Invented in the 19th century, the mechanical metronome allows precise measurement of short periods of time. The device has a pyramidal shape with one beveled edge, on which a movable pendulum is placed.
By moving from side to side at regular intervals, it allows you to control and synchronize the frequency of actions without losing the rhythm. Most often, this device is used in the musical field: at rehearsals and concert performances.
In addition to the pendulum, the design of the metronome includes a scale that allows you to set the desired frequency of movement. The higher the weight on the pendulum, the lower the frequency, and vice versa. Mechanical models today have given way to electronic ones, which are often released with a built-in tuner - to synchronize musical instruments.
History of the metronome
The metronome was invented in the early 19th century. The authorship belongs to the scientist Dietrich Nikolaus Winkel from Amsterdam, but the practical application of the device was found by the mechanic and pianist Johann Nepomuk Mälzel.
Having improved the Winkel metronome, he organized its production in the Netherlands. The main purpose of the device at that time was to count the beat in musical compositions. The famous composer Ludwig van Beethoven made this invention widely known in Europe. He was the first to mark the tempo in the notes with the letter designations MM, referring to Mälzel's metronome. The abbreviation in the notes was followed by a number, for example - MM30, which corresponded to 30 beats per minute.
The device was put into mass production in 1895 by entrepreneur Gustav Wittner from Germany. He patented the invention and first launched the production of the classic version of Mälzel's metronome, and then began to improve it. Named after the entrepreneur, Wittner has gained worldwide fame, and today is famous for producing the most accurate metronomes of unconditional quality: both in standard mechanical execution and in modern electronic ones.
Initially, the metronome was used only by professional musicians and composers, but its popularity grew among other classes: in 1923, the American artist Man Ray used the device to create the sculptural composition "Object to Destroy". It was a metronome, on the pendulum of which a photograph of a woman's eye was fixed.
In 1957, Ray's work was stolen from the exhibition hall in broad daylight and with a large number of witnesses. The kidnappers, who turned out to be Parisian students, destroyed her with a shot from a revolver. Not only did this not cause damage to the author, but on the contrary, it brought even greater popularity. He received substantial insurance for the broken metronome and made 100 more copies of it, each of which was called the "Indestructible Object".
Speaking about the historical significance of the metronome, it is also worth noting the besieged Leningrad, where it was used in 1942-1944 as a replacement for the switched off radio communications. With the help of the device, the population of the city was notified about shelling and bombing.
A beat of 50 beats per minute was for a safe environment, and 150 beats per minute was for an extreme danger mode. Subsequently, this was described in the musical work "Leningrad Metronome" to the verses of Matusovsky and the music of Basner.
Types of metronomes
Mechanical metronomes were widely used until the end of the 20th century, but today they have been almost completely replaced by electronic models - even more accurate and easy to use. Moreover, their leading manufacturer has remained the same company Wittner, known throughout the civilized world since the end of the 19th century.
The electronic version has a completely different look and extended functionality. Now this is not a pyramid with a beveled edge and a swinging pendulum, but a compact plastic device with buttons and an electronic display. Its features include:
- Compact. The electronic metronome is flat, lightweight and fits easily into a pocket, folder or tablet.
- Wide range of tempos. For modern models, it ranges from 30 to 280 beats per minute.
- Multipurpose. If necessary, the standard sound of impacts can be replaced with clicks, squeaks and other sounds.
- The ability to save rhythm patterns in the device's memory - with subsequent recreation and playback.
- Additional built-in blocks: tuner, tuning fork, recorder, timer.
- Ability to use in the dark. Information can be displayed on a backlit screen, allowing you to adjust the beat in any light.
Melzel and Wittner would have envied such functionality, and could hardly have imagined that it would become available on improved versions of their mechanical metronomes 100 years after the creation of the first versions. Nevertheless, the fact remains that modern electronic metronomes are significantly superior to mechanical ones in all respects.
