Anton Haeckl
Encyclopedia
Anton Haeckl was a musical instrument builder in Vienna
, who built the first physharmonica
in 1818. Two of his instruments from 1825 (refs. Inv. Nr. 19.480 (20 white keys) and Inv. Nr. 38.956) can be seen in the Vienna Technical Museum.
The physharmonica looked similar to the hand harmonium
still in use in India
today, with a piano-style keyboard. Smaller examples of this type of instrument rested on the left arm, and were played with the right hand. The range of notes was from B to g".
A newspaper advert of 14 April 1821 in the "Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung" says: "The master also makes very small versions which rest comfortably on the left arm, and which the right hand plays."
A patent
("privilegium") was granted to Anton Haeckl for such instruments on 8 April 1821.
, looked somewhat like an oversized modern piano-accordion
, but were placed, like pianos, on a stand so one could use both hands on the keyboard. The bellows were operated by foot pedals and a string mechanism. The instrument had no bass section, so though it looked like an accordion it is treated as forerunner of the harmonium.
One such instrument, made by "Busson Brevete" (Paris) in 1880, can be seen in the Vienna Technical Museum (ref. Inv. Nr. 15.289).
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, who built the first physharmonica
Physharmonica
The physharmonica is a keyboard instrument fitted with free reeds, a kind of harmonium much used in Germany. It resembles a small harmonium, but is differentiated from it by having no stops; being without percussion action, it does not speak readily or clearly...
in 1818. Two of his instruments from 1825 (refs. Inv. Nr. 19.480 (20 white keys) and Inv. Nr. 38.956) can be seen in the Vienna Technical Museum.
The physharmonica looked similar to the hand harmonium
Harmonium
A harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
still in use in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
today, with a piano-style keyboard. Smaller examples of this type of instrument rested on the left arm, and were played with the right hand. The range of notes was from B to g".
A newspaper advert of 14 April 1821 in the "Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung" says: "The master also makes very small versions which rest comfortably on the left arm, and which the right hand plays."
A patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
("privilegium") was granted to Anton Haeckl for such instruments on 8 April 1821.
Similar instruments
Similar early instruments, built in FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, looked somewhat like an oversized modern piano-accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, but were placed, like pianos, on a stand so one could use both hands on the keyboard. The bellows were operated by foot pedals and a string mechanism. The instrument had no bass section, so though it looked like an accordion it is treated as forerunner of the harmonium.
One such instrument, made by "Busson Brevete" (Paris) in 1880, can be seen in the Vienna Technical Museum (ref. Inv. Nr. 15.289).
See also
- Anton ReinleinAnton ReinleinGeorg Anton Reinlein was a musical clock maker in Vienna.A patent was granted to him in the year of 1824 for improving of the Hand harmonica .The Instrument had free reeds of Chinese manner and a bellows that war hand operated.- Patent :...
- Christian Friedrich Ludwig BuschmannChristian Friedrich Ludwig BuschmannChristian Friedrich Ludwig Buschmann was a German musical instrument maker, often credited with inventing the harmonica and sometimes the accordion.-Thuringia:Buschmann was born in Friedrichroda, Thuringia...