LE. Cutter—Key Note of Auditoriums. 451 
vibrated again. Now the piano was tuned below concert 
pitch, hence this key note was not exactly E flat, I think it 
was D natural of concert pitch. But this discrepancy need 
cause no more confusion than the differences between mean 
and sidereal time. In my roomat Yale, South Middle College, 
a ee 
1849, when I sang re —} the A string of my ’cello, stand- 
ing in a corner, would answer back. 
As to Direction II. About 1850, Mr. Simmons, an organ 
builder of Boston, was tuning a 16-foot pedal stop which was 
added after an organ was built at his factory. It was in the 
church auditorium. All went smoothly save the F natural 
pipe. Do what he could, it rounded out into a far stronger 
tone than any of the other pipes and made the octave uneven. 
He finally gave it up. Ever afterwards, as long as this organ 
remained there, it rendered music written in the key of F nat- 
ural with a harmonic power that made the air outside and inside 
ring. IF was the key note of the auditorium. When a window 
rattles while the organ plays it thereby announces the key note 
of the room or its chords. The key note is more resonant than 
its chords, as a musical ear soon detects. 
As to Direction III. I heard this exampled at a faculty 
concert of the N. E. Conservatory, Boston, Professor Faelten, 
Director, playing. 
As to Direction LV. It is probable that Cicero was a good 
student of physics. 
As to Direction V. Examples: 1888, Cincinnati Music 
Hall, capacity 6,000. At. the Section of Medicine, Am. Med. 
Association, audience of 200 estimated. The key note was 
thus found to be F natural. The speaker was heard perfectly, 
spoke with ease and though tired at the outset was rested at 
the close! 
1889, Leeds, Albert Memorial Hall. Banquet of the British 
Medical Association, 700 plates. A bad acoustic auditorium. 
A very few words in the key note F, thus found, were fol- 
lowed by loudest applause and post prandial. congratulations 
from several elderly gentlemen, who thanked the speaker “ be- 
cause we could hear what was said.” 
1890, Berlin International Congress, Sections met in picture 
galleries. Securing the key note secured close attention. 
Professor A. P. Clarke, M.D., Dean of the College of Physi- 
cians and Surgeons, Boston, was reading a paper at this Con- 
gress, when some one said “louder” in the key note of the 
gallery ; he changed his voice at once to this note and read 
satisfactorily. 
Remark. This idea thus presented grew out of the biolog- 
ical study of music as a property of air. The physiology of 
speech includes its best use. 
October 1, 1895. 
Am. Jour. Scr—Turrp Series, Vou. L, No. 300—DEcEMBER, 1895. 
30 
