Great-grandfather of electronic music Bashny.Net

Telharmonium - the ancestor of all electronic musical instruments
This unit weighed 200 tons and had a length of something around 19 meters, and cost a fortune. For some characteristics, he even overtook much of their time. And though as a commercial venture, he failed, it was he who deserves the title of the forefather of all electronic musical instruments.
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In 1897, 30-year-old engineer from Iowa named Thaddeus Cahill (Thaddeus Cahill) has received patent number 580,035 on the "principle and device for work and distribution of music by electricity».

However, since the issuance of the patent certificate took nine more years before the finished version of the described device was released. Rather, on the contrary, I saw the light - and heard - it. This unit was named "Dinamofon" or "telharmonium» (Telharmonium).



Simplistically, telharmonium is a set of 145 special generators, generates an alternating electrical current of different frequencies, and a complex system of various switches and inductors.

All this is controlled by a few (three, to be exact) is slightly altered organ keyboards, with the keyboard was dynamic, that is responsible for a pressure! Frequency range from telharmonium stretches from 40 to 4000 Hz.

Vacuum Tube and any other signal amplifiers at the time has not yet come up with: it's happened yet only twenty years later.

The sound is output through the first gigantic dimensions of the tube like a gramophone and later the signal was fed directly into the phone line.

At the same time, to listen to telharmonium were required to put on the phone a special horn.



Telharmonium filed on a ampere per telephone. That was more than enough to ensure that, if the horn and hear everything without holding the phone to your ear.

The upshot is, incidentally, very sadly, the telephone company sued for damage to telephone lines. But more on that later.

Play for telharmonium had four hands: the main executor and assistant needed more. However, judging from the various photographs, the assistant also played at least one hand, and not just switch between different keys but turning knobs.

On telharmonium sang "Respect" at the time the music: Bach, Chopin, Grieg, Rossini and other classics.

In his article in the journal "sound producer" Lev Orlov wrote that after "commercial debut" telharmonium in Massachusetts, the press noted the "fullness, roundness and clarity" and that some reporters said that Cahill "anticipates the development of the music industry».

And we are in something right.

At the same time, for some reason, special attention was paid to the fact that music can be broadcast over the phone.



I must say that during the first public demonstration of the performers physically located two kilometers from the hotel, which gathered appreciative audience and the press.

In general, successful. But it was a local success, and Cahill, who by that time had already podnabratsya ambition, wanted more.

And then with all that being said, the honest people, dvuhsottonny telharmonium dismantled, loaded thirty (!) Of railway wagons, and drove from Massachusetts to the glorious city of New York fame.

Campaign success. In New York, for this tool we built a "Telarmonichesky Hall».

The first concert took place with a huge success, despite the disastrous sound quality. The reason for this was the poor quality of electric cables, and, by some accounts, frequent errors performers.



It turned out that telharmonium was able to simulate even some acoustic instruments, such as flutes and drums, which also contributed to the enthusiastic reception of the invention Cahill.

In 1911, Cahill has built his third (and last, as it turned out) telharmonium. He was even bigger and more expensive than his two predecessors, as was made many technical improvements.

But by the time of the Cahill it was already "New England Musical Company» (New England Electric Music Company).

Together with her inventor intended to deploy a stormy commercial activity.

It was assumed that the music via telephone lines telharmonium can listen to each hotel and even in their own homes.

Alas, it soon became clear that the power telharmonium proved too great for the then telephone lines, and in addition, during operation of the entire network were interfering!

There is a legend that one businessman, furious that telharmonium prevent him from making money, broke into the building where the unit and smashed it to smithereens. But it seems to be nothing more than rumors.

In any case, the company failed. Unusual keyboard instrument required habits and musicians is not very pleasant.

In addition, performers said that, despite the diversity of timbres telharmonium had plenty of completely extraneous overtones, which gradually began to get on your nerves, with intolerable manner.



Again, the telephone companies were furious from disruptions that cause telharmonium.

And finally, according to Orlov, the people who were supposed to attract new investors and safely fled with all the money.

Telharmonium silent forever in 1916. After eighteen years of its inventor died in poverty and loneliness.

And, unfortunately, not a single sound recording telharmonium never been done. Although the record devices while already existed.

But the basic principles remain invented Cahill.



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