Knowledge (XXG)

Richard Pockrich (inventor)

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305:, sang during Pockrich's show and was apparently intimate during his youth, but gives no later information of him. Pilkington gives does give a later mention to "Captain Poekrich, the glass projector" in his memoirs, grudgingly admitting to his value as a performer when his listener recognised him and agreed to request a concert. No reply was received, due to his unfortunate demise around the time. 124:, he believed that disease could be cured and life extended by the use of healthy donors. A description of the procedure proposes the use of servants or other physically active specimens. Anticipating the problems of immortality that might result, Pockrich proposed that an act decreeing that "anyone attaining the age of 999 years shall be deemed ... dead in law". 79:, the tale of its decline is intertwined with that of his greatest success, his musical glasses. When bailiffs came to arrest Poekrich for his debts, he entranced them with an impromptu performance on his 'angelick organ'; his subsequent pardon is given as the earliest example of a belief in the psychological effect of the instrument, later adopted by 68:. Some notices indicate that Poekrich was the name of the family, and this was the spelling he gave on his works. He is reported to have been aged 25 when his father died (1720?), so a probable year of birth has been fixed to 1695. Poekrich received a substantial inheritance, valued at a figure between £1,000 (Newburgh) and £4,000 (Pilkington). 168:, Dublin, 3 May 1743. He named the instrument an "angelic organ". His decrepit rooms were given over to development of his design and performance of it. His early method of playing, using wooden sticks, is comparable to a similar instrument, the "glassspiel" or "verrillon", designed a few years earlier on known principles. 312:
was related to Pockrich, apparently making him the subject of a mocking poem, "The Projector", a first attempt at what would have been a 24 volume work entitled "The Pockreiad". The notes to this unfinished work detail the author's ridicule of his subject's notions, though he gives exception to his
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Poekrich is best remembered for the popularisation of musical glasses, via his promotion and influence, that he discovered in the later years of his life. Descriptions of his character — as a proposer of "wild" schemes — range from sympathetic views as "quixotic" to those of an "enterprising
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O'Donoghue expanded his work to a longer article, published as "An Irish Musical Genius". Like other early biographers, who repeated references in the few contemporary source, the publications of their subject were largely ignored and depended on questionable views.
375:"... the ladies from London could talk of nothing but 'pictures, taste, Shakespeare, and the musical glasses.'" "Benjamin Franklin improved the instrument, and called it the "Armonica"; and for it Mozart, Hasse, Beethoven, Naumann, and other masters wrote." 284:
The article appeared as the last in volume 15 of the DNB, a bibliographic quibble notes that "Poekrich" is the correct spelling and it should have been included in the next. The brief notice given there suggests a detail on his death.
189:, who presented it on 23 April 1746 as "a concerto on 26 drinking-glasses tuned with spring water", and performances were popular for half a century. His pupils continued after the death of the originator, a performance in 1760 by one 135:
by a series of canals. Descriptions of his schemes might be seen as exaggeration or distortion by their dubious authorities, but records of advertisements placed by Poekrich support the number of unrealised proposals.
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His "virtuoso" performances, accompanied by a singer, received good notices, and reported to have been a popular act. He toured around England and Ireland. His repertoire included works by
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Variations of his name include Puckeridge or Pokeridge, or styled as 'Captain Poekrich' in contemporary notices. His unsuccessful ventures included a brewery in
669: 281:(1776), in asserting Poekrich's eminence in music, stated that performances of his instrument, while lacking great force, produced the sweetest of tones. 175:. The technique he used involved stroking the glass with sticks, but Franklin said he later switched to the "wet-finger-around-the-wine-glass" method. 1119: 983: 1134: 846: 804: 770: 468: 1139: 117:
made of tin. Despite his grand platform for election, he failed to win when he ran for Parliament (twice, 1745 Monaghan and 1749 Dublin).
1124: 1109: 432: 884: 228: 200:, during a meeting at his home; by hammering pins and wire on the table, the visitor laid his head to hear his request for 976: 562:
Gallo, DA (November 2000). "The power of a musical instrument: Franklin, the Mozarts, Mesmer, and the glass armonica".
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One popular performance was "Tell me, lovely Shepherd", sung by a Miss Young. He published a collection of poetry, his
1114: 113:. He also proposed the development of metal-hulled ships, some 100 years before their eventual introduction, carrying 717: 869: 597: 452: 219: 150:
He toured England with his musical glasses since about 1756; while staying in London in 1759, he died in a fire.
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highly regarded musical glasses; this became a key source of information on the life of Richard Pockrich.
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is mentioned in a short notice by Flood. Forde wrote an instruction manual and toured Europe and England.
1099: 1051: 102: 98:. His imagination extended to an orchestra of various sized drums, arranged to be played by one person. 49: 1104: 114: 53: 358: 302: 165: 906: 739: 618: 505: 367: 252: 456: 941: 842: 800: 766: 758: 713: 579: 464: 428: 197: 147:, apparently eloping and fleeing debt, and died in a shipwreck on the Scottish coast in 1758. 144: 121: 838: 794: 164:
and is credited with their invention around 1741; he first appeared with it in public at the
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Pilkington, John Carteret; (baron), Robert King Kingsborough; Pilkington, Laetitia (1760).
1036: 1016: 365:, crediting him as the inventor in 1741, and summarising his legacy with a quote from the 248: 45: 695: 663: 900: 1011: 992: 937: 873: 380: 87: 1093: 1046: 961: 829: 658: 537: 132: 1021: 309: 196:
Pilkington gave a description of Pockrich constructing an instrument, simulating a
128: 76: 463:. Irish Literature. Vol. 7. Philadelphia: John D. Morris. pp. 2690–703. 91: 1078: 1067: 1041: 1026: 879: 575: 418: 293:
at Hamlin's Coffee-house, Sweeting's Alley, near the Royal Exchange, London."
202: 160: 61: 33: 1061: 1056: 232:, 1900, these being the first two references on the inventor and his works. 190: 95: 583: 648:, ed. by Barra Boydell and Harry White (Dublin: UCD Press, 2013), p. 844. 106: 86:
Another proposal was raising geese on barren terrain of his purchases in
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He also failed in his application to become Master of the Choristers of
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Librorum impressorum qui in Museo britannico adservantur catalogus
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The Glass Armonica – Benjamin Franklin's Magical Musical Invention
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Biggs, E. Powe (May 1957). "Benjamin Franklin and the Armonica".
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Boydell, Brian (1991). "Mr. Pockrich and the Musical Glasses".
251:(c.1695–1779), attributing the relevant material to his father 158:
Pockrich eventually found success with his performances of his
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He made numerous other proposals, including a plan to link the
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He was born at his family's estate Derrylusk at Aghnamallagh,
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asserted Richard Pockrich's importance and influence in his
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battles. The paternal descent was of an English family from
888:. Vol. 45. London: Smith, Elder & Co. p. 451. 255:
writing in 1743, and the early or contemporary sources in
226:(1891–93), and the same author's longer notice was in the 32:, was an Irish musician, and was the inventor of the 387:, 1755 at Dublin, attributed to "Poekrich (Richard) 496:Dixon, F. E. (March–May 1948). "Richard Poekrich". 828: 328:No more his mountain tops your flocks shall graze; 320:Mourn him, ye bogs, in tears discharge your tides, 36:(also known as the "Angelic organ") around 1741. 763:Verse in English from eighteenth-century Ireland 447: 445: 443: 441: 101:His political involvement included lobbying the 354:On his own pinions, Pock has winged his flight. 338:Let tempests swell the surge, no more his boat, 243:and also draws on the miscellaneous collection 350:With blood infused, and, like a meteor bright, 340:Secure from wreck, shall on the billows float; 332:Free from surprise, serenely sleep, ye lasses. 279:A Philosophical Survey of the South of Ireland 977: 344:Or nut-brown ale your dropping spirits cheer, 336:How he that waked their thunders silent fell. 324:No more shall Pockrich tap your spongy hides; 218:The earliest biographical notices began with 8: 673:(11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 348:Quitting his geese and bogs and glassy care, 330:Be silent, dumb, ye late harmonious glasses— 334:Let drums, unbraced, in hollow murmurs tell 984: 970: 962: 902:The real story of John Carteret Pilkington 702:(Online transcript ed.). p. 289. 326:Ye geese, ye ganders, cackle doleful lays, 531: 529: 527: 525: 523: 521: 519: 346:To his own castles, built sublime in air, 342:No more, ye sons of Nappy, shall his beer 927:Zeitler, (O'Donahue cit. Newburgh, 1759) 835:The Oxford companion to Irish literature 686: 684: 682: 680: 938:Books, British Museum. Dept. of Printed 491: 489: 487: 400: 827:Welch, Robert; Stewart, Bruce (1996). 765:. Cork University Press. p. 319. 644:Lisa Parker: "Pockrich, Richard", in: 235:O'Donoghue notes the autobiographical 646:The Encyclopaedia of Music in Ireland 7: 273:, 1759; and his own reference work, 222:, a brief notice in his dictionary 799:. Thoemmes Continuum. p. 31. 48:, Ireland. His father, also named 14: 696:"XXV. Handel and Arne in Ireland" 1120:Inventors of musical instruments 885:Dictionary of National Biography 617:(2). Old Dublin Society: 25–33. 504:(1). Old Dublin Society: 17–32. 245:Essays, Poetical, Moral, &c. 229:Dictionary of National Biography 60:and had commanded troops in the 1135:Irish people of English descent 830:"Campbell, Thomas (1733–1796)" 316:The elegiac text of Newburgh: 185:The instrument was adopted by 1: 793:Fieser, James (1 July 2005). 598:British Medical journal, 1967 459:. In Justin McCarthy (ed.). 90:. Other schemes included an 1140:People from County Monaghan 837:. Clarendon Press. p.  424:Harvard Dictionary of Music 383:notes volume 1 of a title, 291:which broke out in his room 16:Irish musician and inventor 1156: 757:Carpenter, Andrew (1998). 718:Giovanni Battista Beccaria 277:. Campbell in a notice in 94:to pursue his interest in 1125:Irish classical musicians 1110:18th-century Irish people 1000: 875:"Pockrich, Richard"  692:Flood, William H. Grattan 576:10.1037/1093-4510.3.4.326 536:Zeitler, William (2009). 457:"An Irish Musical Genius" 265:National Music of Ireland 1032:Glass diatonic harmonica 700:A History of Irish Music 611:Dublin Historical Record 498:Dublin Historical Record 363:A History of Irish Music 241:John Carteret Pilkington 796:Early responses to Hume 670:Encyclopædia Britannica 301:Pilkington, the son of 52:(c.1666–1719), was the 377: 356: 308:Brockhill Newburgh of 295: 109:by draining the Irish 28:(c.1696/7 – 1759), or 1052:Marianne Kirchgessner 564:History of Psychology 373: 318: 287: 103:Parliament of Ireland 716:. See his letter to 270:Gentleman's Magazine 261:Philosophical Survey 54:Member of Parliament 995:(glass instruments) 635:Zeitler cites Flood 596:Newburgh, cited at 461:David J. O'Donoghue 385:Miscellaneous works 379:A catalogue of the 359:W. H. Grattan Flood 303:Laetitia Pilkington 289:"in 1759 in a fire 182:appearing in 1750. 180:Miscellaneous Works 166:Smock Alley Theatre 1115:Glass harp players 538:"Richard Pockrich" 427:, p.347. Harvard. 368:Vicar of Wakefield 253:Brockhill Newburgh 1087: 1086: 870:O'Donoghue, David 848:978-0-19-866158-0 806:978-1-84371-115-5 772:978-1-85918-104-1 759:"Thomas Newburgh" 714:Benjamin Franklin 664:"Harmonica"  470:978-1-4086-2600-9 453:O'Donoghue, David 145:Theophilus Cibber 122:blood transfusion 120:An enthusiast of 1147: 1074:Richard Pockrich 1006:Adagio and Rondo 986: 979: 972: 963: 956: 955: 953: 951: 934: 928: 925: 919: 918: 916: 914: 905:. s.n. pp.  896: 890: 889: 877: 866: 860: 859: 857: 855: 832: 824: 818: 817: 815: 813: 790: 784: 783: 781: 779: 754: 748: 747: 727: 721: 710: 704: 703: 688: 675: 674: 666: 655: 649: 642: 636: 633: 627: 626: 606: 600: 594: 588: 587: 559: 553: 552: 550: 548: 533: 514: 513: 493: 482: 481: 479: 477: 455:(October 2007). 449: 436: 416: 410: 405: 275:Poets of Ireland 224:Poets of Ireland 220:David O'Donoghue 141:Armagh Cathedral 22:Richard Pockrich 1155: 1154: 1150: 1149: 1148: 1146: 1145: 1144: 1130:Irish inventors 1090: 1089: 1088: 1083: 1037:Glass harmonica 1017:Cristal baschet 996: 990: 960: 959: 949: 947: 936: 935: 931: 926: 922: 912: 910: 898: 897: 893: 868: 867: 863: 853: 851: 849: 826: 825: 821: 811: 809: 807: 792: 791: 787: 777: 775: 773: 756: 755: 751: 729: 728: 724: 711: 707: 690: 689: 678: 657: 656: 652: 643: 639: 634: 630: 608: 607: 603: 595: 591: 561: 560: 556: 546: 544: 535: 534: 517: 495: 494: 485: 475: 473: 471: 451: 450: 439: 417: 413: 406: 402: 397: 351: 349: 347: 345: 343: 341: 339: 337: 335: 333: 331: 329: 327: 325: 321: 257:Thomas Campbell 249:Thomas Newburgh 212: 161:musical glasses 156: 46:County Monaghan 42: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1153: 1151: 1143: 1142: 1137: 1132: 1127: 1122: 1117: 1112: 1107: 1102: 1092: 1091: 1085: 1084: 1082: 1081: 1076: 1071: 1064: 1059: 1054: 1049: 1044: 1039: 1034: 1029: 1024: 1019: 1014: 1012:Bruno Hoffmann 1009: 1001: 998: 997: 993:Crystallophone 991: 989: 988: 981: 974: 966: 958: 957: 929: 920: 891: 861: 847: 819: 805: 785: 771: 749: 738:(3): 231–241. 722: 705: 676: 661:, ed. (1911). 659:Chisholm, Hugh 650: 637: 628: 601: 589: 554: 515: 483: 469: 437: 411: 399: 398: 396: 393: 381:British Museum 211: 208: 155: 152: 88:County Wicklow 41: 38: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1152: 1141: 1138: 1136: 1133: 1131: 1128: 1126: 1123: 1121: 1118: 1116: 1113: 1111: 1108: 1106: 1103: 1101: 1098: 1097: 1095: 1080: 1077: 1075: 1072: 1070: 1069: 1065: 1063: 1060: 1058: 1055: 1053: 1050: 1048: 1047:Glass marimba 1045: 1043: 1040: 1038: 1035: 1033: 1030: 1028: 1025: 1023: 1020: 1018: 1015: 1013: 1010: 1008: 1007: 1003: 1002: 999: 994: 987: 982: 980: 975: 973: 968: 967: 964: 946:. p. 277 945: 944: 939: 933: 930: 924: 921: 908: 904: 903: 895: 892: 887: 886: 881: 876: 871: 865: 862: 850: 844: 840: 836: 831: 823: 820: 808: 802: 798: 797: 789: 786: 774: 768: 764: 760: 753: 750: 745: 741: 737: 733: 726: 723: 720:, July 1762." 719: 715: 709: 706: 701: 697: 693: 687: 685: 683: 681: 677: 672: 671: 665: 660: 654: 651: 647: 641: 638: 632: 629: 624: 620: 616: 612: 605: 602: 599: 593: 590: 585: 581: 577: 573: 570:(4): 326–43. 569: 565: 558: 555: 543: 539: 532: 530: 528: 526: 524: 522: 520: 516: 511: 507: 503: 499: 492: 490: 488: 484: 472: 466: 462: 458: 454: 448: 446: 444: 442: 438: 434: 433:9780674375017 430: 426: 425: 420: 415: 412: 409: 404: 401: 394: 392: 390: 386: 382: 376: 372: 370: 369: 364: 360: 355: 352: 322: 317: 314: 311: 306: 304: 299: 294: 292: 286: 282: 280: 276: 272: 271: 266: 262: 258: 254: 250: 246: 242: 238: 233: 231: 230: 225: 221: 216: 209: 207: 205: 204: 199: 194: 192: 188: 183: 181: 176: 174: 169: 167: 163: 162: 153: 151: 148: 146: 142: 137: 134: 133:River Shannon 130: 125: 123: 118: 116: 112: 108: 105:for planting 104: 99: 97: 93: 89: 84: 82: 78: 74: 69: 67: 63: 59: 55: 51: 47: 39: 37: 35: 31: 27: 23: 19: 1100:1690s births 1073: 1066: 1022:Dean Shostak 1004: 948:. 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In 740:JSTOR 619:JSTOR 506:JSTOR 389:esqr. 187:Gluck 154:Works 952:2010 915:2010 856:2010 843:ISBN 814:2010 801:ISBN 780:2010 767:ISBN 580:PMID 549:2010 478:2010 465:ISBN 429:ISBN 408:ODNB 131:and 111:bogs 40:Life 907:132 572:doi 259:'s 239:of 1096:: 909:–3 841:. 839:79 833:. 761:. 736:86 734:. 698:. 679:^ 667:. 615:44 613:. 578:. 566:. 540:. 518:^ 502:10 500:. 486:^ 440:^ 391:" 206:. 83:. 24:, 985:e 978:t 971:v 954:. 917:. 858:. 816:. 782:. 746:. 625:. 586:. 574:: 568:3 551:. 512:. 480:. 435:.

Index

glass harp
County Monaghan
Richard
Member of Parliament
Monaghan
Williamite
Surrey
Dublin
Islandbridge
Mesmer
County Wicklow
observatory
astrology
Parliament of Ireland
vineyards
bogs
lifeboats
blood transfusion
River Liffey
River Shannon
Armagh Cathedral
Theophilus Cibber
musical glasses
Smock Alley Theatre
Handel
Gluck
Anne Ford
dulcimer
Black Joke
David O'Donoghue

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