Paul von Jankó

Paul von Jankó, born on June second, eighteen fifty-six, was a multifaceted Hungarian musician and engineer whose contributions spanned various fields, including musicology and the development of innovative musical instruments. His early education took place in Vienna, where he honed his skills in mathematics and music under the tutelage of notable figures such as H. Schmitt, J. Krenn, and the renowned composer Anton Bruckner.

In the years eighteen eighty-one and eighteen eighty-two, Jankó furthered his studies in mathematics at the University of Berlin while simultaneously refining his piano technique with H. Erlich. His passion for music and engineering led him to create the Jankó keyboard, a revolutionary instrument featuring six rows of keys, which he patented in eighteen eighty-two. This design drew inspiration from earlier keyboard innovations by Conrad Henfling, Johann Rohleder, and William Lunn.

Jankó's influence extended beyond music; he was an ardent supporter of the international auxiliary language Ido, having previously been involved with Esperanto. His commitment to Ido culminated in his membership in the Ido-Akademio on August sixteenth, nineteen oh nine, where he served as secretary from nineteen twelve to nineteen thirteen. He also designed the Ido-Stelo, a symbol representing the Ido movement, modeled after the Verda Stelo.

Throughout his career, Jankó utilized his patented keyboard during concert tours starting in eighteen eighty-six. Notably, the Norwegian pianist Tekla Nathan Bjerke, one of his pupils, performed extensively in Norway using this unique instrument. Despite its innovative design, the Jankó keyboard faced challenges in widespread adoption, as many musicians found it difficult to adapt to the new fingering system.