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

DICTIONARY OF ORGAN STOPS. 3
artistic, because the Quint is as powerful as the prime note. Sometimes
the latter is derived from the Violon or the Major Bass, and the Quint
from the Sub-bass.
The objection is sometimes raised, however, that the independent
Quint is alone productive of good results, as furnishing (unlike a stop
merely borrowed in quint pitch) a pure, untempered fifth. True, an
independent Quint is more effective, both for this reason and for the
greater facilities offered in voicing it to suit the particular requirements
imposed, but in moderate sized organs it is more costly than is really com-
mensurate with the superiority of the effect obtained. Moreover, even
granting that the independent Quint could be relied upon always to remain
in perfect tune, the beats resulting from the tempered interval at the pitch
in question are slow, and the fifth is practically " drawn " into tune by the
prime note.
An independent Quint should be voiced as dull and as free from
harmonics as practicable; it should be of fair scale, with thick lip, and
preferably of stopped pipes. It should also occupy a position adjoining
the 1 6 ft. stop, and, if possible, be situated against a reflecting surface— as,
indeed, should all dull-toned pedal pipes.
It is now customary to restrict the acoustical effect to the lowest octave
only, borrowing the Bourdon in octave position above that (i.e., 16 ft. pipe
on centre CC of the pedal-board). This plan, introduced by Mr. Casson,
is adopted because in the upper range of the compass the acoustical effect
is found in practical application to be unsatisfactory in effect. The
difficulty is not confined to the tempered Quint, and cannot therefore be
set down to the, score of temperament. The explanation probably is, that
as the pitch rises the harmonics of the pipes have to be reckoned with to a
larger degree, and also that the resultant note approaches nearer to the
more normal range of hearing. Thus, dealing with stopped
pipes, the second upper partial (tierce) of C will sound
and the first (twelfth) of the Quint note G will sound
These two harmonics are quarrelsome neighbours. Of course,
such dissonances are constantly occurring in notes harmonically associated
in our musical system—indeed, they frequently impart a sense of piquancy
to the combination—but that is only a corroboration of the contention that
they exert on the ear a counter-influence which tends to detract from the
power of impression of the resultant tone. The obvious remedy is to
suppress the upper partials of pipes concerned in the production of
resultant tones as much as is practicable.
It was on account of this obtrusiveness of harmonics that Mr. Casson
adopted the use of the Quintaton {q.v.) 32 ft. tone. It is a stopped metal
pipe, measuring perhaps, in the case of the 32 ft. pipe (16 ft. actual length),
so little as 9 in. in diameter. A trace of 32 ft. tone is audible, but the
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