Tongue piano

As tongue pianos greater are music boxes labeled keyboard. The first existed in Paris from 1847 under the name Claviola and were patented by Papelard .

construction

The tongue piano falls under the group of music boxes. This instrument probably got its name from the fact that the teeth of a metal comb serve as so-called tongues. The deeper these are cut, the deeper the sounding tone is. The metal comb, in turn, sits on a pin roller, which is driven by a crank, so that the pins hit the teeth when they turn and drag them along . The resulting tones usually result in a complete piece of music that was determined by the placement of the pens.

Since the crank and the piece are inside a box, this instrument is called a music box. Nevertheless, a distinction must be made between music box and music box . With the latter, the crank is no longer operated by hand, but it plays all by itself, driven by a clock spring.

development

Music boxes were probably not developed until the 19th century. First they performed in Switzerland and France. Later they spread more and more. The scribing devices were also continuously improved. Dampers were also used as additional helpers.

literature

• C. Sachs: Handbuch der Musikinstrumentenkunde , Breitkopf & Härtel, Wiesbaden 1979, Spieldose, p. 64f.