Various

To the EDITORS of the HARMONICON.

Olive Mount Street, Liverpool.

GENTLEMEN,

I notice in your valuable work, the Harmonicon, for May last, a Report made to the [French] Academy of the Fine Arts, 20th of October, 1832, by its Musical Committee, on the Third Metronome of Maelzel.—With this report I am much pleased, and feel glad that so small, yet very useful a thing has received such attention from men of scientific knowledge, in their endeavours to improve the system of musical education. Their notice of the subject redounds greatly to their credit.

My object in this communication is to furnish you with a paragraph from the Liverpool Mercury, of Friday the 19th inst., upon what I consider a very important matter, viz. Improved Musical Time Beaters.—It is as follows:—‘Many of our musical readers are, no doubt, acquainted with Maelzel’s Metronome, for ascertaining the time in which musical pieces should be played. It is a very simple instrument, but is not intended to accompany the player, as it is completely dumb. We would not say anything in disparagement of any useful invention, but we may be permitted, we trust, to observe, that every object attained by Maelzel’s Metronome would be fully accomplished on a graduated pendulum with a sliding ball, which might be sold for half-a-crown at the utmost. Mr. Abbot, of Manchester, has very greatly improved upon Maelzel’s instrument, by rendering it what it ought to be, not only a time indicator, but a time beater. At the commencement of each bar it gives a very audible beat. It will be found advertised under the head “Musical Indicator,” in another part of our paper. In consequence of some conversation we had with the inventor on the subject, we trust that Mr. Abbot will construct some Indicators which shall not only mark the beginning of the bar, but any sub-division of it. The Musical Time-beater, invented many years ago by Mr. Egerton Smith, of Liverpool, and simplified by Mr. Condliffe, of the same place, possesses this advantage over every similar instrument previously or subsequently introduced. It marks the beginning of the bar by a pretty loud blow, and indicates also the component parts of the bar by minor but audible beats, whether there be 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, or 12 in the bar. The machine, however, is perhaps too complicated for common use, and we should greatly prefer Mr. Abbot’s, if it gave the subdivisions of the bar.’

I have seen Mr. Abbot’s Time Indicator; it is a simple, good instrument, but not what it professes to be, in my humble opinion: it beats every crotchet, or rather it is like a clock that beats, or ticks loud and quick.

Mr. Smith’s invention, simplified by Mr. Condliffe, is greatly superior to it in every respect. It gives a good beat at the beginning of every bar, and generally divides the bar into its smaller proportions very accurately. It is not so complicated as the above; is an excellent contrivance, and the best that has ever yet appeared.

I am, Sir, your constant reader,
And humble Servant,
L. T. CROSSLEY.

July 22d, 1833.