STRINGPLATE (Fr. Sommier en fer; Ital. Cordiera; Germ. Anhängeplatte, Metallner Saitenhalter). The iron plate on the hitchpin block of pianofortes to which the further ends of the strings are now attached. It forms with the tension bars the metal framing of the instrument; the wooden framing being a bracing more or less complete of wooden beams, in connection with the wrestplank, which is also of wood, and sometimes covered with metal. [See Wrestplank.] The service of the stringplate is one of weight; it bears an important share in resisting the continual draught of the strings. It was invented, rather with the idea of compensation than resistance, by William Allen, a tuner in Stodart's employ, and was patented by James Thorn and Allen in January 1820. A rigid stringplate was introduced by James and Thomas Broadwood in the following year; it was the invention of one of their workmen, Samuel Herve. The single casting for stringplate and general resistance was the idea of Alpheus Babcock, of Boston, U.S. 1825; and was meritoriously improved and rendered practicable by Conrad Meyer of Philadelphia, U.S. in 1833. The important systems of construction that have arisen from the use of iron in stringplates and bars are described under Pianoforte.
STROGERS, Nicholas, an organist in the reign of James I., composer of a Morning and Evening Service printed by Barnard. Two anthems by him, 'Domine non est exaltatum' and 'O God be merciful,' are in the Library of Peterhouse, Cambridge. An organ part of the latter is in the library of Ely Cathedral. In Christchurch, Oxford, are two entire Services (A minor, D minor), two Motets, and Fancies.
STROHFIEDEL, i.e. Strawfiddle (Ital. Sticcato; Fr. Claquebois; Germ. also Holzharmonika), is described by Mendel in his Lexicon as a very ancient and widespread instrument, found principally among the Russians, Poles, and Tartars, consisting of a range of flat pieces of deal or [1]glass, of no settled number, tuned to the scale, arranged on belts of straw, and struck with two small hammers, after the manner of the common glass 'Harmonica' toy.
Its sound is sweet and bell-like, but weak; and many an English reader will share the surprise expressed by Mendelssohn à propos to Gusikow's performance upon it. 'With a few sticks, lying on straw and struck with other sticks, he does what is possible only on the most perfect instrument. How from such materials even the small tone produced—more like a Papageno-fife than anything else—can be obtained, is a mystery to me.' (Mendelssohn Family, 1836, Feb. 12.) Gusikow's Strohfiedel, however, seems to have been an improved kind. It was strong enough to bear the accompaniment of two violins and a cello. The Strohfiedel is introduced into the orchestra in Lumbye's 'Traumbildern.' [App. p.797 "Add that the instrument is more usually called by its other names, Xylophone or Gigelira. A fourth name for the instrument is Ligneum Psalterium."]
STROHMEYER, Carl, a bass singer—then a Kammersänger at Weimar—who sang in a festival at Frankenhausen in June 1810, and is mentioned by Spohr for the extraordinary compass of his voice (see Spohr's 'Selbst-biographie,' i. 142). He was born in the Stollberg district in 1870 [App. p.797 "1780"], and was employed successively at Gotha and at Weimar, at which latter place he died, Nov. 11, 1845.
STROUD, Charles, born about 1705, was educated as a chorister of the Chapel Royal under Dr. Croft. After quitting the choir he officiated as deputy organist for his instructor and became organist of Whitehall Chapel. He died April 26, 1726, and was buried in the west cloister of Westminster Abbey. He is known as a composer by his beautiful anthem, 'Hear my prayer, O God,' included in Page's 'Harmonia Sacra.'
STRUENSEE. A tragedy by Michael Beer, in 5 acts; to which his brother, G. Meyerbeer, wrote an Overture and three Entr'actes—'Der Aufruhr,' 'Der Ball,' and 'Der Dorfschenke' respectively; also a March and a Benediction in the last act, a Polonaise, and some smaller pieces elsewhere. Struensee was given for the first time with the music at Berlin, Sept. 21, 1847, sixteen years after the death of its author.
STUDIES (Fr. Études; Ger. Etuden, Studien). The name given to a large class of musical compositions, of extremely varied scope and design, but always having, as the name implies, the cultivation of the powers of execution for their chief object. Studies have been written for nearly every instrument, but since the principles which govern their construction and employment are in all cases the same, it will be sufficient here to speak of Pianoforte Studies, which form the great majority of all those in existence.
Mechanical facility upon the pianoforte is achieved in the first place by the practice of technical exercises, so called, such as are found in every pianoforte school, and in the works of Plaidy, Löschhorn, Eggeling, and many others, and consist of isolated passages, scales, arpeggios, etc., generally played by each hand separately or by both in unison. Following these comes the Study proper, in which opportunity is afforded for the application of the principles of execution to the performance of actual music. For this purpose it is not necessary that the study should possess any value as a composition, indeed it would be in some respects inexpedient, first, because the student's attention might be diverted by the attractiveness of the music from those questions of touch and mechanism which ought to occupy it exclusively, and secondly, because musical interest is scarcely compatible with that constant reiteration of a single figure which is required by considerations of technique. Accordingly, we find that the most valuable studies of this class, such as those by Czerny, Kessler, Köhler, Mayer, etc., consist for the most part of a single passage repeated with simple
- ↑ Burney ('Present State,' ii. 71) found it at Dresden, and, under the name of Strofil, describes it as made with glass, and played on with sticks, 'like the sticcado.'
