The history of the music box dates back to 1796 with a musical mechanism first made by an unknown Geneva watchmaker. In just a couple of decades, it has gone a glorious way from the first samples mounted in perfume bottles and watches to genuine works of art that still amaze our imagination with their beauty and unique sound.
Instructions
Step 1
By today's standards, the principle of a music box is very simple. A special drive with the help of a clock spring mechanism rotates a musical cylinder in which rows of pins are mounted. When rotating, they engage with the musical comb and emit a certain melody at the same time. As the melody is played, the cylinder returns to its original position. Music boxes of later editions had several melodies in their "stock". Considering the modest possibilities of music boxes, the playing time of a melody was limited, as a rule, to one minute.
Step 2
The piece performed was the most recognizable part of a well-known piece of music. The music box has a close "relative" - the barrel organ. She is much older - she is already over five centuries old. Although in its essence the organ-grinder is close to the organ, but the drive is very similar to a music box, only here the organ-grinder himself rotated the handle, actuating the roller with pins - the control of the air valves. It was on them that the flow of air into the pipes depended, where the melody arose. The organ grinder could, depending on the circumstances, stop the game at any time.
Step 3
A completely different situation was with music boxes. The wound up clockwork had to "work out" to the end. Yes, no one even thought to interrupt the melody, which sounded, moreover, no more than a minute. Today, the music box can only be heard in a museum or antique shop. By the way, one of the largest collections of music boxes - more than 50 pieces - is in the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. If one day you are lucky enough to hold in your hands this magical mechanism, which has become the prototype of ultra-modern players that can store thousands of melodies in your memory, start it up and enjoy its simple and unique sound. You won't hear that anymore.
Step 4
You can stop numerous Chinese fakes by simply closing the lid of the box. Thus, you press the lever hidden inside, and the music will freeze. If the cover or lever is out of order, use a pin. Stick it into the hole from the lever, and the box will stop. Not aesthetically pleasing, but practical.
Step 5
Alternatively, you can attach a pin no more than 2 mm into the free slot on the lid. It will work instead of a lever.
