Harmonichord

A Harmonichord is a piano whose strings are not offset by hammer, but by indirectly transmitted friction in vibration. It has a sound similar to a glass harmonica, but a larger range. It was constructed around 1809. The Terpodion was similarly constructed, but had no strings.

The instrument is an attempt at Dresdner Johann Gottfried and his son Johann Friedrich Kaufmann (1785-1865), born in Dresden, piano and violin to unite and solve the problem of string piano with the help of the Chladni Euphonprinzips. Externally, the instrument is in the form of piano giraffes. The Harmonichord is not to be confused with the French and the piano Harmonicorde harmonicorde.

Friedrich Theodor Kaufmann (1823-1872) was the son of Johann Friedrich Kaufmann, who also built jukebox ( fairground ).

Carl Maria von Weber wrote in 1811 for the Harmonichord a concert with orchestral accompaniment ( Adagio & Rondo in F, Op 115).

Design and operation

The space under the buttons is closed. The essential internal parts are the strings, a long, wild leather covered wooden cylinder or cone and wooden chopsticks.

The wooden cylinder can be put through a kick in rotation. The wooden strips are so with the low-pressure pressed through one end of the key against the plug, so that the force exerted by the rotating cone friction is transmitted to the strings.

Some chords require so much pressure that the force that a person could spend, not enough so that two pianists were required to play the sound. This was also in the medieval Organistrum, the case.

Contemporary accounts

The description of a concert that gave the Kaufmann family on Saturday 21 June 1851 in St Martin's Hall, was published in The Illustrated London News and other reports followed.

Translated Quotes:

" His son, Friedrich (1785-1866), acquired very quickly a good name. They experimented with mechanical music. In 1805 they built an instrument which they called Belloneon. This had 24 by beating tongues of metal and trumpet- like resonators. An accompaniment with two drums. This free reeds allowed both loud as well as soft music passages. The instrument was installed in a mahogany wood cabinet. "

" The gentlemen Kaufmann, senior and junior of Dresden have four instruments issued which together replace an orchestra, they call these instruments Belloneon, Cordulaudion, vending Trumpeter, Harmonichord. The upper part of Belloneons presents a war verse in the middle are placed 24 trumpets; below two pot drums and the corresponding batons are installed. It plays dance music and marches, with exceptional perfection. Since it includes wind instruments, it can be compared with Mälzl 's Panharmonikon, which was presented some time ago in London and Paris. The Chordulaudion produced together and separately the sound of a piano, and four flutes, which intone with such accuracy and precision that the illusion is perfect. The machine can produce two-voice notes. The totally curious instrument is the successor of Harmonichord 's. The Harmonichord looks like an upright standing wings. A rotating cylinder is on the springs of sounds like the below are very close available on a piano. The keyboard has four and a half octave. Pressing the friction is triggered. Two pedals serve to dampen the tone and pace of reduction. And to cancel the vibrations weaker or stronger to. In the hands of Messrs. Kaufmann sweeter tones it originated as on the glass harmonica, and, moreover, in perfect harmony. "

" Between the years 1842 and 1844, the Kaufmann family traveled again, this time he was accompanied by his son, Frederick Theodore Kaufmann ( 1823-72 ). They took five instruments with them on their journey. After a very successful Turne, a disaster happens. The ship with which you have traveled from Copenhagen home caught in a storm and she lost all instruments. Surely you proceeded to build new and improved Chordulaudion Symphonion, [ ... ] "