MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND BELLS.

THE musical Instruments, submitted to the inspection of the Committee, were of four kinds, namely, Stringed instruments, properly so called ; Wind instruments, properly so called ; Keyed Stringed Instruments ; and Keyed Wind instruments. Of the first kind, there were six Double Basses, seven Violincellos, and one violin ; of the second, three flutes, one Clarionet, two Trombones, and one E flat Bugle ; of the third, nineteen Piano-fortes ; and of the fourth, one Church Organ, one Seraphine, and two Melodions. The Committee have also examined three Church Bells. They propose to notice the articles referred to them, under these several divisions...

III. Keyed Stringed Instruments.

The only instruments of this class submitted to the Committee were nineteen Piano-fortes, made at seven different manufactories in the city of Boston.

Piano-forte manufactories have become both numerous and extensive in the United States. The large amount of capital thus employed, - the high cost of the instrument, - and the uncommon degree of mechanical skill required in this branch of manufacture, - render it inferior to none, perhaps, in interest and importance. And when we consider the direct and immediate connection which exists between musical instruments, especially the piano-forte, and musical education and progress, this field of mechanical labor receives much additional weight and value. So very intimate and near, indeed, is this connection, that it is scarcely too much to say, that the quality of our instruments may be considered as a fair index of our position in the musical art.

Under the influence of opinions like these, the Committee proceeded to a critical examination of the piano-fortes, which were submitted to their inspection, with strong feelings of their responsibility to the cause of musical science, and to the public, as well as the manufacturers of different instruments.

The Committee have examined each of the instruments, separately, with reference to the three essential points, of purity of tone, evenness, and touch. These three points, though equally essential, are relatively important in the order in which they are here viewed. It may not be without use, however, to gibe some explanation of what we mean by the second and third, viz., evenness and touch.

1. Evenness. In order that a piano-forte may possess the quality of evenness, it is necessary that the tones should be pure, and of the same quality and character, and that the weight and power of tone should be preserved proportionally throughout the whole compass of the instrument. This quality is ascertained by an accurate ear passing through the whole scale, and comparing the sounds successively with each other, and also comparing the extreme octaves or portions of the instrument with each other, and these again with those of the centre.

2. Touch. A piano-forte has a good touch, when the action of the lever or key is light, yielding every shade of sound which the instrument is capable of producing, from the loudest to the softest tone, with quickness, precision, and certainty. This can only be ascertained with positive correctness, by the finger of an experienced performer.

The following table exhibits the result of our examination of sixteen of the nineteen instruments submitted to our inspection. The reason why the other three are omitted will be stated at the close of this report.

In accordance with the results contained in this table, we have arranged the instruments in three distinct grades or classes ; and, in reference to classes one and two, we have compared those of the same class with each other, in order to a decision upon their relative merits.

The following instruments belong to the first class, namely:

All these instruments, except the last named, which was manufactured by Messrs. WILKINS & NEWHALL, were from the manufactory of Messrs. CHICKERING & MACKAYS.

The following instruments constitute the Second class, namely:

The first of these was made by Mr. EDWARD HARPER, the second by Messrs. WILKINS & NEWHALL, and the third and fourth by Messrs. LORD & CUMSTON.

In these two classes, the instruments are arranged according to their relative merits.

All the other instruments, not enumerated as above in the first and second classes, are of the third class. We have not compared them with one another, with a view to determine upon their relative merits.

We cannot in justice refrain from expressing our approbation of the general quality of all the instruments. There was not a single bad instrument in the Exhibition. Many we consider to be more or less defective, but, in the aggregate, their general excellence is not less satisfying than it is astonishing, especially when we consider the comparatively few years which have elapsed since the commencement of this branch of manufacture among us, and the great difficulty in making a truly good instrument. In many instances, and particularly in regard to the instruments of the first class, it was an extremely difficult and delicate task to come to a decision upon their relative merit.

It is worthy to remark, that, of all the instruments which have been examined by the Committee, five only are considered of second quality in regard to purity of tone. We deem this an interesting fact, inasmuch as such almost uniform success, in this first essential of a musical instrument, promises much future excellence.

In concluding this branch of the Report, the Committee would notice two things, which we think are faults common to all the instruments. And we do this, not from a spirit of fault finding, but from a sincere desire, that the attention of the manufacturers may be so attracted to them, as to result in the discovery of an effectual remedy.

The first consists in a want of distinctness, openness, and separateness in the sounds of the lowest half-octave : in consequence of which, it is difficult for the ear to recognize their relation in the scale, when struck in quick succession, or when two or more sounds are produced simultaneously. The second fault is a slight want of freedom and elasticity of tone, which, though pure and beautiful, affects the ear in a mannre something similar to that of sound produced from a closed box or from a barrel. We have been inclined to attribute this, in some degree, to the great and unusual amount of wood, (and that of the most solid kind) of which it seems now to be the custom to make the cases. This, however, is mere conjecture. We do think, nevertheless, that if the cases were constructed with as much lightness as might be consistent with strength and durability, it would contribute much to the general convenience and beauty of the instrument, if not to the improvement of the tone.

There is one other slight fault which is perhaps worthy of notice. It seemed to the Committee, that, in most of the instruments, the notes throughout the scale, but especially of the lowest half-octave, were more or less imperfectly affected by the dampers ; or, in other words, that they continued to sound for some little time after the finger had been taken from the key.

686. IRA LEONARD, Lowell. Piano-forte PINS.
477. L. GILBERT, Boston. One Piano-forte.
848. G. HEWS, Boston. One Piano-forte.
893. T. GILBERT & CO., Boston. Three Piano-fortes.

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In that branch of our Report, which relates to Piano-fortes, we have stated, that three of the nineteen instruments examined by us are omitted from the table, and also from the classification. The reason of this course is now to be presented.

The "Supplement to the Boston Times," a paper printed (for the time) in the Hall of the Exhibition, and "published at the Fair of the Charitable Mechanic Association," Sept, 30, 1839, contained an advertisement, of which the following is a copy.

"Piano-fortes. T. Gilbert & Co. would call the attention of Amateurs and others who may visit the Fair, to their Piano-fortes, and particularly request persons to examine and compare them with others. They more particularly request this favor of visiters, from the fact, that they have not, to their knowledge, a personal friend among the selected judges.

"They would further state, that they have solicited a trial by the judges, with the names of the manufacturers concealed in such a manner, that, if possible, the judges should not have any means of knowing who is the maker of the best piano-forte in the country, until they had given their opinion as to its merits ; but they have no intimation that such a course will be adopted."

The Committee had nearly completed their examination, when they came to the knowledge of this advertisement, which, though chiefly levelled at the government of the Association, was not without application to themselves. The inclination of the Committee, if the question had been exclusively for their decision, would have been to pass by the instruments of Messrs. T. Gilbert & Co. without any examination ; but they had already examined them in part, and they did not feel at liberty, besides, to take a course which might embarrass the government of the Association in awarding the premiums. The Committee concluded, therefore, that they would put the Association in possession of all the facts, in order that the government might decide this question for themselves. A copy of the paper, in which the advertisement was printed, is accordingly herewith submitted, together with a sealed paper, specifying the results of the examination of the instruments of Messrs. T. Gilbert & Co., and designating their respective places in the classification. If the government think proper to exclude these instruments from the Exhibition, they can consider the Committee's Report as it is here presented. If they think proper to include them, they can consider the sealed paper as part of the report.

In bringing their Report to a close, the Committee take the liberty to remark, that, when the great and growing importance of the several branches of manufacture alluded to in it is considered, they trust it will not be thought too long or minute. They deem it proper, also, to add, that whenever, in the course of their examination, a doubt was expressed by any member of the Committee, in reference to a point upon which the others were agreed, the decision was reserved, until, by repeated trials and experiments, the doubt had been removed, or the opinion of the Committee modified ; and that the six gentlemen of the Committee, whose names are signed to the Report (one member was prevented by official duties from acting with the Committee) are unanimous in the opinions expressed in it.

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