Book music(French:Livre de musique) is a medium for storing the music played onmechanical organs,mainly ofEuropeanmanufacture. Book music is made from thick cardboard, containing perforated holes specifying the musical notes to be played, with the book folded zig-zag style. Unlike the heavypinned barrels,which could only contain a few tunes of fixed length, that had been used on earlier instruments, book music enabled large repertoires to be built up. The length of each tune was no longer determined by the physical dimensions of the instrument.
In 1892, organ makerAnselmo Gaviolipatentedthe "book organ," with a series of folded sheets of cardboard. Holes punched on the pages of the folded book allowed keys to rise in the key frame playing the required note. The keys would cause considerable wear to the music books over time. A solution to this was the keyless frame where the holes allowed air to pass through.[1]The development marked a turning point in the history of the mechanical organ, and made Gavioli, until their demise in 1910, the most famous and prolific fair-organ builders.[2]
Book music was the most commonly used medium for large instruments. Used extensively byfairgroundand street organ makers, book music was also used byHenri Fourneauxin 1863 in hisPianista.[3]
One of the advantages of book music is that it can be mechanically interpreted. Keys, small levers which rock upwards when a hole passes by, run underneath the book. This motion then mechanically opens the valves of the organ.
Paper rollson the other hand are "key-less" and are generally only read by pneumatic pressure or suction. Some mechanical organs, particularly those of German manufacture by firms such as Gbr Bruder and Ruth, play keyless cardboard book music, operating pneumatically.
The disadvantage of book music, compared topaper rolls,is the increased size and weight to store an equivalent amount of music.[citation needed]The major advantage of book music, however, is that it is sturdy and not subject to expansion and contraction withhumidity.In addition, it is not necessary to rewind a book after playing; therefore, a musical performance may continue almost immediately without a prolonged break (while the instrument is occupied with rewinding the roll). This allows for large books and sets of books to be manufactured, allowing musically versatile capabilities. In Europe the book format, rather than the roll, is the preferred method of operating all but the smallest instruments designed for outdoor use.
See also
edit- Continuous stationery– Paper designed for use with dot-matrix and line printers
- Player piano– Piano that plays prerecorded works
- Punched card– Paper-based recording medium
- Punched tape– Data storage device
References
edit- ^"Life of Guangzhou – Brief Introduction of Automatic Musical Instruments".Archived fromthe originalon 2019-02-07.Retrieved2008-03-23.
- ^Gavioli 89 Key No 2
- ^"Player Pianos and Self-Acting Pianos - by Bill Kibby MIMIT".Archived fromthe originalon 2007-01-01.Retrieved2007-01-05.