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

180 DICTIONARY OF ORGAN STOPS.
rate, consistent deviation of, temperature. At St. Mark, Hamilton Terrace,
London (Walker), the Vox Humana is placed up in the roof inside two con-
centrically located swell boxes, one swell box inside of a larger one. Stops
with short-length pipes, such as the Vox Humana, Orchestral Oboe or
Clarinet, are very liable to get out of tune (see Reed and Clarinet). The
Vox Humana sounds at its best when under the influence of a Tremulant
(or Vibrato) of delicate and rapid pulsation. It is quite a fallacy to suppose
that the Vox Humana so constantly finds a place in the organ merely on
account of its possible likeness to the human voice. On the contrary,
it forms a (itn&re-creaXing stop of no inconsiderable value. It is available
as an effective accompaniments background to stops of various kinds, and
combines well with Flute stops. Needless to add that, in view of this, the
practice of permanently connecting a Tremulant to the Vox Humana is
not a desirable one to be adopted as a precedent. Should an organ be of
sufficient dimensions to include a Solo department equipped with enclosed
Flutes, the Vox Humana will probably be found more serviceable on this
manual than in its more customary position in the Swell organ. See also
remarks under Tremulant and Viole d'Orchestre. The author may
claim the extremely rare experience of having heard (at the factory of
Mr. Gem) a Double Vox Humana pipe. Its tone was extremely fine,
resembling a Vox Humana mingled with a sort of soft Bourdon
accompaniment.
Suggestions have from time to time been put forward that in the
construction of the Vox Humana stop some attempt might be made to
imitate the structure of the vocal chords. The outcome of such an
attempt would certainly be of such delicacy as to proscribe its use in the
organ. M. Kratzenstein, whose name is associated with that of the Abt
Vogler in the introduction of free reeds into the organ, won a prize offered
by the St. Petersburg Imperial Academy of Sciences, in 1779, for an
enquiry into the nature of the vowel sounds, and the construction of an
instrument for artificially imitating them. He found that it was possible
to distinctly reproduce the vowel sounds by means of reeds surmounted,
severally, by pipes of the form here illustrated.* In the case of the vowel I,
however, the reed was dispensed with, the wind being simply led into the
pipe.
* In case any. reader should desire to experiment in this direction himself, it may be
added that the success of the effect depends largely on the treatment of the tongue.
A Cor Anglais pipe sometimes gives in the upper notes a distinct E sound. With a little
ingenuity, it would, no doubt, be possible to obtain quite a tolerable vocal representation
of the various inmates of Noah's Ark. The organ already boasts a Barpfeife, a Kalber-
Regal, a Bockschwebung, a Cuckoo, a Nightingale, and a Vox Humana. A skilful
modification of the U sound would perhaps result in the accession of the Vox Felina
{i.e., Cat's voice) to the ranks.