Harmoniphon

The harmoniphon was a free reed instrument patented in 1836 by Paris, Lecrosnier & Tremblai of Dijion and was intended as a substitute for the English horn. A player would blow into a tube that provided air to sound the reeds, while using the keyboard to direct the actual pitches. It is considered a predecessor of the melodica.


Technical description: rough walnut and softwood frame consisting of a keyframe with pinned balance rail and two rows of front pins (for naturals and accidentals) padded with green cloth, and at the rear a shallow trapezoidal metal trough with a nozzle at the left end; pressed down above the trough, a red-painted reed board with free reeds fastened to the under side (inside the trough); steel (?) reeds screwed to brass reed holders, the holders stamped with pitch letters as is the reed board, some reeds and holders being replacements; above the reed board, small rectangular leathered valves mounted below tails of keys, stopping notes above reeds and lifting when the keys are depressed; 32-note keyboard with bone naturals, stained accidentals, compass c1-g3, the key tails held down by wire springs mounted on posts between the key levers; the reeds blown by the player's lungs through a rubber tube (missing) attached to the nozzle; the key levers at bass and treble ends angled sharply toward the center between the balance pins and spring posts (Laurence Libin 4 Oct. 77).