of the oboe was discarded and the reed taken directly into the
mouth. It is certain that the ancient Greeks obtained the full
compass of the aulos by overblowing, since the
process by which a modern performer on the oboe
or clarinet obtains the harmonics is described by Aristotle[1] and others.[2]
 |
| Rudall, Carte & Co. |
Fig. 2.—Oboe double-reed mouthpiece.
|
The vibrating length of the reed is controlled by taking the latter more or less deeply into the mouth and by varying the pressure of the lips upon it; the shorter the free end the higher the pitch of the note or harmonic obtained. The action of the lips on the reed is imitated to some extent in reed organ-pipes by means of a tuning-wire, with the difference that, the lips being mobile, different notes can be obtained from the same pipe, whereas in the organ each reed is adapted to its own pipe and gives one note only.
B. The beating- or single-reed mouthpiece, also known as the clarinet mouthpiece, is likewise of great antiquity; the principle is the same as that of the modern Egyptian arghoul (q.v.), which has been traced once at least in the hieroglyphics and in a fresco from the tombs at Saqqara.[3] The mouthpiece of the arghoul is the primitive form of beating-reed known popularly in rural districts as a “squeaker.” A lateral slit is made in a piece of reed and a little tongue is detached by slitting the reed back from the slit towards a knot. The breath causes the reed-tongue to close and open the aperture at regular intervals, and the exciting agent here acts by means of a series of concussions. The metal vibrator known as the beating-reed of organ reed-pipes is similarly constructed, except that the tongue is a separate piece of metal fixed by means of nuts over an aperture, the vibrating length being regulated by means of a tuning-wire (see Free Reed Vibrator). The clarinet mouthpiece (fig. 3) has the appearance of a beak with the point bevelled and thinned at the edge to correspond with the end of the reed, shaped like a spatula. The underpart of the mouthpiece is flattened in order to form a table for the support of the reed, which is adjusted thereon with great nicety by means of a ligature or metal band fastened by screws.
 | |
| Fig. 3.—Clarinet Mouthpiece. | |
| a, | The mouthpiece, the position of the bore inside being indicated by dotted lines. |
| b, | The single- or beating-reed. |
A longitudinal aperture 1 in. long and 12 in. wide, communicating with the bore, is cut in the table and covered by the reed, so that the only opening is at the point, where for the distance of 13 to 14 in. the reed is thinned and the table curves backwards, leaving a gap of about 1 mm. between itself and the reed-tongue (for the B♭ clarinet). The curve of the table and the dimensions of the gap are therefore of considerable importance. The reed is set in vibration by the breath of the performer, and being flexible it beats against the table, alternately opening and closing the gap, and producing, as already mentioned above, a series of concussions in harmony with the vibrations of the air-column within the tube according to the length determined by the opening of the lateral holes and keys.
C. The free-reed, illustrated under Free Reed Vibrator, is similar in construction to the beating-reed, but the metal vibrator is cut slightly smaller than the aperture, through which it passes freely, alternately opening and closing it without concussion and with complete elasticity. The main difference in practice between these two outwardly similar reeds is a very important one. The reed being free remains uncontrolled, and increased pressure of wind therefore produces not an harmonic overtone but a crescendo. The principal use of the free-reed is in the harmonium (q.v.) and in the reed-work of organs on the continent of Europe. In English organs the beating-reed is almost universal. The free-reed is further used in the Chinese cheng (q.v.), through which it became known in Europe in the 18th century, and in the accordion, concertina and mouth-organ, under which headings its acoustic properties are more fully discussed.
4. Cup-Mouthpieces.—Brass wind instruments are played by means of cup or funnel-shaped mouthpieces, generally made of silver. The principal feature of the cup is the shape of the aperture in the bottom, where it communicates with the bore of the tube (known as the “gruin” or “throat”), and its distance from the rim. The shallower the cup the more suitable it is for producing the higher harmonics. The lips of the performer rest lightly but firmly against the rim of the mouthpiece, vibrating like double reeds from the force of the breath and communicating these vibrations in the form of pulses to the breath as it issues from them in a stream. This stream or exciting current passes into the cup ready to generate sound-waves in the air column contained within the main tube. If, as in the trumpet and in a lesser degree in the trombone, the curve of the bottom of the cup terminates at the hole in an abrupt angle, the quality of the tone developed is brilliant and blaring, being broken up by the sharp edge of the throat. In the horn, which has a funnel-shaped mouthpiece, the timbre is in complete contrast when the instrument is properly played,[4] being elastic, sonorous and very mellow, qualities which may be attributed to the absence of angle or bottom to the cup, the sides gradually sloping and converging insensibly into the bore of the tube. (K. S.)
MOVERS, FRANZ KARL (1806–1856), German Roman
Catholic divine and Orientalist, was born at Koesfeld in
Westphalia, on the 17th of July 1806. He studied theology and
Oriental languages at Münster, was parish priest at Berkum
near Bonn from 1833 to 1839, and professor of Old Testament
theology in the Catholic faculty at Breslau from 1839 to his
death on the 28th of September 1856. His elaborate works,
Die Phönizier (1841–1850) and Phönizische Texte, erklärt (1845–1847),
attained a high reputation. Of his other writings two
biblical studies were of some importance, his Kritische
Untersuchungen über die alttestamentliche Chronik (1834), and his
Latin essay on the two recensions of the text of Jeremiah, De
utriusque recensionis vaticiniorum Jeremiae . . . indole et origine
(1837).
MOW. (1) To cut down standing hay or corn with a scythe
or with machinery drawn by a horse or mechanical power (see
Reaping). The word in O. Eng. is mawan, a verb common to the
West German languages, cf. Du. maaien, Ger. mähen; the root
is also seen in “meadow,” Gr. ἀμᾶν and Lat. metere, to reap,
cut, cf. messis, harvest. (2) A stack or rick of hay, corn, and
sometimes also of beans, peas or other crops. The word in O. Eng.
is múga, múha, and is cognate with Swedish and Norwegian
muga, heap, cf. Swedish allmoge, crowd of people, Danish almuc.
“Mow” is chiefly dialectal in England, where it is a common
name, e.g. the Barley Mow, on the sign-boards of country inns.
From these two words must be distinguished (3) “mow,” a
grimace, now obsolete or purely literary, and generally found in
combination with “mop,” cf. “mopping and mowing” in King
Lear, iv. l. 64. This is the same word as the modern Fr. moue,
pout, which is of obscure origin.
MOWAT, SIR OLIVER (1820–1903), Canadian judge and
statesman (Q.C. 1856, LL.D. 1872, K.C.M.G. 1892, G.C.M.G.
1897), was the son of John Mowat, who fought in the Peninsular
War under Sir Arthur Wellesley (afterwards duke of Wellington).
Born at Kingston, Ontario, on the 22nd of July, 1820, he
was educated by private tuition and in 1836 began the study
of law under Mr (afterwards the Rt Hon. Sir) John A. Macdonald.
Called to the bar in 1841, he soon became a leading Chancery
counsel and in 1856 “took silk.” He entered parliament in
1858 as a Liberal and in 1863 became postmaster-general. He
took a prominent part in the proceedings of the Quebec Conference
of 1864, which settled the terms of the Confederation of
the British North American provinces, and in the same year
was appointed vice-chancellor of Upper Canada. Eight years
afterwards (1872) the Hon. Edward Blake resigned the premiership
of the province of Ontario, and Mowat was called to fill
the vacant post. He continued to be premier of Ontario until
the 13th of July 1896. Assisted by able colleagues and holding
always a strong majority in the house, he gave to Ontario a
- ↑ See De audib. p. 804a.
- ↑ Porphyrius (ed. Wallis), pp. 249 and 252.
- ↑ See Victor Loret, L’Egypte au temps des Pharaons (Paris, 1889), illustrated on pp. 139 and 143. The author gives no information as to this fresco except that it is in the Musée Guimet; it is probably identical with the second of the mural paintings described on p. 190 of the Petit guide illustré du Musée Guimet (Paris, 1890).
- ↑ The horn may be so played, by forcing the breath in a certain manner, that its timbre approximates to that of the trumpet.
