1881.] on Musical Pitch mid its determination. 539 



Appunn's rccd tonometer proceeds on exactly the same principle 

 aa that of Scheiblcr, free rceils being substituted for forks. It is 

 somewhat inferior in accuracy to the latter, for reasons named above, 

 nnd also from the mutual influence of tlio reeds on one another, 

 which has been shown to bo considerable. On the other hand, its 

 strident and coercive tone renders its indications more appreciable. 



The third instrument, recently made by Koenig, of Paris, and 

 fully described in 'Wiedemann's Annalen ' in 1880, has not yet 

 reached this country. It consists essentially of Helmholtz's vibra- 

 tion-microscope, combined with a small clock of which the pendulum 

 is a tuning-fork, causing the escapement to make 128 single 

 vibrations per second. 



It might be now considered that the problem of absolute pitch 

 had been satisftictorily determined, and, a standard having been ob- 

 tained, its artistic application was matter only of time and patience. 



That it had not been so applied was a discredit to England, due 

 chiefly to the rank and file of unmusical musicians named above. It 

 was perfectly certain that since the time of Handel a rise of orchestral 

 pitch amounting to about a semitone had occurred. The causes of 

 this rise, in the Lecturer's opinion, were at least four : (1) the excess of 

 true fifths, as tuned to by violins, over corresponding octaves ; (2) the 

 rise by heat of the increased number of modern wind-instruments ; 

 (3) the difficulty of appreciating slow beats, leading players, for the 

 sake of prominence, to tune slightly above absolute unison ; (4) the 

 predominant effect on the ear of a sharper over a flatter note, causing 

 a steady rise of the instruments which are susceptible of tuning. 



It was obvious to any thoughtful man that the Voice, God's 

 instrument, should be consulted in preference to man's less perfect 

 contrivances of wood and brass. At the same time, the difference 

 between the high orchestral pitch now in use to the detriment of 

 singers' voices, and the French normal diapason, which had been 

 proved by Kcenig to be an accurate as well as convenient standard, 

 was really far less than would be thought. This fact was illustrated 

 by playing alternately on clarinets tuned to the one pitch and the 

 other ; the ear, unassisted by beats, being all but unable to detect the 

 difference between the two. In conclusion, the main need of modern 

 English music was stated to be a greater familiarity with the physical 

 principles upon which it rests. [W. H. S.] 



WEEKLY EVENING MEETING, 



Friday, March 25, 1881. 



Warren De La Kue, Esq. M.A. D.C.L. F.R.S. &c. Secretary and 

 Vice-President, in the Chair. 



Alexander Buchan, Esq. M.A. F.R.S.E. Sec. Met. Soc. Scot. 



The Weather and Health of London. 



(Abstract deferred.) 



