in London
MUSIC HALL
"NEW MUSIC-HALL. We were invited the other day to a private opening of this
new temple of Apollo; occupying part of the extensive premises of Mr.
Wornum's pianoforte-manufactory in Store Street, Bedford Square, and
constructed solely with reference to musical habitancy. Its dimensions are —
80 feet in length, 37 feet in breadth, and from 37 to 50 feet in height.
The orchestra, which is a fixture, appears to be conveniently constructed with reference to the display of an instrumental band, and is of smaller extent than that of the Hanover Square Rooms. Behind and above it, is a kind of reflector, intended to assist in conveying musical sounds to the remote corners of the room. The walls, as well as every thing within them, are at present undecorated; there is nothing which can absorb or hinder the transmission of sound, but every thing to facilitate its propagation; and, hence, we have no doubt that a band of the same size would produce a more powerful effect in this building than in any other concert-room in London. Three rows of boxes front the orchestra, and over these is a gallery. We experimented upon the room in various places; and we are bound to say, that in no music-room of the same size has the architect so completely achieved his purpose. The slightest inflections of the voice are not only audible, but distinct and full even at the remotest corner of the gallery. The room is said to be capable of holding one thousand persons: we doubt this,, unless they were packed like the Livery in a crowded Common Hall; but it is large enough to hold molt audiences, and large enough for comfortable hearing. The concert was not worth particular notice as a performance. We presume most of the singers and players were amateurs; and we were not able to derive much entertainment from hearing young ladies and gentlemen try their inexperienced voices upon 'Di tanti palpiti', "Bell' imago," and other hacknied pieces of the same school." The Spectator, Volume 7, 01/02/1834, p. 108
The first step in the road to this desirable end was made by the manufacturer Stodart, who invented the upright and cabinet pianos about the beginning of the present century; and the last by Wormum, Store Street, London, in the year 1833. This last manufacturer, in that year, exhibited a piano-forte that could hardly be distinguished from a library table. The piano-fortes of this maker, which are most frequently used, are the two sizes, figs. 1961 and 1962 [see at the left side]: one of the smallest size, exhibited in fig. 1962, costs from thirty-six to fifty-five guineas; and one of the largest, shown in fig. 1962, costs from fifty to one hundred guineas. The first instrument is three feet four inches, and the second six feet six inches, in height. There are numerous other forms of piano-fortes and organs; and also of what are called harmonics, which produce music by machinery. The advantages of Wornum's instruments are, that, with the same degree of tone and excellence, in a musical point of view, as the horizontal pianos, and with the convenient form of the upright pianos, they are finished behind in such a manner as to have a handsome effect whichever side is presented to the company. - The old upright and cabinet pianos were generally placed against walls." An Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture, 1835, p. 1069-1070
It has been built expressly for Morning and Evening Concerts, and may be engaged for other public meetings of sufficient character. The terms are exceedingly moderate, and may be had on the premises; or at the pianoforte manufactory of Mr. Wornum, adjoining." The Musical world, 13/05/1836, p. 148
This instrument met the taste of the day for instruments of little altitude; it did not stand higher than three feet three inches, and the strings were all placed diagonally towards the floor; the action was simple and effective, but it did not content the mind of its most ingenious inventor, and in a short time gave way to a new proof of his mechanical and philosophical genius, in the production of the Piccolo Pianoforte, which he (Mr. Wornum) patented about twelve or thirteen years ago, and which is now perhaps the most popular Piano in the four quarters of the world. Its action is equally applicable to both upright and horizontal instruments, and, for delicacy of tone, and promptness of touch, it has not yet been surpassed. The perseverance of Mr. Wornum’s mechanical genius has at length succeeded in producing a downstriking action, which is by far the most ingenious of modern improvements in the Pianoforte, inasmuch as both tone and touch are wonderfully improved by it, -a result exactly the reverse of the foreign application of the same action." The hand-book to the Piano Forte ... also a short and easy introduction to harmony and counterpoint, and a vocabulary of terms, 1844, p. 11
about a Grand piano designed by James Gamble, now in Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington, London, England «This grand piano was built in about 1870 by the leading English firm of Robert Wornum & Son for Sir Henry Cole (1808 - 1882), the first director of the South Kensington (now Victoria & Albert) Museum. James Gamble (1837 - 1911), who was responsible for much of the decoration of the museum between 1866 and 1889, designed the case of this piano, and his motifs include early musical instruments that had been acquired for the Museum under Cole's directorship. This instrument was exhibited at the International Exhibition held in London in 1871.»
Furniture at the International Exhibition
This is one of the few pieces of furniture in which something novel has been attempted, and the result is by no means unsatisfactory, but care should be taken in such decoration to guard against any appearance of imitating the effect of inlaid work, which this is not quite free from; and the comparatively large figures on the lid look rather out of place and too ambitious in aim for the situation." The Builder, 10/06/1871, p. 439
SOUTH KENSINGTON MUSEUM 1876
Messrs. Wornum & Sons. The large factory in Oxford Street, in which this instrument was made, is shown by an engraving within the lid. This factory was burnt down in October 1812, and the partnership was then dissolved.
In the following
year Robert Wornum made the first successful “Cottage” pianoforte, with
vertical stringing, to which he gave the name of “The Harmonic
Pianoforte.” He accomplished this by discarding entirely the use of
brass wires, and adopting the closely-spun copper-covered strings in
their stead.
Messrs. Wornum & Sons. By this invention
longer strings may be used, relatively to the external dimensions, than
in an instrument of the ordinary construction."
Catalogue of the Special Loan Collection of
Scientific Apparatus at the South Kensington Museum, 1876, p.
163-164 - See
WORNUM
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