What should be one of the greatest wonders of the early 19th century.

[Spatula]

Don't you think that the ability for mass publication of music back then was a miracle?  I mean think about it:

To publish a book written in English or uses the Roman style lettering was not too difficult, but think of how the ink pads and stamps had to be manipulated when they had to publish MUSIC!  There are so many variables on how the print was to be made that I think it's crazy! 

English is easy to print even during the early days because the words were typed on one straight line and continued the next line much like what I'm writing now. 

But the music was everywhere! Perhaps they had preprinted staff lines and then got some machine and adjusted it to print the music.

Are you getting what I'm saying? 

[Bob]

I think they just engraved the music on plates, etched it in metal, and then inked the plates to mass produce music.  I think the music had to be etched in backwards on the plates in order to appear correct when printed.  I think they may have used some kind of movable pieces for the etching too.  I'm not quite sure, but think this might help?  I don't think they used ink pads and stamps to publish music if that's what you're saying.

[Spatula]

hmmm maybe...then perhaps that's why the composers were so revered back then because their sheetmusic was not readily available.  Some one did it by hand and only a few copies were made.

[Spatula]

I think they just engraved the music on plates, etched it in metal, and then inked the plates to mass produce music.  I think the music had to be etched in backwards on the plates in order to appear correct when printed.  I think they may have used some kind of movable pieces for the etching too.  I'm not quite sure, but think this might help?  I don't think they used ink pads and stamps to publish music if that's what you're saying.

I kinda doubt it because we'd expect to see some left overs or some sort of mass producing tool in a music museum...but good answer though.  Plus I'd think it'd be faster to hand copy it anyways...get like 100 people with 100 ink pens and 100000 some sheets of paper...and pay them like peanuts and coal.

[Bob]

Does anyone know for sure?

Faster to hand copy?  I thought all what they did was roll some ink on the plate and the roll the paper through a machine that pressed the plate into the paper to make the music -- a printing press.  People wouldn't be that fast or clean.

You said the 19th century, the 1800's.  The mechanical revolution, steam engines, and all that. 

Beethoven was even going to publishers to have his music printed, wasn't he?  And wasn't he a stickler about details before sending his copy to the printer?

The only people I've ever heard of trying mass produce things by hand were monks, but that's well before the 19th century.  More like 1200's roughly, right?

[Spatula]

hmmm maybe...then perhaps that's why the composers were so revered back then because their sheetmusic was not readily available.  Some one did it by hand and only a few copies were made.

Thus such composers like perhaps Beethoveen I have included in my statement above.

[Bob]

Go find out.  Let us know.   

One thing they didn't have was anything to play music -- no recordings.  So lots of people had a piano and it was a big deal when someone came to town to perform.