A comprehensive dictionary of organ stops - Allen Organ Studio of ...
A comprehensive dictionary of organ stops - Allen Organ Studio of ... A comprehensive dictionary of organ stops - Allen Organ Studio of ...
104 DICTIONARY OF ORGAN STOPS. many followers, who preached a crusade against Mixture work. The success of the movement can well be measured by the amount of apologetic literature it called forth, and by the fact that it stirred the theorists up to ponder for themselves what really was the function of the Mixture. Setting aside the somewhat abortive attempts at lightening the touch of organs by the employment of " split pallets " (which affected the tonal development of the organ in no appreciable manner), it may be said that it was not until the introduction of pneumatic actions that the decline of Mixtures became at all widespread. Even then the movement was virtually confined to English organ building. And the announcement by Mr. Hope-Jones, at the beginning of the last decade of the past century, of his complete discardment of all Mixture and mutation work, may fairly be stated to have marked a distinct epoch in the history of the controversy.* The adoption of the pneumatic action and mechanical blowing at once opened up the path for the development of large-scaled foundation work and heavy-pressure reed work. The modern builder meets the requirements of large bodies of singers, not by a fierce din of Mixture work, but by a massive volume of good sustaining foundation tone, contributed alike by Diapasons and reeds. In moderate sized organs, the most modern school of tonal design finds it possible—nay, even preferable rto dispense with even the Twelfth and Fifteenth, in favour of a soft Double reed on the Swell. And certainly the modern Diapason is well able to maintain the essential supremacy of the Great organ. The situation, it so happens, is rather embarrassed by the fact that Mixtures do not blend well with modern foundation work. This is not due to "absurd wind-pressures" or any other of the familiar bites noires of the school of old-fogeydom, which clings tenaciously to the Georgian era of organ building. It is simply due to the fact that if a respectable foundation be added to an organ which is all "top," the "middle" will be found wanting, and its absence will cause a horrid lacuna, or gap, in the tonal structure, analogous to that in the familiar "piccolo and big drum" effect. The sole way to make powerful Mixtures " blend " in the organ is to substitute for Diapasons something which, for want of more appropriate * My reasons for making this seemingly rather controvertible statement have to do with the work of developing the foundation work of the organ, which Mr. Hope-Jones made peculiarly his own. Personally, I do not favour the total abolition of Mixture work, save in small organs. With regard to Mr. Hope-Jones' work, let me here, in order to meet any possible misunderstanding, seize the opportunity of defining my attitude— quite in an impersonal spirit. Briefly, there is a great deal which is simply magnificent ; there is also that which I cannot but regard as rather exaggerated and overdone. The Hope-Jones organ may often have strayed far from the razor-path of perfection. But I set Mr. Hope-Jones' tonal ideals far above even his work. I consider them truly "epoch-making'' (as the Germans forcibly put it), the true complement to the work of " Father" Henry Willis.—J. I. W. —
DICTIONARY OF ORGAN STOPS. 105 words, may be described as a hybrid between a Diapason and a Gamba. Diapasons are sometimes slotted in order to cause them to unite better, so it is claimed, with the "upper work" of the organ. Truly a most efficacious process, for the simple reason that this slotting removes much of the obstreperous foundation tone ! The Georgian school, which favours the "shrieking apparatus," Dulciana-toned Diapasons, and gim- crack reeds smacking of the merry-go-rounds, may well be left to the digestion of its own disdrdered fancy. It may truly be said that the watchword of the most advanced, organ building—as of voice-production is purity of tone, and one of the chief reasons for the disappearance of powerful Mixture stops is the fact that the presence of such pipes, each with its own attendant series of harmonics, is inimical to the due realiz- ation of this ideal. The modern plan is to build up as much of the necessary brilliancy of the organ as possible from within the foundation. There is absolutely no necessity for the Mixture in small organs.* Quite sufficient brightness of tone, without undesirable prominence, is contributed by the keen string tone and octave couplers on the Swell. And as the size of the instrument increases, the greater part of the brilliancy can be built up internally by secondary Diapasons, Quintatons and high- pressure reeds as well. In large organs the Mixture serves a two-fold purpose. Its function is to furnish harmonics supplementary to the ground tone, to corroborate the natural harmonics in this capacity, and also to serve as a " timbre-creator." " Even the orchestra, according to Dienel, cannot quite do without artificial harmonics, considering that the strengthening by unisons and octaves is nothing more nor less than the skilful utilization of harmonics or partials, such as the 4 ft. and 2 ft. stops- of the organ produce." t The timore-creating office of the Mixture is based on the same motive which prompts the voicing of the Principal 4 ft. louder than would be demanded were the stop merely an artificial harmonic. But there is no justification in this for powerful dominating Mixtures. The Principal may justly be said to extend the Diapason tone in the same manner as a vibrating bell extends its tone when struck more forcibly. But higher than the Principal the analogy scarcely seems to hold so good ; the tone of the Great organ up to the Fifteenth is not so homogeneous as that of a bell ; the Fifteenth does not extend the Principal in the same manner and to the same degree, as does the Principal, the- Diapason. One of the greatest mistakes of all, in English organ building, has been the whittling down of the Mixture to a mere "three-rank shrieking * Not, of course, that there can be any possible objection to an artistically-treated Mixture in a small organ, save in so far as it replaces stops of greater general utility. See " Tonal Design in Modern Organ Building," pp. 6-13. + Locher. Organ Stops, p. 38. —
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DICTIONARY OF ORGAN STOPS. 105<br />
words, may be described as a hybrid between a Diapason and a Gamba.<br />
Diapasons are sometimes slotted in order to cause them to unite better,<br />
so it is claimed, with the "upper work" <strong>of</strong> the <strong>organ</strong>. Truly a most<br />
efficacious process, for the simple reason that this slotting removes much<br />
<strong>of</strong> the obstreperous foundation tone ! The<br />
Georgian school, which<br />
favours the "shrieking apparatus," Dulciana-toned Diapasons, and gim-<br />
crack reeds smacking <strong>of</strong> the merry-go-rounds, may well be left to the<br />
digestion <strong>of</strong> its own disdrdered fancy. It may truly be said that the<br />
watchword <strong>of</strong> the most advanced, <strong>organ</strong> building—as <strong>of</strong> voice-production<br />
is purity <strong>of</strong> tone, and one <strong>of</strong> the chief reasons for the disappearance <strong>of</strong><br />
powerful Mixture <strong>stops</strong> is the fact that the presence <strong>of</strong> such pipes, each<br />
with its own attendant series <strong>of</strong> harmonics, is inimical to the due realiz-<br />
ation <strong>of</strong> this ideal. The modern plan is to build up as much <strong>of</strong> the<br />
necessary brilliancy <strong>of</strong> the <strong>organ</strong> as possible from within the foundation.<br />
There is absolutely no necessity for the Mixture in small <strong>organ</strong>s.* Quite<br />
sufficient brightness <strong>of</strong> tone, without undesirable prominence, is contributed<br />
by the keen string tone and octave couplers on the Swell. And<br />
as the size <strong>of</strong> the instrument increases, the greater part <strong>of</strong> the brilliancy<br />
can be built up internally by secondary Diapasons, Quintatons and high-<br />
pressure reeds as well. In large <strong>organ</strong>s the Mixture serves a two-fold<br />
purpose. Its function is to furnish harmonics supplementary to the<br />
ground tone, to corroborate the natural harmonics in this capacity, and<br />
also to serve as a " timbre-creator." " Even the orchestra, according to<br />
Dienel, cannot quite do without artificial harmonics, considering that the<br />
strengthening by unisons and octaves is nothing more nor less than the<br />
skilful utilization <strong>of</strong> harmonics or partials, such as the 4 ft. and 2 ft. <strong>stops</strong>-<br />
<strong>of</strong> the <strong>organ</strong> produce." t The timore-creating <strong>of</strong>fice <strong>of</strong> the Mixture is<br />
based on the same motive which prompts the voicing <strong>of</strong> the Principal 4 ft.<br />
louder than would be demanded were the stop merely an artificial<br />
harmonic. But there is no justification in this for powerful dominating<br />
Mixtures. The Principal may justly be said to extend the Diapason tone<br />
in the same manner as a vibrating bell extends its tone when struck more<br />
forcibly. But higher than the Principal the analogy scarcely seems to hold<br />
so good ; the tone <strong>of</strong> the Great <strong>organ</strong> up to the Fifteenth is not so homogeneous<br />
as that <strong>of</strong> a bell ; the Fifteenth does not extend the Principal<br />
in the same manner and to the same degree, as does the Principal, the-<br />
Diapason.<br />
One <strong>of</strong> the greatest mistakes <strong>of</strong> all, in English <strong>organ</strong> building, has<br />
been the whittling down <strong>of</strong> the Mixture to a mere "three-rank shrieking<br />
* Not, <strong>of</strong> course, that there can be any possible objection to an artistically-treated<br />
Mixture in a small <strong>organ</strong>, save in so far as it replaces <strong>stops</strong> <strong>of</strong> greater general utility.<br />
See " Tonal Design in Modern <strong>Organ</strong> Building," pp. 6-13.<br />
+ Locher. <strong>Organ</strong> Stops, p. 38.<br />
—
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