

o n . the other wire With this powerful chromatic instrument, de

n h ma ding erculean force to play , Hebenstreit travelled to Paris in XI V ” 1 0 . 7 5, where Louis christened it with his name , Pantaleon . ’ “ ” K ii hn an M atthe so n s 8 (in Critica Musica , December , praises the instrument and its superiority over the harpsichords

C o f and lavichords in possessing the properties piano and forte .

’ to S c hrOte r s hi m I t was this , according account , that led to ponder over a keyed instrument to do the like and to his notion o f a pianoforte .

m In Ger any , France and Italy the celebrated organ builder,

' fo rm e rl uni ve rsall Gottfried Silbermann , was y y considered as the

’ o f f hr r . Sc Ote inventor the piano orte , until the organist , Ch G . , ten

o f 1 6 years after the death Silbermann , in 7 3 , claimed the honor o f fo r said invention himself, and attempted to furnish proofs for

his claims by means of documents and drawings . Lately , how ever, extracts from Italian and French archives have been published , which for the first time accurately reveal the part taken b y Sc hrOte r and Silbermann in this invention . 7 2

C RISTOFOR I T HE RE AL I N V EN TO R .

These communications , verified by the pianofortes of those

times still existing , necessitate a complete revolution of all previous

the histories o f the pianoforte . They are chiefly results of the efforts of a society in Florence which had resolved to have a

o n 1 8 o f celebration March 7 , 74 , in commemoration Cristofori , “ the first and without doubt independent inventor o f the clavi S cymbel with piano and forte . This instrument , known ince “ ’ 1 1 1 has 7 , was called by its inventor pianoforte , and retained f ’ such name ever since outside o I taly . After the inventor s death

” ” isto fan i Cristo fali &c Cr . he was casually named Cristofori , , ,

the Cristofori, according to latest researches , was born May 4 , n 1 6 . 53 , at Padua Here he attai ed such a high reno wn as a keyed

P o f instrument maker that the rince Ferdinand Medici, known as

o f o f a patron arts , and especially as a connoisseur music , induced hi m to settle in Florence and enter his services as Court maker o f

C S lavichords , pinets and harpsichords , and to also serve as custodian

f 1 1 o f o . 1 his collection musical instruments In the year 7 , in a d newspaper published in Venice , the invention , hitherto considere

” o f G ra v e c e m b a lo impossible , a col piano e forte was announced . I t was further added that the lucky inventor was the paid and

e Of e o f — employ d Cymbalist the Princ Toscana namely , “ Cristo fali Bartolommeo , and that he had already completed

o f three grand pianos the usual size and equal quality . I t was esp e cially mentioned that in these new instruments i t depended upon the strength with which the player touched the key to pro

o r o w duce a weaker stronger t ne ith all its gradations . M any

o f ff musicians , the author said article , Marchese Scipione Ma ei di

Verona, continues, refuse to pay the tribute due to this invention ,

to o because its tone is weak and obtuse , although one gets easily

to i ns ru accustomed it , and soon even prefers it to the former t

. t ments The chief Objection made to the new ins rument is this , that one has to become accustomed to the manner Of playing it

the f even if expert on other keyed instruments . Ma fei , however,

7 4

n consent , as he says , his i vention became known in Germany , and bad imitations thereof were made and called pianofortes .

Agricola adds the following to the history o f the pianoforte

l r o f Mr . Gottfried Si be mann had made at first t wo these

instruments . The blessed chapel master, J ohann Sebastian Bach ,

o n f ha d seen and played one o them . H e had praised its tone and even admired it , but he had found the fault that in its high

n to o . M . otes it was weak , and that it was too hard to play r Silbermann had heard these complaints wi th ill grace and had been angry with Mr . Bach for a long time . But his own con

’ science told him that Mr . Bach s criticisms were correct . H e

s n o t came to the conclusion , it mu t be said to his glory , to make

o f s i n any more the e instrumen ts , but to work hard in order to vent something to do away w ith the faults mentioned by M r . Bach .

n he M l O . . this worked many years Finally , after r Si bermann

had in fact made many improvements , he sold another instrument

o n e to the Court in Rudolstadt, and shortly afterward to His

a n d o n e Royal Maj esty the King of Prussia , , as this met with universal approval , many more . He even had the praiseworthy ambition to exhibit o n e o f these instruments of his later con hi m struction to the chapel master , Mr . Bach , and to have examine the same and received from him his utmost approval .

n o f Accordi g to this report Agricola , who knew Silbermann personally , there remains no doubt that we are indebted to the industrious Silbermann for the practical construction and intro

o f duction the pianoforte .

V G CON SER ATISM OPP OSI N P R O G R ESS .

The greatest musicians of that age , Johann Sebastian Bach in

1 1 7 3 7 and Mozart in 7 7 7 , had acknowledged the value o f the

o f invention the pianoforte , but still a long time transpired before it could assume the rank due to it among the keyed instruments of

. o f s se that age As in the history mu ic , we can here plainly e the 7 5

o f o f strife progress against conservatism , the resistance established “ rules against new p ri n c ipl e sfi A musical critic in Leipsic writes in —“ 1 7 8 2 I n the grand piano (referring to the harpsichord) the heart cannot express itself, with it no picture can be completely produced , as light and shadows cannot be expressed ; only a clearly defined sketch can be made . I t is adapted either to bear

” o f — i o r n o n . to carry away the stream music short, to flow with it

- G R AN D PIAN O FO RTE .

” ti “ The forte piano , that writer con nues , stands higher,

o n e especially made by Frederici , piano maker in Gera , or

Stein , piano maker in Augsburg . Here the heart can express itself and manifest its manifold feelings and exhibit light and shado ws . But it is deficient in shadings and minor attractions ,

80 that it is adapted as an instrument for concerts and chamber

o f music . The clavichord , however, stands highest all . Although

' o n account o f its n a ture e x c lud e d from the concert hall it is the companion o f the recluse . Here I can reproduce the feelings of my heart, can shade , fully express , drive away and melt away a tone through all its swellings . — “ H e closes his remarks as follows I n order to j udge a

o n e W virtuoso must listen to him hile at the clavichord , not ” o f H a r si at the forte piano , and least all at the grand piano . ( p chord . ) “ F o rke l o f 1 8 2 , in his Musical Almanac 7 , prefers the clavi

all chord to other keyed instruments , although he praises greatly the fine execution and the finely shaded playing on a pianoforte made by Spath .

O L D L TIME MUSI C A CR ITI CISM .

1 8 The poet and musician , Ch . Fr . Daniel Schubart, in 7 5 thus — “ expresses himself The musical coloring cannot be executed o n

‘ ' ' S o g c h d e r a n o n m e V e r fa sse r d e S I ll usz c a lz s c /z e n H a n d éuc /z e r a u d a s Ja /z r 1 82 i t y f 7 , ’ ' w e lc he s i n A le thi no p e l ( L e ip z ig) gle ic hz e i ti g m i t d e m I ll us z c a lzisc lwn A I m a n a c lz ( v o n F o rke l) ' % - W w i ke s he n e a e he a us a m d e m P a n o fo rte n o c h n c d e n o rz u G F . E I T i n S c h c rt c . . Z V rl g r k , i i ht V g ' h d e la ir/f m a e 2 M A N Gesc /z z c te s C e g 5. , , p 7 7 6

I the pianoforte n all its nuances , but the clavichord , this solitary , melancholy and inexpressibly sweet instrument , if it is made by a

i s master, preferable to the Grand and Fortepiano through the

o f the pressure finger, throu gh the swinging and Vibrating of the

u strings , thro gh the strong and soft touch Of the hand , the increase

e o f and d crease tone , the melting under the fingers of the player,

o f o o f expiring trill the p rtamento , in short all expressions feeling

” can be visibly manifested .

We se e that long after the general introduction and use o f the

pianoforte , the clavichord was preferred . Silbermann ’s pianofortes in the beginning seem all to have been made in wing shape .

o f Of Charles E . Frederici ( died of Gera one the

s oldest makers of such instrument , i t is reported that he made

o r them in clavichord , square form also , and that he called them “ ” f r i n by the distinguishing name o Fo tb e . On account of their

w m s excellent ork anship , we are assured that they were cattered over half the globe .

‘ The pianofortes which John Adam Spath (died 1 796) in

s W Regen burg made and sold for forty ducats were also ing shaped .

o f They were highly esteemed in Germany . The instruments

o f r Johann Andreas Stein Augsburg , (died far su passed

e . them , howev r When Mozart had become acquainted with these

fo r instruments he selected them especially his performances , and

thereby brought them into public fav o r and the widest circulation .

1 Being in Augsburg in October, 7 7 7 , he was introduced to the pianos O f Stein .

Z ’ MO A R T S FAV O RITE I N STR UMEN T .

Stein ’s newly contrived pianofor te escapement appears to have charmed Mozart . I n a letter to his father he refers to the evenness

“ ‘ ’ of its touch , saying that the action never blocks and never

—as fails to sound is sometimes the case with other pianos . On the other hand , it never sounds too long , and the machine pressed 7 7

by the knee (to act as a foot pedal) is prompt to raise the dampers ,

o r on discontinuing the pressure ever so little i s as prompt to let

” them down upon the strings again .

’ The Stein escapement differs from Cri sto fo ri s and the English action in the fact that the axis Of the hammer changes its position

A ul se r with the rising of the key , the hopper ( ) becoming a ff fixture at the back o f the key . From this di erence a radical

o f change touch took place , and an extreme lightness became the d characteristic of the Stein action , as eveloped by Andreas

’ o f -in - 1 Streicher, Vienna , Stein s son law , who , in 794 , improved

and finally established the great renown o f the Viennese piano

fortes .

his Returning to Mozart , concert grand in the Mozarteum at

Salzburg is a small fi v e -o c tave instru m ent with black natural keys

and white sharps made by Anton Walter, who became in the end

’ Mozart s favorite maker .

The merits o f establishing German pianoforte making belongs

n to Stein , whose inventive talent and artistic devotio were dis

. i n 1 0 played the good instruments he made , which by 7 9 at latest

i n N were adopted as models both orth and South Germany , as the

two grand pianos formerly belonging to %ueen Louisa, made by

o f o f hi m Huhn , organ builder Berlin , and preserved in memory

at Potsdam , unmistakably show . One Of these instruments , and

o n e apparently the Older , bears no name outside , but internal ex

amination shows that the maker was the same who made the 1 790 ’ f o n e . o Both closely resemble Mozart s piano , by Walter , Salz

o f 1 80 burg , and the original model by Stein 7 .

L O F PI A O K A FAMI Y N MA E RS .

’ The Stein s were a family of pianoforte makers and players .

o f two They consisted the father , J ohann Andreas ; his sons , M a M atth us Andreas , Friedrich , and a daughter, aria Anna ,

N 1 i known as anette , who in 7 94 married Stre cher and was really 7 8

r the most promi nent o f the group . Though Streiche ultimately succeeded to the business , which had been removed from Augs

hi s fo r burg to Vienna , name does not appear several years in

e as 1 80 1 connection with it . The firm , as lat , was Geschwister

” ” Stein , subsequently N anette Stein only , which appears as the

’ r o n si x s 1 88 2 make s name a grand piano with pedals , exi ting ( ) in Windsor Castle .

w a r 6 n e s 2 1 . Na ett Stein bo n J anuary , 7 9, at Augsburg When barely eight she played to Mozart o n his visit to Augsburg i n

1 o f S he 7 7 7 , and in spite the bad musical habits had contracted “ ”

fo r she . he said Of her , She may do yet has genius Her talent and capacity were so obvious that her father early initiated her

o f o n 2 into the details his business , and his death , February 9,

1 2 she o n a 7 9 , carried it in conj unction with her brother , Matth us i Andreas Ste n , with a decision and energy almost masculine .

1 she I n 7 93 married J ohann Andreas Streicher , an excellent pianist and teacher from Stuttgart , and then her husband and mother moved to Vienna .

he w 8: The firm of Nanette Andreas Stein was established .

In 1 80 2 the brother and sister dissolved partnership and setting up for themselves as “ Matth a' us Andreas Stein ” and “ N anette

’ ’

n ee . Streicher, Stein Both firms endeavored to perfect their

a instruments in every possible way , while still dhering to the

o f o f traditions their father, and Stein , Vienna , became as cele b rate d o f u was as Stein , Augsb rg had been . Nanette Streicher at

o f o f t e once an energetic and capable woman business , a pianist

o f e markable excellence , a person gr at cultivation and a model wife and mother . Her name is closely connected with that of

Beethoven . It is well known that she did much to help him in f his domestic arrangements , lightened the burden o his house keeping and even looked after his bodily health . Thayer, in his “ work on Beethoven , says I n May , Beethoven , on the advice

hi s of medical men , went to Baden , hither he was followed by his h friend , M me . Streic er, who remained at Baden fo r the summer 7 9

o f his and took charge lodgings and clothes , which appears to

his to have b een in a deplorable state . On return Vienna the

tre i c he rs two S continued their friendly services , procured him good

servants and otherwise looked after his interests . These servants

o r remained with him for a year two , and this was probably the f ’ ” most comfortable time o the last half Of Beethoven s life .

’ BE ETH OV EN S CL EV E R PAT RON ESS .

fo r Beethoven , as well as Mozart , always showed a preference

n the pianofortes made by Stei and his daughter N anette . Thayer P w has unearthed a record of astor J unker, sho ing that Beethoven ,

1 1 in 7 9 , when residing at Bonn , always used an instrument Of

o f Stein . I t is claimed by those knowing the history the grand

o ne o f piano made by N anette Streicher, forming the collection f o . M Steinert , as illustrated here , that it was furnished by the maker to her friend Beethoven for his concerts and during his

many wanderings away from home , that he enjoyed playing upon

that particular instrument , and that M me . Streicher kept it ex c l usi ve ly at the disposal of the great master whenever he felt

like using it .

o ne In of his many letters to Mme . Streicher, Beethoven says

“ — n o t o n e Perhaps you do not know , though I have always had

” o f 1 80 your pianos , that since 9 I have invariably preferred yours .

The instrument has a very soft and sweet tone , and no true musician will fail to pay a Silent homage to an instrument used by

o the immortal Beethoven , and as such it will always remain an h j e c t of reverence not only fo r the great genius who probably

o f o ut o f o f created some his grandest works its depths harmonies ,

fo r but also the noble woman who built the grand instrument , ffl and , above all , who served the master in his domestic a ictions , ff and thus sweetened his life durin g his many su erings .

Z um e 1 66 A German , J ohann p , transplanted in 7 the Silber

i n s ru . t mann invention , the pianoforte , to London This resonant

ment, made by him very skillfully , met here with universal favor, 8 0 and soon attained such a splendid reputation that it was used to

r Of embellish a benefit performance . On a theatre prog amme

1 6 1 6 May , 7 7 , we find the following

“ — s Bri c kl e r r End of Act I . Mis will sing a favorite song f om

’ ‘ D ib d in J udith , accompanied by Mr . on a new instrument called

” pianoforte .

T HE PI AN O I N LON DO N .

A year later the London Bach — J ohann Christian Bach

o n played in a concert fo r the first ti m e publicly a pianoforte .

It was Of great influence fo r the growth and improvement Of the

1 pianoforte , that in 7 7 5 M uzio Clementi used the pianoforte in a concert in London , not only with great success , but since that

time adapted his brilliant compositions to this useful instrument .

The mechanism of the Silbermann piano , in which the hammers ,

o f independent the key and over them , rest on a part icular rail ,

s was e pecially improved by Backer , Stodart and Broadwood to such an extent that the new invention was known under the name f “ O English action .

In 1 7 68 Sebastian Erhard ( he afterward changed his name to

Erard) came from Strasburg to Paris . He entered the workshop o f a piano maker, and showed himself to be such a discreet , enter prising and persevering workman that his reputation soon filled all

. o f o f Paris At the wish an influen tial patron , the Duchess

1 Villeroy , he built in 7 7 7 his first instrument , which met with uni v é ersal applause at the soir es Of his patron .

K I P IAN O MA IN G N PA RIS .

About this time also J ohn Baptist Erhard came to Pari s and

o f shared from that time all the labors his brother . Soon the piano factory erected by these brothers at Paris became highly e steemed and patronized . Sebastian , inexhaustible in inventions ,

“ ” built for the %ueen , Marie Antoinette , a piano organise with

o n e ' two keyboards , of which operated a pianoforte and the other

A SYN O PS I S OF THE ATTA I N ME N TS

OF T H E G R E AT PI A N O BU I L D E R S

OF THE

18th A N D t 1 T I S I CE U R E . g l. N

H E history o f pianoforte building is replete with alm o st

o f as many celebrated men as that the violin . While the

ha s i ts latter shining lights in Caspar di Salo , the Amatis ,

G uam e ri s , Stradivaris , Stainer and Others , the pianoforte can

enumerate as many historical names amongst its builders . To

ri begin with , mention must be made Of Gottf ed Silbermann , a

Of i o f member a fam ly organ , clavichord , harpsichord and piano

. 1 68 forte makers H e was born in Frauenstein , Germany, 3 .

- He was first apprenticed to a book binder, but soon left him and went to his brother Andreas , at Strasburg . This city he had to

1 0 o n o f o f quit in 7 7 , account an attempted abduction a nun , and

r then returned to Frauenstein , where he built his first o gan .

Although he attained great celebrity as an organ builder, he became

C equally renowned as a maker of lavichords . Philip Emanuel

o n e fo r n W o n Bach used early half a century , and hile playing the

o f . same, he excited the admiration Dr Burney . I t is a well estab lishe d historical fact that Gottfried Silbermann was the first maker o f pianofortes in Germany . H e built three grand pianos for P Frederick the Great, for his castle at otsdam , where they still

- remain to day .

Agricola adds the following to the history o f the piano

“ l o f Mr . Gottfried Si bermann had made at first two these

instruments . The blessed chapel master, Johann Sebastian Bach , had seen and played o n o n e of them . He had praised i ts tone and even admired it , but he had found the fault that in its high

tones it was too weak , and that it was too hard to play . Mr .

Silbermann had heard these complaints with ill grace , and had 86

c o n been angry with Mr . Bach for a long time . But his own

’ science told him that M r . Bach s criticisms were correct . H e

came to the conclusion , it must be said to his glory , not to make

r f to any mo e o these instruments , but work hard to invent some

thing to do away with the faults mentioned by Mr . Bach . On

this he worked many years . Finally , after Mr . Silbermann had in

fact made many improvements , he sold another instrument to the w Court of Rudolstadt , and shortly after ard one to His Royal

o f P Majesty the King russia , and , as this one met with universal

approval , many more . H e even had the praiseworthy ambition

to exhibit one o f these instruments o f his later construction to the

chapel master , M r . Bach , and to have him examine the same ,

” and receive from him his utmost approval .

to o f According this report Agricola, who knew Silbermann personally , there remains no doubt that we are indebted to the in dustrious Sil bermann for the practical construction and intro duction of the piano .

H e l was fo lowed by J ohann Andreas Stein , born at Heides 8 h m 1 2 . hei , 7 Although not ing is known of his early career , he is

v 1 8 H known to have li ed in Paris in 7 5 . e , like Silbermann , was

C a builder o f organs, lavichords and harpsichords , and later on of pianofortes . After leaving Paris he became organist o f the Bar

’ firsse r- Kirche at Augsburg, and while there he built the celebrated

o f as o f organ that church , well as the organ the Kreuz Kirche . As a pianoforte builder he j ustly deserves the name of “ the father

” o f the German school , for the reason while Silbermann adopted

c Chri sto fo ri the a tion used by , the real inventor o f the pianoforte , i ff Stein invented an act on totally di erent and more simple . The

’ ff r Chri sto fo ri s Stein escapement di ers f om and the En glish action , in the fact that the axis o f the hammer changes its position with

o f A ul se r the rising the key , the hopper, ( ) becoming a fixture at

o f ff the back the key . From this di erence a radical change o f touch took place , and an extreme lightness became the character i stic of the Stein action , as developed by Andreas Streicher, of 8 7

’ so n - i n - w ho 1 Vienna , Stein s law , , in 7 94 , improved and finally established the great renown of the Viennese pianos . Stein was

o f K n e e e d al e n o uilli e re also the originator the p , called the g , w hich preceeded the foot pedal and served to raise the dampers .

o f H e also invented the shifting the keyboard , whereby the

o f r o n e hammer, instead striking th ee strings , only strikes , and “ h n w a s this una corda he named Spin e ttc e . Mozart a great

’ o f admirer Stein s pianos , and in his historical letter to his father, he speaks at length o f its evenness of touch and remarkable tone .

so n -i n - As hereinbefore stated , J ohann Andreas Streicher , law

’ of Stein , his wife , the celebrated Nanette and Stein s two sons ,

é 1 . Andr and Frederick , moved to Vienna in 793 Streicher him

a n o f fo r self was excellent musician and professor music , renowned his an d hi learnin g s great friendship for Schiller . This family while in Vienna , made many improvements in the Stein piano ,

d - and their piano , the Streicher piano , attaine a world wide repu

i o n f tat . o In England , J ohn Broadwood London made many

o f improvements in the construction the pianoforte . He changed the customary construction o f the square piano by removing the

- a wrest plank holding the tuning pins , from the right hand side s

I o f n the Old clavichord , to the back the instrument . He also introduced the division o f the bridge o n the sound board of the

H i s grand piano . son , James Shudi and Thomas Broadwood

r also invented many improvements in the const uction of the piano .

1 80 I n France , Sebastian Erard constructed in 9 a repetition grand

o r piano action , and also invented the inverted upward bearing

- . P 180 bridge at the wrest plank Ignatz leyel founded in 7 , in

so n Ca m ille a connection with his , piano factory in Paris . Their

fo r f pianos were noted their sympathetic tone , and for o fering to the performer such tone colors as to hi ghte n the expression o f

ChO i n n the composition . p thus expresses himself o the Erard and Pleyel pianos

“ ’ e sé e un d E rard e t %uand j suis mal dispo , j j our sur piano

’ un so n e j y trouve facilement fait . Mais quand j me sens en 88

e t r m o n r so n m o i il verve assez fort , pour t ouver prop e a , me faut

” un Piano de Pley e l .

1 8 In Germany , in 55, Frederick Wilhelm Carl Bechstein estab li she d a pianoforte factory in Berlin . Hitherto the north German piano was far inferior to the Viennese system , but Bechstein , by adopting the A m e r i ea n syste m of i r o n f r a m e s and the English

action , constructed instruments that became celebrated . I gnatz

Bo e se n d o rfe r established a factory in Vienna in 1 8 2 8 . He

s strengthened his instruments in their vital parts to uch an extent , that Liszt in his e arly career found them only adequate for the

r w many demands fo his new po erful school . H is son Ludwig

1 8 o f succeeded him in 59 and followed in the footsteps his father , and by making many new improvements , built only grand pianos

fo r o f o f noted the strength and purity tone and elasticity action , and hi s instruments tod ay are not surpassed by those o f any builder in Germany and Austria .

I n U Cre ho r e o f the nited States of America, Benj amin Milton , f s o 1 8 . M as , a suburb Boston , built excellent square pianos in 7 9

to His instruments were constructed according the English system . Although piano building at that time was something new in

e t w e ll America, y it is established that this little shop was the

o f o f training school such men as J ohn Osborn , and the two

e w ho e a re n brothers Lewis and Alph us Babcock , serv d their p p ti c e shi p there . The instruments o f these latter makers were not

o f only the equal the celebrated London makers , such as Broad

Bro d e r i wood , Longman , p and Clementi , but even surpassed

e them in many resp cts , as shown by instruments still in existence .

0 The Babcocks made pianos in Boston as early as 18 1 . John

e 8 1 1 . 1 8 1 Osborn in the sam place in 5 I n 9, J onas Chickering ’ became an apprentice in Osborn s shop . James Stewart, a Scotch

’ 1 8 2 0 man , became Osborn s partner in , and after quarrellin g with

, C 1 8 2 him entered into a opartnership with J onas Chickering in 3 ,

1 8 which partnership was dissolved two years later . In 2 9 J ohn

’ b Chi c ke ri n s M ackay ecame g partner . The instruments of that

90

c o - action . He formed a partnership with Knabe under the name o f Knabe and G a e hl e in 1 84 1 . After their dissolution Knabe

o f continued the manufacture pianos , and built up such a demand

s s fo r his in truments in the Southern state , so as to counterbalance

’ the progress o f the Chi c ke ri n g s in the East . Knabe deserved

hi s fo r e . his success , he z alously labored to improve instruments While Baltimore and Boston in a great measure monopolized

o f e s the piano trade the United Stat , New York , although it had

e such piano makers as Bacon and Rav n , Stoddard and D unham , N unns and Clark , occupied a very subordinate position , which continued until the establishment in business o f a family o f piano

18 forte makers from Germany in 53 , namely the Steinway family .

1 0 Since the invention Of the pianoforte in 7 9, it has undergone many changes and many improvements have been made in its l construction . But notwithstanding all these facts , a carefu ex amination o f the modern pianoforte will develop many defects in

’ the v its intrinsic musical properties . U nlike iolin , cello or the

n o t o f human voice , the piano does possess the power unlimited

e r ton prolongation . I t fu thermore manifests a certain monotony

o r in its tone nuances . I n comparison with the voice stringed

~ instruments , its tone appears cold and unsympathetic . I ts tone

e o f being produced by the strok a hammer, naturally dies away

n o t nearly as soon as it is created . I t is within the limits o f the

to hammer modulate each tone , and the performer , unless he is an

s o f artist , can hardly overcome thi natural tendency the hammer .

o f In fact, the natural condition the pianoforte is such , that its

o r o f tones cannot be increased decreased like the tones the voice, and therefore does not respond to the requir ements Of true

s artistic mu ical nature and therein lies its greatest innate deficiency .

e With the deficienci s herein mentioned , the piano remains the

o f predominant instrument the age for the following reasons , unlike the violin and the human voice it serves to produce a

- complete harmony by reason Of its unlimited tone compass , comprising the lowest b a ss tone Of the contra basso and the 9 1

o f b e highest tones the piccolo flute, thus can used to reproduce

o n e e o n orchestral compositions by perform r only . Furthermore ,

o f o f o f account the producing sound by means hammers , the

se piano posses s certain dynamic elements , which in the orchestra,

o f b ase d rum s are attained by means kettledrums , and cymbals

fi O f and in the more re ned parts , by means brass instruments .

This dynamic element produces a certain feeling Of rest o n the

o f nervous constitution the piano player , and thereby , he is enabled to continue at his task longer than at any other instrument .

o f Aside from the action , the most essential part the piano is

- o f the construction of the sounding board , the soul every musical instrument . The tone Of the pianoforte depends upon the movement and variable pressure of the strings at the point of contact with the bridge by which their vibrations are conveyed to the belly o r sounding-board to be i ntensified by the Vibrations Of

f to the fibres o this elastic support . I t is be regretted that the science o f acoustics furnishes n o fixed laws for the construction o f to n e ful - to a sounding board , but leaves it experiments only .

The difference in the character o f tone o f pianofortes by different makers depends very much upon variations in the proportions ,

o f o f direction the grain and burring the belly .

Aside from both action and sounding - board there must exist other requirements in the construction Of the piano , which lend

o n e the instrument a singing and soul inspiring tone , that can

o f express all the sensations the heart , the lyric, tragic and pathetic moods . While there have been no improvements made during the last two centuries in the construction Of the violin and other kindred

o f stringed instruments , it has been the aim pianoforte builders during that same period to excel each other and to produce an

instrument more perfect than any other heretofore known .

o f As before mentioned , N ew York , the metropolis this country , up to 1 853 occupied a subordinate place in the production of 9 2

pianofortes . I t received its first impulse in that direction through

e Henry Engelhard Steinway and his sons Charles and H nry , and

e o n . . . lat r . by his s ons William and C F Theodore These manifold improvements made by the firm Of Steinway

v ir in the building of pianos , have given their instruments certain tues and powers never before possessed by instruments o f other

Of makers . Through their efforts the defects in the construction

e the piano her inbefore mentioned have been greatly eliminated .

Form e rly only the greatest artists were able to produce o n the

N o w pianos o f that day rich and sustaining tone colors . even the amateur and unskillful performer o n a Steinway piano can

n produce such effects a s were formerly no t eve dreamed o f. Although about fifty patents have been granted to Steinway

fo r Sons improvements in the art of pianoforte making , it will be interesting to mention only the following most important ones

P 2 0 h 1 8 N O . t . Overstrung Scale , atent D ecember , 59 P 1 8 1 868 . Tubular Action Frame , atent N o . August th ,

N O r o h 1 86 . t . In Uprights and Grands , Patent August , 9

The latter two patents were granted fo r an ingenious invention

a n d to strengthen the hammer apparatus , to prevent its warping, due to atmospheric influences .

N O . 1 62 1 8 . Duplex Scale , Patent May 4th , An invention to control and utilize the acoustical properties Of

i ts piano strings . By means a rich , sonorous , and p ure tone quality is produced .

’

D A stro N O . V o h N O . t 1 8 Capo Bar , Patent 3 , 7 5, in

Grands .

o f - By means this invention , the suspended wrest plank can neither be raised nor depressed by the great tension of the strings .

fo r Although this patent was granted Grand pianos, it has been

fo r adopted the construction of Upright pianos also . P . z r st 1 8 8 . Bent Rim Cases , atent No M ay , 7

By this new method , the case is thoroughly strengthened , and 93

o f strI n s in no way yields to the immense strain the g , while at the

o f same time , it allows free vibration the case and rims . Most all these patents emanated from the inventive genius of

i n . 1 8 2 Theodore Steinway He was born in Seesen , Germany , 5. H e received hi s first instructions in the buildin g o f stringed and

keyed instruments from his father . He devoted all his energy to

o f e the improvement the pianoforte, and his succ ss in that art is

l 1 88 fu ly described in a letter written by Liszt in 3 , which reads as “ follows : Your new Grand piano is a gloriou s masterpiece in ff power , sonority , singing quality and perfect harmonic e ects ,

” l - o d . e affording delight , even to my piano weary fingers He di d , 6 8 1 8 . 5 years old , in 9

His nephew , Frederick Steinway , who devoted himself under

the teachings of his uncle , Theodore , to the scientific researches

o f acoustics , has also added important inventions to the strengthen

o f ing the piano , which consist particularly in an ingenious combi

n o f m ation resonant etal framings , which , in their normal

condition , give both strength and a special tone color to the

instrument .

Z e Henry iegler, another neph w Of Theodore Steinway , also

his has served apprenticeship under his uncle , and enlarged the

o f - field o f the Steinway system piano building . H e is both a

who theoretical and practical mechanic, has ventured upon the

- yet unexplored field Of giving the sound board scientific formation . Z Henry iegler and Frederick Steinway , working in conj unction ,

have imparted to the Steinway pianos those musical characteristics

- which make it famous to day . Although the piano in its present state may appear perfect to many , yet it is capable of being still more perfected , and it is earnestly hoped that the genius o f improvement which has chan ged

o f the simple pianoforte Silbermann into the modern Grand , may

e o n o f not rest , but may continu its march progress .

THE R E NA I SSA N CE OF

E B B S . A C H S M E T H O D

P YI I O LA N G THE C LAV C H R D .

98 written a report concern ing this greate st mark o f respect to the

F o r w as to genius of Bach . , there anyone more gifted write a c ri trc rsm of such an artistic festival than an artist himself, and moreover an artist like Robert Schumann % I t is contained in “ the twelfth volume Of the N e l l e ” where anyone may ff read it . Like mostly everything written by Schumann , it o ers

- even to day , after the lapse of more than half a century , a full enjoyment of things gone by .

o f r i c ture d That marvelous time that early period is e p in it .

so That time when German politics were insignificant , but German Art was so great — great in its own creations and perhaps still

a greater in the reawakening of the creator of h rmony , the great Z Sebastian Bach . Next to elter we have to thank the enthusiastic

o i s propaganda f Mendelssohn for this artistic feat . I t forever

inseparably connected with his name . Characteristic enough for

’ ' v o n BI I lo w Mendelssohn himself, whom a mind like Hans has “ distinguished by the words : The greatest form genius since

” Mozart .

D uring his whole life Mendelssohn adhered to hi s active

veneration for Bach , which was permeated by the noblest passion .

His advocacy o f the o ld master proved most effective at the great w n ational music festivals of the lower Rhine , where Bach as hardly known by name .

1 8 8 c o m Mendelssohn in J anuary , 3 , writes as follows to the “ m itte e in Cologne : I t appears to me more important to have one number o n the programme this year by means Of which this

festival distinguishes itself from others , and whereby , perhaps , a

o u step in advance can be pointed t. For this purpose I consider it indeed necessary to include the name o f Sebastian Bach in the programme, even if it only be a short piece ; but it is certainly in

so time that at these festivals , to which H andel has given much

s renown , also that other immortal master, who in no sense stand

n below any other master , but in many sta ds above them, should no longer be forgotten . The same Objections that may now be 99 raised against Bach must have existed in former years against

’ n i s s . o e Handel works Becaus e , if once of his works produced , it will n o t be difficult to find it beautiful and to produce it again .

There must be a beginning . And in the same manner as Mendelssohn at these great national music festivals on the lower Rhine reinstated the German Old

his e n master Victoriously into rights, he conducted with untiring thusi asm the f at all points his great contest for Renaissance o Bach , the battle of the artist for the artist % And he only rested when the accumulations of oblivion were completely removed from this i n

m e m n o n c o lum n so destructible , which had wonderfully heralded

u o f the f ture dawn German classical music by its divine sounds .

Five years before his death , Mendelssohn had the pleasure to

o f o f behold the unveiling the monument Sebastian Bach, the “ ” magnificent old Pe ruc ke n ge si c ht (wig - face) a s he Often called it and the costs o f which he had earned by his o w n play in g . Already two years before that time he had arranged a n

organ concert in the Thomas Church for that purpose . H e gave

“ ” soli ssim o fdr fo r it , and had practised the same many weeks

so to with the greatest diligence , that , as he expresses it in a letter

“ his o n mother he could hardly stand his feet , and only executed

” pedal passages o n the s treet .

Less , in fact hardly known , is the extraordinary influence

’ o n Of which Mendelssohn s father exerted these efforts his son . The time will come which will deal more explicitly with this

to o i s excellent man , who in his altogether great modesty totally eclipsed by the greatness of his father, the philosopher, Moses

f so n o . Mendelssohn , the glory his Mendelssohn Bartholdy

u Since that time f lly fifty years have passed by , and with the

o f o ld - great master the Romantic , the Sebastian survives to day in all his power and glory . I n fact it may be stoutly maintained that Bach now really begins to live , and with him and depending

o f upon him without being limited in time , the elements true and

all genuine art will continue to eternity . 1 00

Before his surpassing greatness all those who came after him

now b o w down . Weber maintains boldly that the Classics admit the following “ about Bach : That Mozart never woul d have risen to his great

” ness without the stairs built by Bach .

’ Another expression o f Weber s which is more dogmatical and

“ o f more significance for o ur theme we wish to annex here . The art to play Bach ’s compositions effectually has been perhaps com

l e te l p y lost , inasmuch as the enj oyment to be expected therefrom

o n neither lies the surface nor, because on account Of the richness o f the harmonic construction , the outer melodious contour can

’ appear so prominent as is desired by our spoilt ear . The earnest movement which tries to produce at present Bach ’s works in their artistic interpretation may be termed in these words of C . M . von

o n e o f i n te re s Weber . I t represents in the present also the most ting questions o f art on which subject Spitta in his unsurpassable “ ’ Bach Biography in truly wonderful manner has said : Bach s clavier compositions represent an inheritance which was destined i us r as to be accepted by Mode ns in its full scope , an inestimable present for a period W hose musical Spring does not flo w any more

u in its former prof seness , an unmovable rock in the turbid commo l tion of passionate aberrations , and for all those who are sti l able to hear an earnest admonition not to forget the dignity of art %”

I found a very noticeable indication o f this question o f art in

’ 1 8 a letter from Mendelssohn Bartholdy s father, who in 3 5, wrote “ D ii sse ld orf z— to his Felix , to , as follows Your intention to restore Handel in his original form has caused me to reflect on the latter

o f instrumentation his works . Generally the question arises ,

- a ll whether Handel , if he would compose to day , would not use

o f the musical means the present day for composing his oratorios ,

o r l which , in fact, means nothing more ess whether that artistically moral form to which we give the appellation Handel, would assume to - day the same outer form which it has had one hundred

years ago, or, in an enlarged meaning , whether the world appears

I O Z

h instrument to which Jo . Seb . Bach assigned a quite distinguished

pre eminence before all other keyed instruments Of that time .

This predilection o f Bach fo r the clavichord must b e still more

to con sidered as o f great importance , because we know it be a well

established fact that the master, during his whole life was accus

to m e d to ask in relation to his instruments for m any very far

going requirements , and even such that could onl y be satisfied

M ii hlhause n Co e the n with difficulty . I n Arnstadt and , in , Wei

mar, also in Leipsic, in fact everywhere , the different church organs

f i nstru gave him a great deal o trouble . He nowheres finds an ment whose capacity reaches the level o f the artistic sensitiveness

of his artistic craving . The records of Bach ’s complaints on this subject are still in

existence . They teach us that Bach had more than anyone else

penetrated the spirit o f organ building and that he not only under e stood how to criticise , but moreov r could demonstrate and order

how to obviate the deficiency and error . Thus the records o f the “ M ii hlhause n i n 1 08 : free city , 7 , contain the following The new

has n . c o struc organist , Mr Bach , reported different defects in the f o f o . tion the organ in the church St Blasius , and also has handed

” in a written plan how to remedy the same .

o f L i e b fra ue n Yes , according to the records the church in

Halle , Bach all alone conceived the plan for building a new and

Cunti us grand organ , which the celebrated organ builder, Christof , had acknowledged through hi s own signature as l awfully proper for making , and which he in fact contracted to build for the price

R i x thal e r of .

Can anyone therefore wonder that the University o f Leipsic

1 1 Co e the n in 7 7 sent extra for Bach while in , in order to have

o f Paulin e r him thoroughly examine the new organ the church , in presence o f two witnesses only %

In the use o f stringed instruments Bach did not demand less

. requirements I t is well known that he himself played the viola, and thereby enjoyed amongst his fellow - players the freest super 1 0 3

e o f vision ov r the execution the different parts . Thereby he made the unpleasant discovery that not o n e o f the cellists ( Viola de

s hi s Gambist ) was adequate for the execution Of fi gured Bassos .

Accordin g to some anecdotes such d e fic e n c i e s were Often very

to apt cause a serious unpleasantness to the delinquent . F o r in everything that pertained to art Bach possessed a devilish hasty

is temper , and it related that he sometimes tore his mighty wig

o f from his head in order to hurl it against that a stupid pupil .

to his Certainly such an insult he could not give cellists, especially

as he knew too well that the fault in this case was not o f the

o f player , but was due to the size and construction the Violoncello

o f n o w that time . I t is noteworthy and very characteristic for

o ur description , that Bach knew most thoroughly to obviate this

difficulty through the invention of a totally new stringed i n stru

“ ” ment , the viola pomposa .

re ro d u Bach , in questions pertaining to the spirit and p c

o f n o t n o t tion his works , was only conservative , but more over really revolutionary , and thus, besides other technical

o f accomplishments , he is credited with the invention a musical

so - clock and of an improved keyed instrument, the called Lauten l Cl av ic ym b e .

Therefore , it can be maintained with apodictic certainty that Bach was always accustomed to claim the highest pretensions in

o f regard to the capacity all instruments used by h im, and that he had without doubt weighty artistic reasons for preferring in

‘ such a distinguished way the c la v i c ho rd fo r the execution of

i n clavier compositions . The reasons for this embrace the first

place , the fact that the clavichord must by no means be considered as a primitive precursor which is subordinate to the later constru e tions o f keyed instruments . I n fact it demands a prominent place in the line of all piano instruments even to the present time , n o t only as a keyed instrument Of quite peculiar tone productive

o n o f i ts ness , but more especially account unique tone color and

n power o f inspiratio . 1 04

These matters , however, have been explained at length else

' i n ffi where this work, and therefore it is su cient to remark here , that accordingly the method of playing the clavichord can exhibit a whole array Of very important and distinguishing differences

H am m e rc la v i e r from that Of the , an d completely from the method

Of playing the modern pianofortes . In order to illustrate this

’ few e rram le s fact by a p , I would like to remark that at the

o f o f clavichord , the feeling the player is more capable being car

o ut o f ried , for the reason that the different degrees the intensity o f the touch , find expression not only in the power, but also in

- o f the song like pitch of the tone . Certainly the pitch the tone

ri o f forms itself by the st king the tangent against the string . But

o n in the same manner as the Violin , the accent Of the player

o n fin e r - increases the pressure the g board , if the tangent rises higher , then the string extends itself and thereby produce s that i trembl ng, chromatic , echoing sound , to which even the modern ear cannot deny the oscillating property o f a deeper soulful se n sation . Therefore there cannot be any doubt that in this respect alone we run across a technic which has been lost , and whoever has heard one of o ur virtuosos attempt to play the clavichord under sta ndi n l g y, must at least admit that this technic is very capable

. o f of being resuscitated I n fact , this superb responsiveness the clavichord has encouraged a great number of attempts o f produc

o n tion , which cannot be attained any other instrument . These naturally are completely lost as soon as any attempts are made to produce , unconditionally and without consideration on other keyed instruments , compositions which are written for the clavi

i n chord . Otherwise , order to introduce another reason , we assert

’ that the legato -bows in Bach s clavichord works have quite a dif fe re n t S - n ignificance from those in modern piano playi g . Because legato - playing on the clavichord can only be accomplished by an

o f increased pressure the fingers , and thereby a crescendo is always caused .

1 0 6

Historical truthfulness and historical j ustice are therefore the

- battle cry which we wish to promulgate in the study Of Bach .

o f We behold , all over, the principles historical study duly

o f acknowledged , yet in all these fields of labor the mind , historical truth stands firmly as the fundamental principle o f true art .

We read the poets o f former ages in their original language ,

o f to r f w e o n in the study law we go back the ve y ountain , imitate

o f the stage, and while relating the things the past conscientiously , their historical conception and shape , even in such things which in the other world is called good and bad in the consideration of

' the moral itself, we have attempted to use historical criticism . I

o u o f o f u only remind y the celebrated rescue L crezia Borgia , by

G re o ro vi c us so g , therefore , what should deter us to hear the music o f o ur so to as ancestors , and feel it it appeared intelligible and full o f enj oyment to o ur great predecessors % The almost incomprehensible successes of the English Pre h raphaelites , which I have ereinbefore briefly mentioned , can amply teach us what surpassing and infinite vitality to - day still exists in even quite removed and seemingly defeated periods Of art , and how they in an astonishing degree can gain the as c e n d e n c o f y over modern minds . The school painting o f the

Pre ra haeli te s - p embodies in their efforts , as is well known , the most unheard of and rudest reaction against every progress in which

m a painting y glory since the days of Raphael and Perugino . “ ” Smear the Pre rapha elite s term everything which painting since the death of Van D yck had brought forth . Heaven and

Earth, Gods and Heroes , everything that creeps and flies , the Pre ra pha e lite s behold and clothe with the eyes and conception of R the period of enaissance . I have watched their conduct for obvious reasons with the greatest interest . The audacity of their artistic religion possesses

in fact something imposing from which one cannot easily escape .

” R o f They teach that aphael is the highest summit art . They “ call an attempt to surpass him to perish without help in man 1 0 7

m . to o f erism In order gain the height artistic labor, we must

r enqui e into its inception ; therefore we must go back to Perugino .

o f Before all we must create out ourselves an ideal , namely our o wn ideal . Thus the Pre ra pha e li te s seek only the beauty which e permeat s them , the absolute beauty . This battle raged for thirty

- Pre ra ha e li te s years , but to day the p reign with their pure , deep

i ts I dealism all over England , over entire art and the entire ’ nation , and over all that territory wherever only Albion s flag is supreme I

The Renaissance o f Bach cannot naturally be exerted to such

fo r o f an extent , and the time is probably distant the formation a

- a brotherhood o f Pre Se b asti n i sts . We would severely depreciate

o f sa d o f such a condition zealotism in this otherwise era music .

Surely the fantastic richness o f inmost power o f creation and gift o f formation which emanates without limit from Bach , must be

o f f considered as the triumph unfettered activity o art . We must

m o f not, however, pervert to excess the strictly historical ethod studyin g Bach by foolishly claiming Bach ’s clavier composi tions must without exception be heard o n the clavichord . N Oth

o n e - ing could be more sided and erroneous than such a limitation , which in addition would include a total ignorance of the true

’ substance o f Bach s art .

o f According to the grand researches Phillip Spitta , it is a well established fact that all clavier creations of Bach were com

o ur m posed for an ideal instrument , which was destined for ti es ,

o f but the sound which , like a vision , must have agitated even

o f then with irresistible vocation , the expectant heart the great l o d master . These researches explain from these facts , that almost unapproachable bruskness of the character of so many composi

o f tions Bach , and especially the almost horrifying regardlessness

o f sound , in which compositions Bach manifestly , with complete disregard of their outward appearance , only aimed at the creation

Of their spiritual worth . “ In the b eautiful words of Spitta , he is the excessive idealism 1 08

o f a German mind , who always looks up towards the clouds with ” o ut caring whether his feet entangle themselves in earthly thorns .

S o f o f This pure , piritual tenor the Polyphony Bach appears on no other instrumen t so unlimited and so clear in its naked

beauty , as on the clavichord .

o f The peculiar effect o f sound the latter, which conduces to

o f e only very modest perceptions the senses , p rmits , however, in its stead a deeper insight in the worldless strife and labor of tones , if

n asc e n d i I am permitted to say it , in the status of polyphonic art m itself, in which the voices ascending and descending finally for a tone palace . There is only o ne completely satisfactory course to attain d ’ analytically a full understan ing of Bach s art , namely to study

se e o f Bach o n the clavichord . Here we can the whole chemism complicated connection o f sound effected in full purity ; the mole

ul ar o f c powers harmony , the affinity and allied breaking through

o f sounds . I t is easy to fathom this great spiritual development o f polyphony with the extraordinary richness and abundance of tone of the modern piano . The sensual nervous enchantment of sound harasses too much the grasping of the mind , we listen too

o f o f much to the effect the volume sound on the ear, but the motive powers that reign supreme and cause all this , remain invisible .

We are too easily induced to search for the effect o n the sur

i n f face purely accidental harmony , in coloristic e fects , which are however only side issues , and therefore the warning cry must again be raised to confine yourself closely to the clavichord for the study of Bach . Only after one has gained on the clavichord a h full understanding of his polyphonic arc itecture , can he attempt to paint the clavier compositions of Bach with the shining c o lo rit

o Of modern pian music . And then only will be disclosed the w ’ whole onderful beauty which filled the master s imagination .

o f b e lls We hear more distinctly the sound the from the deep,

and clearly the forms from below send their greetings .

A RTI C L E OF D R . H I RSC H FE L D ,

V IENNA .

1 14

a Whoever hears how Steinert , with delicacy and rtistic knowledge , colors the clavier tone of the Oldest instruments and wonderfully modulates

o ld the same , falls in love immediately with the plain looking boxes that represent the clavichord , and loses himself in an enticing romance of sound

fo r o f as far as the sense sound , which is far distant from the noise of tone

o ur . times , can be awakened in him

The tradition o f the good Ol d city musician ( stadt musikant) still lives

A s s o n o f in Steinert . a a peasant , he enj oyed in his earliest youth in a small city in Bavaria the popular instruction Of a well meaning city musician in the playing o f all possible instruments ; for that reason none o f them seem strange

- - to him to day and he is most at home on those which are least known to day .

He who is now the representative o f the famous piano factory o f Steinway

b o o ld studied and practiced before he emigrated as a y on a very clavichord , the patriarch o f our pianos .

1 C Numbers to 5 of the Steinert collection exhibit old lavichords , square cornered bodies without legs . The levers of the keys rest in their middle part on a pin and strike at the rear end with a metal tongue against the metal strings , which are strung above the same . Their mechanism is the most simple imaginable . The metal tongue is called a tangent , because it touches

s the string, and for that reason the clavichord is al o called the tangent piano .

C o r Four lavichords of the collection are gebunden fretted , because three or

o n e four consecutive tones are produced on string , so that the instrument

contains many more keys than strings . No . 5 is free from this condition .

“ b un d fr e i o r n to In it a particular string ( unfretted) belo gs each key . It is D 1 2 . said that the organist, aniel Faber , invented the latter instrument in 7 5

the Immediately , then , necessity arose to deaden the shorter part o f the

o f v . strings the cla ichord This was done at that time , according to

V i v d un o f Sebastian g, by inserting small pieces woolen cloth between the

“ . u strings This frees the strings from rattling and from the coarse , n

” n o t pleasant reverberations , so that they do continue to resound . T he

i s D tone of the clavichord thin , but not without charm . Therefore r . 0.

Fleischer says with full right in his instructive cata logue of the Berlin

“ royal collection o f instruments If any one lends hi s ear after isolating the same from the massive sound o f modern musical instruments to

this naive sound , he will very soon find it very charming . I t is most

to li s n e r decidedly adapted attract the attention of the t to the utmost .

o f o ur o While the full tones hammer pianos especially attract the senses , n e c an o f j ustly describe the tone the clavichord as purely spiritual . This

n o t characteristic is only lovely , but also strictly true . This spiritual con 1 1 5 dition o f the clavichord manifests itself in its peculiar adaptation to poly

n . C phonic playi g hords sound like glass , but the intermixture of

i s independent harmony is o f unspeakable charm . It an instrument that

o f urges improvisation , not , however , to empty humming sounds , but to the

‘

o f . . n deep combinations living, trembling voices Mr Steinert has agai

o l d o f hi s acquired the technic playing the clavichord , he shows in tuneful improvisations that the player o f the clavichord like the V i o li o n i st has full power over the lightly stretched strings , that in each string there lives and

o r trembles a susceptible soul , which can proclaim mourning and j oy , in the O “ A words of Hans Hayden f Nuremberg, nd although the text cannot be

expressed by words the player can make known his feelings , whether sad or

m joyful thoughts ani ate him , by the courageous or timid manner with which

’ ex he attacks the clavier . Mr . Steinert plays on the clavichord , i m rov i se o f o f p , with the deepest expression to the elevation the senses the

o f . listener , recitatives , as can be found in the chromatic phantasy Bach

The tone of the instrument is in the hands o f Master Steinert o f astonish i n l g y long duration . We learn to understand that the clavichord , which

o f n permits singing and shading, was indeed the favorite instrument Johan

Sebastian Bach .

o n e Moreover , Philipp Emanuel Bach admonishes that if any plays con

ti n uo usl o n uill r an d and y the q g he gets accustomed to play in one color ,

f o n the dif erent touch , which only a good clavichord player can produce a

r . g and , remains hidden Mozart yet used a clavichord , and the instrument l in the exhibition in the Mozart department , erroneously termed a trave ing

e . O spin t , is in fact a clavichord Whoever , under the skillful guidance f f Mr . Steinert , examines his collection will tear himself away with di ficulty

from his Clavichords . Mr . Steinert loves them as a father loves his good

s children . He ha adopted these foster children when they were in a

neglected condition ; he has newly dressed them and brought them up with

great care . Many a clavichord in the exhibition whose strings are wanting and whose keys are broken and for which,neither through fl attery nor the

rough pressure a tone can be produced , seems to yearn after a foster father

like Papa Steinert .

We next advance in this learnedly arranged collection to the spinet No .

The instrument dates from the beginning o f the seventh century and

was built by John Hitchcock in London . The Spinet derives its name

o r . O either from the supposed inventor , Spinetti , from spina ( a thorn ) n the

end of the key lever yo u find in it loosely attached a j ack ( a small wooden

, . A stick , ) from whose side protrudes a pointed elastic thorn the spina t the 1 1 6

o f striking the key the jack j umps up in a s traight line and the thorn , usually

o f cut from the quill of a feather of a raven , plucks the string . The tone the

i s spinet chirping, more powerful and more intensive than that of the

' i n clavichord , but not as pliable . In the spinet the strings lie like as the

o f clavichord , obliquely to the direction the keys , but in a more advanced

l ui ll r an d o f . Cl av i c m b e phase progress In the y , also called cembalo , q g and O in English harpsichord , the strings are stretched in the same direction f the

v o n o f keys . The cla ichord has , therefore , the keyboard the larger end the

has a body , while the harpsichord , in the form of modern grands , its keybo rd o n the shorter end . The harpsichord is also provided with a resting frame

c l a v i c ho . d and legs , which were for a long time wanting in the and spinet

h o n . and w ich were placed , when used , a table Soon afterwards , in order to ff o f produce di erent tone coloring in all kinds changes , various stops were

o Cl a vi c m b e l w added t the harpsichord and y , whose description ould lengthen

o f D . this article too much and which can be read in the catalogue r Fleischer , herein before mentioned . The collection of Steinert includes a harpsichord , n Co uc he t 16 ewly purchased and not yet repaired , by of Antwerp in 79 and

N O . A K i r km a n n 1 6 also in 7 a harpsichord by Jacobus and braham , 77 ,

L . K i r km an n r e al w a s K w as ondon , with three stops , whose name irchman , a

to L German , who emigrated ondon , and who there founded a harpsichord

N o . 8 K i a . rkm n n 1 factory The harpsichord , also built by Jakob in 755, has

an d has leather tangents instead of quills consequently a softer tone . H ere it may be remarked that England produced harpsichords , but no clavichords , which were indigenous to Germany and Italy . O ne generally calls the tone of the harpsichord , because the thorn does not strike but merely plucks the string, soulless , but whenever Master

Steinert through attentive listeners is inspired to the true mood , he knows how to play the harpsichord with such expression that we obtain a cle ar f insight o the Skill o f the Old masters .

o f No . 9 this instructive collection brings us to a great progress , to

H am m e rc l av the i e r ( pianoforte) . The Italian Chr i sto fo r i is cal led the

ham m e rc l av i e r . inventor of the modern The new system is discovered,

o f however , in the beginning the last century almost simultaneously in

’ d ifl e r e n t places . Models of the hammer mechanism of Chr i sto fo r i can be seen in the English division o f the exhibition . They are already astonishingly perfect and complicated . The celebrated Gottfried Silbermann takes a great share in the improvement and introduction o f the hammer mechanism ; in

fact , every German piano maker , even talented school teachers and organists ,

have added something to its improvement from their own ingenuity , and, the

1 18

o f touched the string when by means a certain mechanism it is liberated , so

that it can return to i ts resting place .

N o . 1 e 5 shows John Schantz , as xponent of the Vienna hammer

16 . mechanism . No . again leads us to England The hammer rests inde pendent o f the keys over them on a separate strip of wood . The piano by C R ulliford , olfe and Barrow has mechanism to drop the hammer after

f . 182 o 1 N O . 18 striking . Short mention is made No 7 from the year 5, and ,

. N O . 1 an English piano 9, made by Babcock , is distinguished for its elastic ,

Y . 2 20 . 1 beautiful tone ; also No . , coming from New ork No , from

Baltimore , has a fagotte , forte and celeste register , also a pedal for Turkish f . C o music onspicuous by reason its soft , noble silvery tone is the grand

2 2 o f . o f piano No . with black lower keys five octaves The heads the

o ut hammers in it are not made of wood , but are formed by a pasteboard

. o f ring, which produces this wonderful softness of tone The collection

’ O . 2 Mr . Steinert s embraces in N 4 a very interesting concert grand marked

“ ” Nannette Streicher n ée Stein . This instrument gi ves rise to many

o f o f reminiscences . We remember the j olly visit Mozart at the house the A A celebrated ndreas Stein in ugsburg, the enthusiastic report of M ozart of the Stein pianos and the mischievous , comical criticism which tore to pieces

Ol d the piano playing of Nannette Stein , then eight years . Thus his “ o f O 2 1 i : criticism ctober 4, 777, beg ns Whoever hears and sees her play

” h . L without laug ing must be a stone ( stein) like her father ater he adds ,

“ ” S he o f she may improve , and in fact became a lady high cultivation , a

o f splendid artist and a thorough j udge of the art piano making . After the

o f death of her father she herself assumed the management his factory , and

o f o f after her marriage with Streicher , the friend the youth Schiller, she directed in Vienna the newly erected piano factory without neglecting the i d uti e s o f a good housewife and mother . It is also known that this tal ented woman proved herself a faithful supporter and friend o f Beet hoven at a time when he in most reduced circumstances did not possess o n e n o t decent coat , but even a whole shirt , and when friend Schindler

’ a found occasion to depict Beethoven s condition in its true st te , Mrs . Streicher ( this happened in the summer of 1813 ) repaired Beethoven ’s clothes , brought order into his household , bought the most necessary

, articles exhorted him to be saving, and , most wonderful to relate ,

Beethoven obeyed in everything .

N O . 2 In 5 we admire a rarity , an upright Stein grand , which bears ,

1 being built in 779, the celebrated name Stein . With a glance towards a modern curiosity , a streich ( bow) piano , which imitates the tone of bowed t , u ins ruments we bid adie to the instructive collection of Mr . Steinert . 1 1 9

This collection delights us as the achievement o f an unselfish desire dedicated

a s o f l o f to art and the knowledge of art , the result a zea collection directed f by perfect knowledge of art during a period o thirty years . I t furn ishes i n struction through the mouth of its communicative experienced owner and

o f through its arrangement , such as we cannot gain by means the thickest ’ i books . It furnishes enjoyment through Master Steinert s beautiful m

r o vi sati o n s o f p , which he knows so well to adapt to the times and the style

o f . the instruments those days Mr . Steinert has exhibited , at great expense

hi s A to himself, collection to a number of merican universities he has also i brought his valuable instruments , which he himself has skillfully repa red ,

- fir s t . and which he keeps in class condition , to Vienna He finds his reward

r o f o f fo his labors in the fields art , in the great interest in the recognition

- n V . experienced , learned , k owledge seeking isitors

THE H I STO RI C AL D E VE LO PME NT

O F T HE

- PI AN O FO RTE .

” F R M T HE A U S T R IA N E W S O F M U S IC A N D D RA M A I E N N A A U G U S T 1 8 2 . O N , V , , 9

If a professional musician strolls through the magnificent exhibition

he beholds with astonishment the great collection of musical instruments

that have been sent here from the art museums Of all countries . It almost

appears like as if a pilgrimage of instruments had taken place to the Mekka ,

o n t this temple of art , under the maj estic canopy of the rotunda pointi g

we heavenward . Here , for the first time in the history of music , find united

in peaceful harmony the most hidden treasures that fo r centuries rested in — deep solitude instruments o f all nations that all at once as by the touch

’ o f the magician s wand have been transported to a new world . All these wonderful treasures were resting in quiet concealment in museums and cells f o monasteries , their faces were covered with the black veil of silent stillness

f . o the grave , although an ideal soul life slumbered in them Where are the

sweet sounds their maker in days gone by could breathe i n them ; what has

become o f the mechanism that formerly lent life to the work The keys that once served the player to entice living tones from the life

o f less instrument have grown yellow , and the strings once full melody are

eaten away by modern rust .

Suddenly there appeared like a superterrestrial fairy the art -loving

v o n m Princess Pauline Metternich , and her magic call awoke the all from

o n e . far and near to great union , to a magnificent ascension And thus we

find n o w here in this exhibition the art historical collections o f instruments

o f o f the imperial House of Hapsburg, the princely family Esterhazy , known

fo r its devotion to art ; also those o f many archdukes and notabilities o f the

Austro -Hungarian empire ; also the wonderful collection of the house o f R othschild , the precious treasures of art of the German empire , the private

o f . collections of the %ueen England and the Prince of Wales , etc , and the 1 24

Br i ti a n . R extensive collection from Great Also France , ussia, Spain , etc . ,

o f are represented here . Also the treasures the musical and singing societies o f Vienna, especially valuable in a historical sense , amongst them the

o f a original instruments composers and musicians such as Bach , H ndel ,

z , C , Haydn , Mo art , Beethoven , Schubert , Mendelssohn hopin Schumann ,

D . o f and such composers as onizetti , Meyerbeer and others Worthy con

o f . D sideration are the private collections the active Mr e Witt from Leipsic .

Full of wonder we stroll from o n e collection to the other and our eye feasts on the instruments that are beautifully decorated with pictures , whose outer

’ ha s appearance been enhanced by the painter s skillful hand , until we suddenly arrive at a point which we may consider a s the termin us of o ur

% R o r k journey . What does this place contain Is it ancient ome , Gree

A o f % thens , which as the celebrated homes ancient art sent us treasures

I S it the repository o f a monarch or the collection o f a European museum P

N O : , it is none of these it is the contribution of a new country ; it is young

A , merica that sends us treasures namely the property of the art patron ,

M . Steinert from New Haven .

When the call o f the Princess Pauline von Metternich was first issued to all people o f the earth to send their exhibits to the International e x hi b i ti o n o f D music and drama it was also heard in America . Mr . irecto r C Y A Heinrich onried in New ork , whose labors in merica in behalf of the

w a s as German dramatic art are well known , nominated a commissioner an d

displayed great zeal in this matter , and he succeeded in obtaining Mr . M .

’ Steinert s consent to send a part of his celebrated collection o f o ld -keyed instruments from there to Vienna .

The collection of M . Steinert contai ns in its present completeness 100

o f 1 exhibits all kinds of keyed instruments , dating from the 3 th century to

ae d a o i c a l o f 182 . O V the year 5 nly the p g g part the collection is now at ienna, and with it is its owner , Mr . M . Steinert , who understands how to explai n

O o n these ld constructions scientifically , and also knows how to play them in

o f masterly style , which latter fact is the utmost importance in the field o f

o f former Polyphony and the works Bach for the clavier , as they were

a s written , every one knows , exclusively for the clavichord .

’ o f ( Here follows a description the instruments of Mr . Steinert s col

o f lection with illustrations which is not published for want space . )

Now it might be o f interest to our honored readers to find a few b i o graphical sketches o f Morris Steinert in the following :

, th 18 1 Morris Steinert born March 9 , 3 , at Scheinfeld , near Wurzburg,

2 in Bavaria, left his home as a young man o f 3 years , and emigrated to

B A RT I C E W I E E R A E D B AT T . L , N N L

1 3 0

F o r o f n o w n example , what power attraction did the well k own special exhibition o f o ld -keyed instruments for which the celebrated collector and

0 learned musician , Morris Steinert , from New Haven , had united about 4

of his most costly and rare obj ects exert o n the untold thousands of visitors %

In contrast to the disposition and arrangement o f instruments in mostly all

other sections in which other causes rather than system , historic under

o f standing genetic development determined their disposition , the collection

f n o Mr . Stei ert exhibited in the limited field of keyed instruments in the most instructive manner their development from the clavichord to the modern

’ gigantic grand piano . It adds to Mr . Steinert s merit that he himself ar ranged his collection and his worth may be still higher appreciated when it

is considered that his collection is that of a private individual , and that he , without receiving any subsidy , at a great sacrifice responded to the call which was sent to him from Vienna . His collection possesses a most prominent advantage , namely , that all his instruments have been recon structed and have been put in a playable condition by scientific hands in the

spirit and intent o f their old builders . Furthermore in his whole collection every single instrument has been discovered and so to speak has been ex

um e d i ts . h by possessor . Mr Steinert seems to possess in this field a h peculiar scent , even in Vienna, where he hardly went beyond the ex ibition

o l d o ld grounds , he succeeded in discovering in some attics several valuable

. e x harpsichords , which naturally now are his property In his special hi bitiou , however , he did not merely follow the inclinations of an antiquarian .

His aims were vastly deeper o r to speak more correctly extended to a much higher sphere . — The method o f playing o n these o ld keyed instruments belongs to an earlier period of time . I t corresponds espec ially w ith the earliest polyphony

’ o f playing and reaches its climax , there were Bach s playing attained its

o f first successes . The study the compositions of Johann Seb . Bach , also

o f D o f of those the Italian school of omenica Scarlatti , the fugues Handel

h . o f P . and Em Bach , the manners even Haydn , Mozart and of Beethoven require instruments that produce their tone by essentially different methods

o f C than those possessed by the pianos later periods of a hopin , Mendels

L . sohn , Thalberg and iszt The romantic o f piano playing with all its brilliant variations and the powerful effects of these masters succeeded apparently for a time to push to

o f the background the school Johann Seb . Bach and his contemporaries .

Even if Johann Seb . Bach has been resuscitated during the last fifty years

o f S r and the works this great master pirit have g adually resumed prominence, there has not been placed a limit to the thorough study o f this divine musi 1 3 1

o f cal world idea , this wonderful art of counterpoint . Mr . Steinert has

o f made the study Bach his chief task . He was n o t contented to produce

o f Bach by means of the hammers the modern piano , whose mechanism and method o f playing are intrinsically j ust as foreign to the method o f playing

o f the compositions Bach as Johann Seb . Bach himself w a s totally averse to the hammer clavier . With all the fulness of tone o f the modern grand it

o f lacks those tender , soft , clinging tone qualities the clavichord , the i n str u

fo r hi s ment which he exclusively created mighty works . Therefore Mr .

’ Steinert undertook the task to play Bach s works upon the clavichord , and it was his mission in Vienna during the exhibition chiefly to represent the clavichord as a historical and classical instrument par excellence to the d i s ti n gui she d musical circles and to the numerous visitors o f a musical exhibition .

. r e m o d e rn i z e d It can be safely said that Mr Steinert has the clavichord ,

o f not , however , in the sense that it stands in its tone capacity the 17th and

18 o n o ur century a complete level with modern splendid instruments . He only struggled to regain fo r the clavichord its j ust historical rights in this

- particular that he maintained the art historical principle , that the com

o positions f the past , in order to be perfectly understood must be rendered o n the instrument belonging to their respective period . Through this only

ff o f o f can the player produce hidden e ects , which in spite all modern art

o n interpretation are simply impossible modern instruments , if any one has f n o t previously conceived its historical sound . In this respect the study o o ld instruments for the rendition of music of those days o n o ur modern pianos assumes the same significance as etymology in the study of our

ff o f . mother tongue . The e orts Mr Steinert to reintroduce the study and the playing o f the clavichord will doubtless bear manifold fruits . Prominent musicians and patrons o f music have become enthusiastic adherents o f this modest and at the same time soulful sounding instrument whose tone color

f . permits such a rich shading . The e forts of Mr Steinert belong to those rare impulses o f the land o f the dollar that come to us to S erve only artistic interests in Opposition to all material strife .

A L OST ART I N E U RO PE .

S T E I N E R T o f n , this city , arrived home last eveni g

from Europe . Mr . Steinert has been at the great musical exhibition at Vienna with his collection of

o ld o f N rare instruments , which ew Haveners have already heard . The collection aroused much interest among the musical

o f M authorities Europe, and r . Steinert has returned home feeling more than rewarded fo r the great amount o f time and

o f money that he has spent upon his collection . The story his work and success at the exhibition was told by Mr . Steinert this morning as follows :

F o r five years I have been investigating and studying the art o f playing f o . A the compositions Sebastian Bach t the time when Bach wrote , which

o f 18th an was at the beginning the century , such instrument as the piano

n o t . 1 1 1 forte was known The pianoforte was invented in 7 in Italy , but

o 16 the invention was als made i n 17 in Germany and France . The various inventors in France and Germany were not aware o f the fact that a piano

i n s tr ti m e n ts forte had been invented i n Italy . The were hardly accepted as a success by such composers as Bach and Scarlatti . The instruments used by these composers were the clavichord and harpsichord . After the death o f o r Bach his compositions were more less forgotten , and it was Mendels

0 . sohn who , about 5 years ago , brought Bach to notice again The grandeur o f the compositions of Bach were soon acknowledged by the musical p r o fe s sion all over the world , and societies were formed with the aim of collecting

o f . and publishing the compositions Bach They were , however, played upon the modern pianoforte as the old instruments were lost sight o f. 1 3 6 I have been engaged in collecting in Europe and also in this country

’ the instruments used during Bach s period . I was successful , and although the instruments were found in a deplorable state , being with o ut strings and their resonant parts being almost destroyed , I went to

o work t repair them and put them into condition again . Then I went

to to work study the manner o f playing them . In this way the com positions o f Bach were found to be o f a nature entirely different from that when produced o n the modern pianoforte . In order to acquaint the modern musical profession with the knowledge thus gained , I exhibited

ff o f these instruments at di erent colleges and institutions learning , and Y musical schools throughout the country, showing them at ale , Harvard ,

Brown , Vassar and other institutions , and also in various theaters in the large cities of the east .

My work was , however , known in Europe , and when the great musical exhibition was opened in Vienna , I received a personal letter from the

v o n o f to Princess Pauline Metternich , the patroness the exhibition , take

o f part in the exhibition and to bring part my collection , that was at that time o n w as loan at the Smithsonian Institute at Washington . As my interest centered in playing the Bach compositions in the very manner practised

S . by Bach himself, I went there to how the result of my work In this

I was very successful , although I was the only one there who could per

m for that peculiar style upon these peculiar instruments , and this art ,

o ‘ being a lost art even in Europe , created a sensation am ng the scholars

o f D R representing the musical art Europe , such as r . Hans von ichter , R , L A ubinstein Sir George Grove of ondon , the royal family of ustria , the two brothers of the emperor taking special interest in my work . The

Princess von Metternich spent an hour and a half listening to my playing .

Prince Esterhazy and other nobilities o f the German empire and other countries also honored me .

On invitation I delivered a lecture before the faculty Of the Vienna con se rv ato r o f o y music , which is c nsidered the highest musical school in the

- world to day .

o f The fruit my labors is shown by the fact that in that institution , for the first time in over a century , the clavichord and harpsichord are to be

' o f played , and the method playing these instruments taught to the students . O L L ther musical institutions in Europe , such as in Berlin , eipsic , ondon ,

. Paris , St Petersburgh and Moscow , have also begun to interest themselves

o l in this d art . Thus a renaissance of the Bach school of playing the clavier has been begun .

H I STO RY TH E VI O L I N .

1 4 2

instruments greater strength to resis t the increased tension o f the

strings corner blocks were used . This innovation was contemporary with the great development Of polyphonic choral music in Ger

many and the Netherlands during the 1 5th century and by the

o f 1 6th o r beginning the century the treble discant viole , the

tenor, the bass Viol and double bass or violone were well estab

li sh d . e in b o th these countries and north I taly The violin model ,

which differs from the viole in having shallower sides , with an arched instead of a flat back and square shoulders and in bein g constructed in all its parts of curved or arched pieces o f wood glued

together in a state of tension on the blocks , first appeared in Italy 6 h during the middle of the 1 t century . This instrument com

le te l o f o ut use p y revolutionized the art fiddle making , driving of

first the Discant Viol , then the Tenor an d last of all the Bass

Viol . The D ouble Bass , which is a Viol pure and simple , alone

has resisted the inroads of the Violin model and has only been

changed in relation to the sound holes . The substitution of the

Violin for the Viol , except as hereinbefore mentioned , is due to its

an d louder tone conforms with the history of musical instruments , “ o ” which may be stated in the words the survival of the l udest .

As the vibrations of the viols were in sufli c ie nt to meet the

ro wm fo r g g demand power , in order to increase their power they were constructed with double strings tuned in fifths and oc taves and also with sympathetic metal strings , and thus constituting the

’ l o f d A m o re fami y the Viola and Barytone . The viol family

had four, five and sometimes six strings , which were tuned by

ix fourths , a single major third being interpolated in the five and s stringed instruments in order to preserve the same tonality in the

o f i upper notes , being the same system string ng as practised o n

o f the lute . This system tuning has been proved to have been in

a s 1 2 vogue early as 54 by a treatise published that year in Venice ,

o f and agreed with the parts contemporary vocal music , especially as the music written for viols is always within the compass o f the human voice . There are compositions dating back to 1 53 9 which 14 3

o r may be either sung played on the viol . For this reason also

very little is heard at that time about the double bass . This

instrument merely served as a sub -bass in octaves to the voice o r

“ bass viol . This trio of viols , tuned as prescribed by the Regola

R ub e rtina 1 2 fo r of 54 , remained unaltered in use a century and

o f m usrc a half as the basis chamber . F The viols with sympathetic metal strings received the name

’ d A m o re n o t a titute , in order to express their special p for expres

o n o f sing amorous accents , but account the sympathetic vibrations

o f the Open metal strings stretched over the belly in unison with

n r - those o the finge board . They were in use in Italy and Ger

many i n the 1 7 th and 1 8th centuries . These instruments are

invariably made with flaming sword sound holes , and often have

- a rose under the finge r board . The sympathetic strings of fine brass or steel wire are attached by Ioops at the bottom block

above the tail pin , are then carried through small holes drilled in

w fin e r- the lo er part of the bridge under the g board , which is hollowed for that purpose over an ivory nut immediately below

o f the upper nut into the peg . The sympathetic apparatus was

o f 6 o r two species , the diatonic consisting 7 strings , and the

chromatic consisting o f 1 2 or more strings . In the former the

strings were tuned to the diatonic scale , the lowest note being

D the o r generally , intervals being adapted to flattening sharpening

o f . to the key the piece being performed This , however, was not

necessary for the chromatic species, there being twelve strings ,

o n e for each semitone in the scale and thus furnishing a sympa

o f thetic augmentation to every note played . I n the time Bach

and Vivaldi it was tuned by fourths and a third like the tenor Viol .

I n i m ita ti o n of the Viola de Gamba a seventh string was added in

o f an d so - the beginning the last century , ultimately the called

” Harp way tuni ng o f the Lute and Viola de Gamba was gener

the - ally adopted . The latter tunin g is used in well known obligato

’ ” ’ d A m o re part in Meyerbeer s Huguenots . The Viola is a singularly

i ffi beautiful instrument , but the inherent d culties of execution are 1 4 4

not easily overcome , and as every forte note produces a perfect

o f no t shower concords and harmonics , all notes which will bear G a maj or third must be very lightly touched . The Viola de amba

w as with sympathetic strings first calle d the Viola Bastarda , but after undergoing many mechanical improvements in its sympa

- thetic apparatus , it became the well known Barytone , the favorite

instrument o f the musical epicures of the last century . Leopold

o f o f Mozart , father the great Mozart, considered it one the love

liest o f instruments . Haydn made it his favorite instrument and

composed not less than 1 7 5 pieces for it . I t may be well to repeat here that the Viol family consists of

: the following instruments the Treble or discant , Tenor Viola de

an d Braccio , Bass called the Viola de Gamba , D ouble Bass called i . v o ff the Violone The ola has a flat back sloping at the top , and is strengthened internally by cross bars and a broad centre piece

. on which the sound post rests The shoulders curve upwards ,

joining the neck at a tangent instead o f at right angles as in the

. o f fi violin The neck is broad and thin and the number strings ve ,

Six or even seven . The peg is usually surmoun ted by a curved

. n head The sound holes are usually of the C pattern . U like the

Violin it was tuned by fourths and thirds . I ts tone is rather pene

ra n t ti g than powerful .

as The Viola de Gamba , or Knee Violin , distinguished from the

Viola de Braccio , to be played on the arm , is held between the

. knees , is the predecessor of the Violoncello I t is about the same .

as size the latter , but has a flat back like the double bass . The

Openings in the belly are not S shaped , but are variously cut ,

- generally representing a thin crescent . O riginally the fi nge r board

w as was provided with frets , but this afterwards discontinued .

The Viola de Gamba was fo r a long time the most popul ar o f all

bowed instruments in Holland and Germany , and especially in

“ ” . England Shakespeare , in his Twelfth Night , mentions as a

o f “ ’ special accomplishment Sir Andrew A gue c he c k he plays 0 ” am b the Viol de g o ys . In the pictures of Gerard D o w Terburg

146

o f was written fo r this instrument . This family Viols has become

r extinct at the present time , and their place has been usu ped by our favorite string quartett , the Violin , the Viola , the Violoncello

ff o f and the contrabass . The Violin , whose di erence construction from the Viol family has been hereinbefore described , first

o f 1 6th appeared in Italy in the middle the century . I t com

le e l p t y revolutionized the art of fiddle making, first causin g the

o f disappearance o f the Discant Viol , then the Tenore , and last all

. sub sti tu the Bass Viol . The Double Bass alone survives The tion of the violin for the Viol is due , as formerly stated , to its

o d was louder tone . The vi lin mo el finally adopted for the tenor

680— . 1 1 0 and bass during the last century Since Stradivari , ( 73 ) the models for bowed instruments have scarcely chan ged at all to the present date .

0 The Vi olin is now about 3 0 years in existence . I t is the only musical instrument that has remained unchanged throughout the

. o f modern musical history The lute , the universal companion bowed instruments up to a century and a half ago , has disappeared t as completely as the spinet and harpsichord . Wind ins ruments h ave been completely revolutionized , but the Violin has remained

so the same for three hundred years , and will probably remain while music exists . N umberless attempts have been made to improve it , but they all have been abandoned . Almost every structural alteration that could be thought Of has been tried at

i o f some time and dismissed . The whole des gn the fiddle has been gradually settled in strict accordance with the requirements o f f tone and execution . The development o this instrument at

so l once simple and complex can be easi y traced . I ts primitive

i n stru forms can be beheld in early monuments . Old stringed

ments have gradually died hard , and very primitive ones have maintained their place alongside of improved ones founded on

. o f their principle Thus the Marine Trumpet , one the oldest bowed instruments , and representing the earliest developme nt of

use fo r the monochord, continued in a long time concurrently 1 4 7

s e - n o t with more advanced instrument , and ven to day is quite

s e ob olet .

a i s The Guit r shaped Violin , which a direct descendant of the

o f ha s . Fiddle the Troubadours , been made and used in all ages

e use Likewise , the Rebec for a long time continu d in side by side

with the violin . The Viola de Gamba has never been completely

u forced o t Of existence by the Violoncello . But the most singular

o f i s i s e survival all the Welsch crwth , which simply the small lyr as introduced by the Romans into Celtic Britain , adopted with

use some slight modifications for as a bowed instrument . The adoption o f four strings tuned by fifths for the Violin in its three

s o f sizes , mark the emancipation bowed instruments from the

o f domination the lute . Thereby such impediments to progress

c as complicated and various tunings , frets and tablature musi were removed . This change in very many respects facilitated

o f musical progress . N aturally the diminished number strings

o f a s ri increased the resonance the instrument, with six st ngs

o n there is an excessive pressure the bridge , which checks Vibra

the tion and increases the resistance to the bow . By the change

fingering was simplified , although in the larger instruments it was rendered more laborious to the player . m I t cannot be maintained , however, that usic lost nothing by

the abandonment of the Viol . The Violin Offers fewer facilities fo r harmonic combinations and suspensions in \he form o f chords

and arpeggios . Bowed instruments tended more and more to .

d. . become merely melodic , like win instruments By increasin g the

o f length the scale , effect was sought to be produced, and the higher and less agreeable notes , which would have shocked the

f o ur - o . ears fore fathers , were more frequently employed In fact , it i s often supposed that the earlier Violinists were not suffi ciently n masters of the instrument to comma d the higher positions .

Nothing can be more absurd . Many compositions for t he Viola de Gamba prove that very complicated music was played o n that

th instrument across the strings in e higher positions , and the 1 4 8

transferring o f this me thod of execution to the violin Obviously

’ rested with individual players and composers . Bach s violin

o f solos are written for a performer transcendent genius , although Bach with unfailing good taste without exception confines the f player to the lower registers o the instrument .

At first n o suffi cient cause is Obvious for the concentration of

l - fid d e making at Cremona . I t may have started from the reason h that in the 1 6t century Cremona was a famous musical centre .

The district surrounding it was o n e o f the richest in agriculture in

o f all Lombardy , and was chiefly under the control the monasteries

f n o the city and neighborhood . These wealthy institutio s vied

with each other in the splendor o f their churches and daily se r

vices , and thereby furnished constant employment to painters ,

o f composers and instrument makers . The renown Cremona as a

o f school music and painting was equal to that of Bologna , but

fid dle - d i its chief rival in making was Brescia , where Caspar Salo ,

Zan e tto s R o d i ani the two , Giovita and Maggini made instruments

80 6 0 1 1 . from about 5 to 4 The characteristics of these makers ,

so - fo urid who compose the called Brescian School , can be in the instruments of Andreas Amati , the earliest known violin maker o f “ B ” Cremona . The expression the rescian School is somewhat

r misleading , it would be more correct to term their inst uments as

“ ’7 Early I talian . The reputation of the Cremona Violin s is mainly

o f due to the sons Andreas Amati , namely Antonio and Girolamo

o f Amati , contemporaries Maggini . Previous to this time, the violin had been treated as a work of art an d as a tone -producing instrument , but artistic impulses had produced only superficial

decorations in the shape of painting or inlaying with wood , etc .

The brothers Amati , however, closely obeying the fundamental law of art manufacture , to wit , that deviation should be founded o n construction , reduced the outlines and surfaces of the i n stru ment to regular and harmonious curves , and by applying a certain varnish developed and deepened the natural beauty o f the material . But while beautifying the exterior , they did n o t neglect

1 50

Soon a demand arose for instruments of sterling merit . By the

o f G e m ue n d e r advise Ole Bull , George , a skillful Violin maker

V uillaum e to employed by the celebrated at Paris , came this 8 1 . country in 4 7 H e established himself in business at N ew York , and by strictly adhering to the o ld Italian School he has attained

v a n ational reputation . His instruments not only in form and a r nish and general workmanship closely resemble the Cremona violins , but in quality and intonation fairly equal them , and it can be safely said that to - day George G e m ue n d e r cannot be surpassed by any violin maker in Europe .

o f H E Viol is the typical representative a very large ,

o f o f varied and widely distributed class instruments ,

which in modern music the violin is the chief member . The Viol of the fifteenth century was characterized by a flat

- - back , in having generally crescent shaped sound holes in the belly , and a broad , thin neck , forming a close amalgamation

o f . the neck with the body I t had from five to seven strings ,

n - tuned in fourths and o e third . The Viol was made in several sizes . The smallest , called the treble or discant Viol , passed over later into the modern violin ; the next larger , the tenor , into the viola da braccio and viola d ’amore and the modern viola ; the next , bass , into the viola da gamba and the violon

- cello ; and the largest , double bass , into the violone and the

- - . r modern double bass The Viola da braccio , or ar n viol , is so

to o r called distinguish it from the bass Viol viola da gamba , the

- si x leg Viola . The Viola da braccio had strings , and was tuned

: . thus G , D , A , F , C and G ( the second below middle C ) The

: viola da gamba had properly six strings , tuned thus D , A , E , C ,

’ G and D . The viola d amore used in the seventeenth and

usuall v eighteenth centuries , having seven ordinary gut strings with from seven to fourteen supplementary strings o f metal under the fingerboard which sound sympathetically . The gut strings

: D were usually tuned thus D , A , F sharp , D , A , F sharp , (next below middle C) . The sympathetic strings , if few , were tuned

o f o r diatonically in the scale D , if many , chromatically . The

’ - o f viola d amore was an arm viola . The viola pomposa , a species viola da gamba invented by J oh . Seb . Bach, hav ing five strings 1 56

: A tuned thus E , , D , G , C ( the second below middle C ) ; some

si x the as had also strings . The viola da spalla was same the

o r r viola da gamba . Arpeggione guita Violoncello , a stringed instrument played with a bow , which was invented by G . Staufer o f 1 8 2 Vienna in 3 . I t is of the size Of the Viola da gamba , the

o f s o f shape the body omething like that the guitar . The finger

’ ha si x s . b board has frets, and it strings Schu ert s interesting

1 8 2 c o m Sonata in A , for piano and arpeggione , written in 4 , was posed for this instrument .

1 58

N o . . 49 Viola da Gamba , six strings, carved head , made by

8— 1 0 1 68 . Barak Norman , an English maker, 74 I S9

N o . 0 . si x 5 Viola da Gamba, strings , carved head , of

German make . 1 60

N o . 1. a 5 Viola da Gamb , carved head , of I talian make .

1 62

N O . . 53 Viola da Gamba . 163

N o . . o f 54 Viola da Spalla , carved head , Italian make . 1 64

N O . . si x ri 55 Viola Pomposa , st n gs , French make .

1 66

N o . . si x 57 Arpeggione or Guitar Violoncello , strings ,

Bohemian make . 167

' N o . 8 . V d A m o re 5 iola , carved head , fourteen strings, Ger man make . 168

’ N 0. . d A m o re 59 Viola , carved head , fourteen strings , Ger man make .

’

N o . 60 . d A m o re Viola , carved head , fourteen strings ,

Bohemian make .

61. N o . . Viola da Braccio , German make

1 7 0

6 3 Viola , Stainer.

6 . 4 Violo , Italian make

6 . 5 Viola , with carved head , I talian make

66 . Viola , Amati

r Old . 67 . Violoncello , with ca ved head , German make

“

68 Violoncello , William Forster.

6 . 9 Violoncello , Amati

7 0 Violoncello , Italian make .

M . 1. 7 Violin , aggini

2 Se rafin . 7 . Violin ,

7 3 . Violin , German make .

7 4 . Violin , German make .

h inle i n Sc e . 7 5 . Violin ,

hirr 6 T . 7 . Violin , Mathias

N o . . 7 7 Violin , German make

N o 8 80 8 1 ri o f . 7 , 7 9 , , . St ng quartet , consisting two Vio

’ a n d G e m im d e r N lins , Viola Violoncello, made by George , ew

York .

N o . 82 . Spanish Guitar ( Vihuela) , with double metal

1 6th strings , built during the century .