A comprehensive dictionary of organ stops - Allen Organ Studio of ...

DICTIONARY OF ORGAN STOPS. 129
or a speck of dust lodge between the shallot and tongue the tone will be
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rendered harsh and blatant. It is on the precise stoichio-
metrical curve of the tongue—the distribu-
tion of elasticity—that the nature of the tone
largely depends.
This method of voicing was essentially
French in origin. It was developed by
Cavailld-Coll, whose work reached a zenith
of perfection in the voicing of orchestral solo
reeds. It was Willis, however, who on these
foundations reared the vast edifice of modern
chorus reed voicing. He was the first to
systematically employ small weights screwed
on to the end of the tongue.* By this process
of " loading," as it is called, the tongues are
rendered heavier and can therefore be reduced
in length. The ill effects of internal and
tortional vibration, inevitable in the case of
long tongues, Can thus be eluded. The best
results are to be obtained only from tongues
fashioned of thick hard brass or similar
alloy. Tongues are occasionally curved or
"burnished" by machinery, high efficiency
and considerable economy of time being
secured by this means. Reeds should never
be blown with the mouth, as moisture con-
denses on the tongues and eventually impairs
their quality of tone by corrosion.f Nor, again,
should the tongues ever be handled or twisted
* They had previously been essayed in the case of
harmonium reeds, and German builders had occasion-
ally run lumps of solder on to the end of large pedal
reed tongues. But, as above stated, Willis was the
first to systematize their use. Moreover, whilst these
weights were originally employed for the purpose of
remedying the sluggishness of speech of large reeds,
Willis sought by their use to secure, in addition,
greater refinement of tone.
t The writer once happened across the case of an
organ, the reed tongues of which had corroded in a
most mysterious manner. After much fruitless racking
of brains it was discovered that the mischief was due
to the fumes of a gas engine employed to operate
the blowing apparatus. Engines of this sort should
always be isolated from the bellows.