pupils, namely, from five to eight ounces. It is allowed that the lightest possible touch may be used at first. One high recommendation The Dumb keyboard.certainly remains after all that may be said regarding Mr Virgil’s invent1on that it is practically silent, almost noiseless, the up and down clicks that mark the duration of finger attachment being alone audible, a boon to the unwilling hearers of ordinary piano practice, scales and five-finger exercises. Mr Virgil'S invention was produced in its elementary form in 1872, the more satisfactory practice Clavier dates from the completion of the invention, about 1890. It was brought to England 1n 1895 by Mr Virgil.
Bibliography.—A Schlick, Spiegel der Orgelmacher (Mainz i, 1511, Berlin repr., 1869), S. Virdung, Musica getuscht und auszgezogen (Basel, 1511, reprinted 1n facsimile, Berlin, 1882), M. Agricola, Muszca tnstrumenzalts (ttenbcrg, l§ 2£)) O Luscxnius, Musurgza szze praxts mustcae (Strassburg, 1536), M Praetorius, Syntagma. mustcum, ol. i. (Wittenberg, 1615), xols 11 and 111 1n German, ollc11buttcl, 1619, M lt1senne, Harnzontcorunt (Paris, 1635), and Harmonte unwerselle (Paris, 1636), C. Huygens, Correspondance, (jonkbloet et Land, Le1dcn, 1882); T. Mace, Mustck's Monument (London, 16é6), ] S Bach, Das wohlternpertrte Clavter (Coethen, 1722), C P Bach, Versuch uber dte wahre Art das Clavter zu sptelen (Berlin, 1753); ]. Adlung, Mustca rnechantca organoedt (Berlin, 1768). C. Burney, The Present State of Mustc tn [france and Italy (London, 1771), and The Present State of lllustc tn Germany, the Netherlands, éfc. (London, 1772), W A. Mozart, Brtefe (Leipzig, 1878); D. Steibelt, Three Sonatas, Op 35, preface (London, 1799), and Methode de ptano forte (Par1s, 1805); F. ]. Fétis, “ Esquisse de lH1sto1re du Piano, " 1n the Revue et gazette mustcale (Paris, 1830), partly translated 1n the Harmontcon (London, 1830-1831); “I:.>.pos1t1on universelle de Londres, " in Gazette muszcale (Paris, 1851), Exposttton untverselle de Parts, rapport du jury (Paris, 1855), “ Exposition 1nternat1onale de Londres ” in Gazette mustcale (Paris, 1862), and Exposttton unwerselle de Parts, rapport du jury (Paris, 1867), ] S Broadwood, Some Notes made tn 1838, with observations and elucidations by H F Broadwood (London, 1862); Kuetzing, Das Wtssenschaftltche der Forte ano Baukunst (Bern, 1844); S. and P Erard, London Exhtbttton (qondon, 1851); W. Pole, “Musical Instruments of the Great Exhibition, " from Newton's Patent Journal London, 1851), and 1n Jurors' Reports, Internattonal Exhtbttton London, 1862); ] Fischhoff, Versuch etner Geschtchte des Clarvterbaues (Vienna, 1853); Anonymous, Notes sur les travaux de MM Erurd (Pans, 1855); C. A André, Der Clamerbau, Offenbach, 1855), H Welcker von Gontershausen, Der Flugel oder dte Beschajenhett des Putnos tn allen Formen (Frankfort, 1856), and Der Clavterbau in setner Theorte, Techutk und Geschtchte (Frankfort, 1870); E. F. Rimbault, The Ptanoforte (London, 1860), ]. Broadwood & Sons Internattonal Exhibttton (London, 1862); L de Burbure, Recherches sur les facteurs de clavectns d'An°vers (Brussels, 1863); A. W. Ambros, Geschtchte der Mustk, vol ll (Breslau, 1864), O Paul, Geschichte des Clarters (Leipzig, 1868), and Anztltcher Bertcht uber dte 'wtener Ausstellung tm Jahre 1873 (Brunswick, 1874); G F. Sievers, Il Ptanoforte guzda prattca (Naples, 1868); Patents: Abrtdgments of .Spectficattons relattng to Mustcal Instruments (London, 1871), P Rombouts and T. Van Lerius, De Ltggeren der antwerpsche Stnt Lucasgtlde (vol i, Antwerp, 1872, and vol 11, The Hague), C Engel, Muszcal Instruments tn the South Kenstngton Museum (London, 1874), and “Some Account of the Clavichord, ” in Muszcal Ttmes (London July, August, September, 1879); E Van Der Straeten, La Mustque aux Pays-bas, vol ill, (Brussels, 1875); Chickering & Sons, The Pzanoforle (Boston, 1874); C. Chouquet, Le Musee du conserwtozre nattonal de rrtustque (Paris, 1875), and Exposttron unwerselle et tnternatzonale de Parts, rapport du jury (Parls, 1880); L Pul1t1, Della Ortgtne dt pianoforte (Florence, 1876); C. Me; er 8; Son, On the Full Iron Plate Frame for Ptanos (Philadelphia, 1876), C Ponsicchi, Il Ptanoforte, sua orzgtne e sttluppo (Florence, 1876); Bosanquet, Elementary Treattse on Jllustcal Intervals (London, 1876), A. Kraus, Catalogue des instruments de mustque du musée Kraus (Florence, 1878); V. Mahillon, Annuatres du conservatoire royal de mustque de Bruxelles (Brussels, 1877 to 1883), and Catalogue descrtptzj et analytzque du musée instrumental du conservatoire royal de rnuszgue de Bruxelles (Ghent, 1880-1881); L F. Valdriglu, Musurgzana (Modena, 1879); E Brinsmead, History of the Ptanoforte (London, 1879), S Blondel, Hzstmre anecdottque du pzano (Paris, 1880), A Reissmann, Illustrzrte Geschtchte der deutschen Muscle (Leipzig, 1880-1881), A J. Ellis, “History of Musical Pitch, " with appendices, in Journal of the Soczety of Arts (London, 1880); A .J. Hipkins, various articles in Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians, “ History of the Pianoforte, " w1tl1 appendix, in Journal of the Soctety of Arts (London, 1883), and “ The Pianoforte and its Precursors, in the Engltsh Illustrated lllagazzne (London, 1884); O Bie, IItstory of the Ptanoforte (London, 1899) J. Bluethner and H. Gretschel, Der Ptanoforlebau (3rd ed Leipzig 1909), S Hansing, Das Ptanoforte tn semen akustzschen Anlagen (Scher1n, 1910); F. A Goehlinger, Geschtchte des Klamchords (Basel, 1910) (A J. H.; K. S.)
PIANOSA (anc. Planasia), an island of Italy, belonging to the province of Leghorn, and forming part of the commune of Marciana (Elba), from which it is 712 m. S.W. Pop. (1881), 774. As its name indicates, it is quite flat, and the highest point is only 95 ft. above sea-level. Its area is 6 sq. m. Augustus banished to it his grandson, Agrippa Postumus, and some ruins of baths near the harbour still bear his name. It changed hands more than once in the wars between Pisa and Genoa in the 12th and 13th centuries, from 1390 it belonged to the prince
of Piombino, but was depopulated in 1553 by the Turkish fleet, and only resettled at the beginning of the 19th century. In 1857 a penal colony was established here.
PIARISTS, the popular name of a Catholic educational order, the “clerici regulares scholarum piarum,” the Pauline Congregation of the Mother of God, founded by Joseph Calasanza (Josephus a Matre Dei) at Rome in the beginning of the 17th century. Calasanza, a native of Calasanz in the province of Huesca in Aragon, was born on September 11, 1556, studied at Lerida and
Alcala, and after his ordination to the priesthood removed to Rome (1592). Here he organized, in 1607, a brotherhood which ultimately, in 1617, became an independent Congregation, numbering at that time fifteen priests, under Calasanza as their head. To the three usual vows they added a fourth, that of devotion to the gratuitous instruction of youth. In 1622 the Congregation received a new constitution from Gregory XV.,
and had all the privileges of the mendicant orders conferred
upon it, Calasanza being recognized as general. In 1643 the
jealousy of the lesuits led to his removal from office, owing to
the same cause the Congregation was deprived of its privileges
by Innocent X. in 1646. Calasanza, who died on August 22,
1648, was beatified in 1748, and canonized in 1767. The
privileges of the Congregation were successively restored in
1660, 1669 and 1698 The Piarists, who are not numerous,
are found chiefly in Italy, Spain, the West Indies, Germany,
and especially in Austria-Hungary. Before the course of Study
was regulated by the state, a Piarist establishment contained
nine classes reading, writing, elementary mathematics, schola
parva or Rudimentorum, schola Principiorum, Grammatica,
Syntaxis, Humanitas or Poesis, Rhetorica. The general provost
of the order is chosen by the general chapter, and with a general
procurator and four assistants resides at Rome. The members
are divided into professors, novices, and lay brethren. Their
dress is very similar to that of the Jesuits, their motto “Ad
majus pietatis incrementum!”
For Calasanza, see Timon-David, Vie de St Joseph Calasance (Marseilles, 1884); on the Piarists, P. Helyot, Hist. des ordres religieuses (1715), iv 281; J. A. Seyffert, Ordensregeln der Piartsten (Halle, 1783); J. Schaller, Gedanken über die Ordensfassung der Piaristen (Prague, 1805); A. Heimbucher, Orden und Kongregattonen (1897) ii 271; articles by O. Zockler in Herzog-Hauck’s Realencyklopädie für protestantische Theologie (1904), vol xv and by C. Kniel in Wetzer and Welte’s Kirchen-lexikon (1895), vol ix.
PIATRA (Peatr), the capital of the department of Neamtzu, Rumania, situated on the left bank of the river Bistritza, where a way through the Carpathian foothills. Pop. (1900), it cuts
17,391. A branch railway passes through the town, and at
Bacau meets the main line from Czernowitz in Bukowina to
Galatz. The church of St John’s (or the Prince’s) monastery
was founded in 1497 by Stephen the Great. There are saw-mills
and textile factories in Piatra, which has a considerable trade in
wine and timber. Neamtzu is one of the most densely forested
regions in Moldavia. Lumber rafts are floated down the Bistritza
to the Sereth, and so on to Galatz. There are several
monasteries in the neighbourhood.
PIATTI, CARLO ALFREDO (1822-1901), Italian violoncellist, was born at Bergamo on the 8th of January 1822 He was the son of a violinist, and became a pupil at the conservatorio of Milan. From 1838 onwards he journeyed over Europe, playing with extraordinary success in all the important cities of the continent. In 1844 he appeared before the London public at a Philharmonic Concert, and in 1859, on the foundation of the Popular Concerts, he took up the work with which he was most intimately connected for thirty-nine seasons, retaining until 1897 the post of first violoncello at these famous chamber concerts, during the latter
