Books › A descriptive catalogue of the musical instruments recently exhibited at the Royal Military Exhibition, London, 1890 …, 1891 › scan 130
Scan 130
A descriptive catalogue of the musical instruments recently exhibited at the Royal Military Exhibition, London, 1890 …, 1891
16 lines. Read by computer on 1 October 2026. Printed page 110. See the scan on archive.org.
1facilitate their use. These shutters were evidently used as a means for putting the instrument in the mode desired by the instrumentalist.
3The instrument was probably played by means of a single reed, like the Egyptian arghoul. With this kind of reed the following scale is produced:—
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7Instruments of this kind were frequently played in pairs, and were known to the Romans as Tibiae pares. The reeds fitted into a sort of stock, which was held to the mouth by means of a strap or bandage, called capistrum, and which was tied behind the player's neck. The art of music derived from Greece, and practised in the early days of the Roman empire, was brought to a high state of perfection, and has been fully treated of by various writers in the 17th century, such as Meibom and Dr. Wallis. Through their efforts the remaining treatises have been collected; and the learned commentaries of these writers are indispensable to all students of ancient music. Plate IV., fig. C.
9Lent by the Conservatoire Royal de Musique, Brussels.
11221.
13Chalumeau, in g', French pitch. This instrument consists of a tube of cane open at the lower end, the upper being closed by the natural joint of the cane. The tube is covered with red leather; and the reed consists of a small tongue detached from the cane itself, and shaved down to the required thickness. It is worthy of note that in this instrument the reed is placed upon the upper side, unlike the arrangement in the clarinets of the present day, and, therefore, the lips could have exercised but little control over the vibrations of the tongue. There are six finger-holes upon the upper side, with a seventh or thumb-hole below. The bell note is g'. The tone of the chalumeau is not unlike that of its successor the modern clarinet. Length 8 1/4 inches, diameter .6 inch. Plate IV., fig. A. 16th or 17th century.
15Lent by M. Césare Snoeck.
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