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The first Pedal Harps exhibited in England, about forty years ago,
were imported from France, and are known at the present time
under the denomination of French harps. The plan of their mecha-
nism, and the proportions upon which the tone is dependent, are gene-
rally allowed to be defective in many essential points.

A great defect in the construction of these harps is, that the action of
the pedal, to give the string a second sound, draws it out of the vertical
perpendicular, to make it rest upon the neck of the instrument at A,
(see Pl. I. Fig. 1.); which lateral motion greatly increases the difficulty
of the-execution, by destroying the uniformity of the distances between
the strings; and tends to put the string out of tune, by making it deviate
from its original position, as the curve which it so describes makes it
much longer than the straight line from the sounding-board, to the
fixed stud or bridge. Besides, the system of cranks and rods, at
A, A, A, A, which actuate the motion, is constructed upon so wrong

a principle, (see PL I. Fig. 3. and Pl. 11, Fig, \\.) that it cannot b^
depended upon to stop the string, when shortened the degree of
a semitone, with sufficient tightness to produce as clear and pure
a tone as when open.

These are defects dependent upon the mechanism. There are others
attending the construction of the frame or wood-work of the harp, of
no less importance.

The mechanism being introduced into the neck^ hollowed out to re-
ceive the same, (see Pl. I. Fig. 1,2.) the necessary curve to preserve the
due proportions of the strings throughout the instrument could not be
given to the neck, without great danger of its giving way; and as that
part of the instrument was originally shaped out of one solid piece, the
grain of the wood must have been cut in the bent part of it, and ren-
dered the more liable to break.

With such defects in the construction of the neck of the harp, it
would have been impossible ever to string the instrument with strings
of the size now in general use, the weight or draught being, thus, more
than doubly increased.

The sonorous body used to be made out of seven or nine pieces:
which construction was attended with considerable trouble to the work-
man, and was never to be depended upon in point of solidity. (See
Pl. III. Fig. 1.)

Such was the state of the harp, as imported from the Continent,
when Mr. Sebastian Erard took out his first patent in 1794, the
first for the harp ever granted in England : and a shght inspection
of this harp will make it evident, that he elfected a complete revo-
lution in the system of construction for that instrument. (See Pl. IV.
Fig. 1.) Instead of enclosing the mechanism in the wood itself, he
makes it quite independent of the frame or wood-work: the system
of cranks and rods, a, a, a, a, (see Pl. II. Fig. 2.) acting upon each
other in a direct and uniform manner, is placed under the wooden part
of the neck 6, 6, at A, (see Pl. IV. Fig. 1.) and made to act between
two brass plates c, c, c, c, Avhich serve as true and immoveable bearings
d, d, for the different centres of the mechanism. Those two brass plates,
which contain the whole of the mechanism, are placed upon the neck
of the harp when put together, and have the property of giving it
additional strength.

Mr. Sebastian Erard was the first to construct the neck of several
pieces of wood, so as to make the grain run in straight lines, wedging
each other in the bent parts.

The most ingenious and useful of his first improvements is the me-
chanical contrivance, generally known by the name of the fork. (SeePl.
IV. Fig. 1 and 2.) It is so universally acknowledged to be superior
to any other means known or employed for the purpose of shortening
the string, to give it another tone, that all the harp-makers in the
United Kingdom avail themselves of the invention.


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The great merit of any mechanism rests on its simplicity : the fork is
merely two prongs or points e, e, mounted upon a little brass round
plate or disk ƒ, ƒ, the centre of which is screwed upon an axis or arbor
g, hi passing through the two plates c, c, Cj c, (see Fl. IV, Fig. 1, 2 J The
string pends from the bridge pin or stud i, so as to cross the face of the
round part or disk; when the pedal is depressed, the levers and connec-
ting rods a, a, a, a, (see Fl. II. Fig. 2.) placed under the wooden part
of the neck at A, (see FL IV. Fig. 1.) act on the axis g, h, upon which
the fork is mounted, so as to make it describe a sufficient angular mo-
tion to bring the two pins e, e, on the disk, into contact with the strings
thus shortening it the degree of a semitone, and at the same time pressing
it with sufficient tightness to make the string produce as clear and as
firm a tone as when open. The string, however^ is kept perfectly
parallel to the two contiguous strings, and free from any lateral motion in
the vertical plane. (See Fl. IV. Fig. 1,

Twenty-five years\' experience, a stronger argument than the best
reasoning, has proved, that the proper pressure of the fork does not
overpower the natural elasticity of the string.

There are several other improvements in Mr. Sebastian Erard\'s harp,
which, though not so essentially important, yet contributed to render
his work perfect i such as the adjusting screw at the back plate {see
FL IV. Fig. 1.); the different ways of connecting the different parts of
the mechanism ; and the round shape which he gave to the sonorous
body, rendering it by so doing much more sonorous and more du-
rable. (See FL III. Fig. 2.)

The proportions of the strings were also greatly altered by him, so
that the French harp and Sebastian Erard\'s compared might be said to
have that striking difference between each other, in point of tone,
which exists between a grand Piano Forte and a Harpsichord; and, in
point of construction, that which exists between the badly-constructed
old wooden machinery mills, and one of our present improved cast-iron
engines.

The consequence of those very striking improvements in the harp
was, that it rose considerably in the estimation of the musical world.
The professors and amateurs of the greatest merit, both in this coun-
try and abroad, were eager to procure Erard\'s harps, and thus they
shortly got into general use.

Mr. Sebastian Erard soon effected further improvements upon his
first harp; the pedal, for instance, which used to consist of two levers,
acting upon one another, and the one which projects out of the pedes-
tal being made with a joint to allow its lateral motion into the notch,
{see PL V, Fig. 1.) he greatly simplified in making it into one single
lever, or arm. (See PL V. Fig. 2.)

Thus, about the year 1800, the single action harp had attained so
satisfactory a state of perfection as to admit of no further improvement
in its mechanical construction; it was still however very defective
as to its powers of modulation:—from the very nature of the

instrument, since sufficient room must be left for the fingers to have free
access between the strings, it is not practicable to have more than seven
strings within the octave, which number, with the requisite distance
between them, forms as wide a space as the hand, placed in a proper
position upon the instrument, can reach with facility.

Those seven strings are generally tuned diatonically upon the single
action harp in the key of E 3 flats ; that mode of tuning seems to have
been generally adopted as the best to divide, as much as possible, the
imperfection of the instrument, between the flats and the sharps. The
action of each pedal raising each string one semitone, upon the single
action harp, had it been tuned in the key of C the modulations prac-
ticable would have been confined to keys with sharps, whilst, by tuning
the harp in a key with flats, the number of keys practicable is divided
between the flats and the sharps, though not increased, for where the
advantage of the flat is gained, that of the sharp is lost, and mce versa.

This imperfection of the instrument as to modulation could not
escape the observing mind of Mr. Sebastian Erard ; he made the first
attempt to remedy it about the year 1801, when he completed a harp
which produced three distinct sounds upon every string, viz. the flat,
the natural, and the sharp.

The patent for that harp is dated the l6th of June, 1801. It con-
tains the double notch, or cut, in the pedestal of the harp, by means of
which the pedal, after having been pressed to a first rest, as in the single

action harp, may be pressed to a second rest, (see PL VL Fig. 4.)
This contrivance is an essential part of the construction of a double
action harp, and those who now attempt to make double movement
harps, avail themselves of it as well as of all his other improvements, and
perhaps some of them without knowing who was the original inwntor.

The principle of the mechanism to effect the semitones, is different
from that of his single action harp, produced in 1794, namely, the
shortening the strings !>y means of a fork.

The pedal when depressed makes the rest pin a, (see PL VI: Fig,
1, 2, 3.) upon which the string is wound, turn round, and describe a
certain angular motion, which winds up the string so as to raise it two
successive semitones, in the same way that it might be done with a
tuning hammer. As the outward appearance of the mechanism was
the same, whether the string were flat, natural, or sharp, Mr. Sebastian
Erard contrived at the time a sort of index, to shew the position of
the pedal :—it consisted of a needle attached to the rest pin itself, and
which by following the rotatory motion of the rest pin, pointed to
the figure fiat, natural, or sharp, (see PL VI. Fig. 1, 2, 3.)

This mode of effecting the semitones upon the harp had some advan-
tages, but was attended on the other hand with inconvenience, that of
encreasing the tension of the string. There are those, perhaps, who would
have produced this harp to the public, and promoted its sale; but Mr.
Sebastian Erard was aware of the defects of an instrument built upon
such a plan, and knew that it could never be of general use, he therefore,

regardless of the great expence and labor he had incurred, reserved it
as a mere curiosity. Its mechanism is well worth the attention of the
curious, as it contains several problems in mechanics, difficult to solvci

It was about the year 18Ö8 that Mr. Sebastian Erard began his
double action harp upon the same principle as that of his single action
harp, produced in 1794, naniely, the shortening the string by means of a
fork. He then pursued a series of laborious experiments^ all of which are
contained in his patents of 1808, and 1810; and it was not until 1811,
after having spent no less than twenty thousand pounds in establishing
in his manufactory the different machines upon which the nicety of the
execution of a mechanical work so essentially depends, that he brought
out his present double action harp.

In this he preserved exactly the same simplicity of mechanism as ill
his single action, and he accomplished the shortening each- string two
successive semitones by means of one pedal, in the following manner :

The reciprocating motion is conveniently encreased, and divided
into two parts from A to B, and B to C, {See PL 11. Fig. 3. and Pl.
VII. Fig. 1.) This motion is communicated to the axis or arbor
upon which the lower fork effecting the sharp is mounted; the position
of the two forks, when the string is open or Hat, is such, (see Pl. VIL
Fig. 1.) that whilst a line drawn between the two points a, upon

the upper disk, would cut the string at acute angles, a line drawn be-
tween the two points c, d, upon the lower disk, would cut the string
at right angles, or nearly so. The upper and the lower forks are con-
nected to each other by three small pieces, two of which are small steel
links attached by joints e, ƒ, at one end, to the extremities of the
forks, at requisite points, and at the other ends, both to the extremity
g, of a small brass lever moving round a fixed stud, screwed fast into
the brass plate at h.

The relations and proportions which these different pieces bear to
each other are such, that by depressing the pedal to the first rest, the
first part of the motion from A to B being actuated upon the centre or
axis of the lower fork, the upper link/, g, attached to the upper fork, ^^

and the little brass lever g, h, turning round its own centre at A, are
moved by the assistance of the other link g, e, attached to the lower
fork, so as to form,a straight line, ƒ, g, A, {see PL VII. Fig. 2.) By
this operation the upper fork has been made to press the string firmly
at a, {see PL VII. Fig. 2.) to shorten it the first semitone, and vi-
brating freely between the two prongs on the lower disk, the string ^
sounds the natural. From the circumstance of the upper link ƒ, g,
and the brass lever g, h, forming one straight line, it follows, that all
the weight occasioned by the pressure of the upper fork upon the string
at a, {see PL VII. Fig. 2.) rests entirely upon the fixed stud of the
brass lever screwed fast into the plate at h, and is thus rendered per-
fectly independent of the actuating or main motion upon the axis of

the lower fork. For the second shortening of the string, or for the sharp!
tone, the second part of the motion from B to C is gone through by
depressing the pedal a second time, and the lower fork presses the
string at c, d, (see PL VII, Fig. 3.) exactly in the same way that it
does in the single action harp.

To produce the above effect from one actuating pivot or centre only,
so as to render the second part of the motion perfectly free from the
weight occasioned by the pressure of the upper fork, Mr. Sebastian
Erard had to solve one of those delicate problems called in
mechanics escapements^ which in his mechanism is thus effected: the
weight of the pressure of the upper fork rests, as we have just described,
upon the centre of the brass lever screwed fast into the plate at h^
(see PL VII. Fig. 2.) and is quite independent of the actuating
motion upon the lower arbor; but the straight line formed by the
upper link ƒ, g, and the brass lever g, h, being broken into two
pieces at g, allows the lower link e, g, and the lower disk, to pass
over the centre without any obstruction.

By successively unfixing the pedal from the two notches, the same
effects are produced in an inverted manner with equal facihty ; and,
considering that the combination of the different movements belonging
to one pedal is actuated merely by the sinking and rising of one rod
enclosed within the pillar, it will be perceived with what nicety the
movements are combined.

Any person taking the trouble of examining the movement above
described, and selected by Mr. Sebastian Erard as the best, from
several others of his own invention, must allow that it unites the ijtmost
simplicity with the most perfect efficacy. Five pieces only, two of
which are the disks with prongs on them to shorten the string, effect
the operation, and the motion is distributed to the different pieces
from one axis only, that of the lower fork.

These movements, which are on the outside of the plate, and contrived
for each separate string in the bass, as at h, i, k, (see PL VIII.)
disappear about the middle of the harp, at /, m, where the weight of
the strings diminishes in proportion to their diminished length and
thickness. A similar motion to that on the outside, is then contrived
inside of the mechanism, once for each string of a different name,
and is afterwards communicated by connecting rods from octave to
octave, upon both the upper and lower rows of forks.

Mr. Sebastian Erard might easily have adopted this plan of
construction throughout the whole compass of the instrument, by
merely contriving the movement once for the seven different strings
in the octave, at the head of the harp, communicating the same by
rods from octave to octave up to the top ; and this arrangement
would at first sight appear more simple, as there would be nothing on
the outside of the brass plate, but the two forks to each string, as at
m, (see FL VIII.) He, however, rejected it as very defective.

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. In fact, to allow sufficient room within the neck of the harp for the
action of two ranges of movements, one above the other, as at a, a, a, a,
{see PL IX. Fig. 1.) instead of having the movements outside, as at
a, a, a, a, (see FL IX. Fig. 2.) the neck must be considerably weak»
ened by cutting away about one third of the wood, as at 6, b, b,
{see FL IX. Fig. Iwhilst that part of the instrument cannot be
made too strong, in the bass especially, to resist the great weight or
draught of the strings.

From the natural structure of the harp, (where the two parts upon
which the strings are fastened at both ends, viz. the neck, and the so-
norous body, cannot be kept apart from each other by any other sup-
port but the pillar, as free access to the strings must be left for the
hands on both sides of the vertical plane formed by the range of strings,)
it follows, that when the neck or curved part where the mechanism
lies, is not made sufficiently strong to resist the tension of the strings,
when drawn up to concert pitch, it will get distorted and alter com-
pletely its shape, from that in the original plan of the instrument; the
mechanism in that case must evidently get deranged also, and answer
no longer with the precision required to effect the semitones. Be-
sides, Mr. Sebastian Erard, in contriving the movements outside
and separately to each string in the bass, divides, upon three and
four different studs, as at h, {see FL VII. Fig. 2.) the weight of the
pressure of the forks effecting the naturals, upon six strings in thé
whole compass of the instrument, instead of having the whole weight
rest upon only one movement at the head of the harp, which evidently

renders his mechanism as many times less liable to get out of order, or
to wear out by use.

The tone, which so essentially depends upon the firmness with which
the string is stopped, could not be so good where the steadiness of
twelve forks, six for the naturals, and six for the sharps, pressing upon
six strings of the same name, should depend upon one combination of
movements at the head of the harp, instead of resting upon three, four,
or five, in different parts of the neck, as in the mode of construction
adopted by Mr. Sebastian Erard.

In short, this mode of construction of having the movements outside
on the brass plate, and contrived separately for each separate string in
the bass, is the only one which can be employed with success, as it is
the only one which combines the requisite advantages of precision and
sohdity.

Mr. Sebastian Erard improved the pedal in his double action harp
still further; the centre of action is contrived by means of a screw turning
into a brass socket, affording an easy lateral motion, (see Pl. V. Fig. 3.)
Thi$ lateral motion is rendered true and steady by his new spring, which,
being placed on the side of the pedal, makes it go of itself into the notch,
when depressed by the foot, and keeps it in that position with sufficient
steadiness to prevent its sKpping off again (see PL V. Fig. 3.) ; and
in case of that spring breaking, in the country, or in a distant cli-
matCj another may be introduced with the greatest facility, whilst

in harps where the springs are placed within the mechanism itself«
the instrument must be taken entirely to pieces to be repaired.

The double action harp has very great advantages over the single,
in point of musical theory ; but, as the object in view was to consider
the harp simply as a mechanical production, it will be sufficient to state
that, instead of thirteen scales, (eight major and five minor,) practicable
upon the single action harp, the double action possesses twenty-seven
complete, (fifteen major and twelve minor,) with the advantage of an
uniform fingering for all of them.

The double action harp is, of all instruments with fixed sounds, the
most perfect; and as it possesses twenty one sounds in the octave, in-
stead of twelve as keyed instruments, it is susceptible of a much more
perfect system of temperament.

The plate at the end has been annexed to give a view of the general
plan of the instrument, in regard to musical theory.

It would be superfluous to pass any encomium on Mr. Sebastian
Erard\'s harps—they speak for themselves, and have proved on trial to
answer in any climate; his double action harp must ever stand as an
attesting proof of the merit of the man to whom the public are indebted
for that invention.