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

DICTIONARY OF ORGAN STOPS. 1
Dr. Hayne, a great organ enthusiast of his day, and author of a book of
advice to organ purchasers, was a great advocate of large scales. He had
some pipes, scaled to CCC, 13 in. x 11^ in., made, and claimed that
they gave as good a tone as open pipes. They were known as " Hayne's
Tubs." A full sized Bourdon scale may be taken as 10 in. x 9 in., the
mouth being cut up § of the width.
The distressing fault of most Bourdons is their irregularity and the
" coughing " of the harmonic (the twelfth), and in this latter respect they
excel. Small scale Bourdons are very prone to be "twelfthy " (or "fifthy,"
as it is usually called). The most satisfactory results are undoubtedly to
be obtained from pipes of large scale with thick lips cut up rather high.
Mr. J. W. Whiteley (formerly of London, now in America) occasionally
covers the lips of his Bourdons with felt. An example may be heard at
St. Stephen, Wandsworth, London, S.W. (see Leathered Lip). A large
scale does not necessarily imply a loud tone ; it imparts, rather, fullness
and pervading character. The wind s*jpply is sometimes regulated by a
strip of metal thrust in through the side of the pipe-foot. This device is
frequently apt to disturb the speech of the pipe by causing an eddy ; a
disc in the pipe foot is probably superior. This again, with a fair pressure
of wind, is apt to cause the defect known as " fizzing,'' but all these are
defects that have to be overcome by empirical methods. There is
generally, in moderate sized instruments, some difficulty in determining
the strength of this stop. It is often the only 16 ft. pedal stop, and has to
do duty alike in loud and soft combinations. The result is generally a
very bad compromise between the' two. In the author's estimation it is
ordinarily far better voiced to suit moderately soft combinations than
full organ.
Acoustical phenomena of some peculiarity are sometimes experienced
in dealing with Bourdons, and also—though less frequently—with other
large pedal pipes. In some portions of the building a note may be almost
inaudible, whilst two yards to the right or left it may sound particularly
well. Mr. Casson attributed this effect to the poverty-stricken chord of
harmonics of stopped pipes, and suggested as a remedy a revival of the
idea of the old "Helper" {q.v.)—viz., of employing a Bass Flute of quiet
open pipes to impart definition, with the idea of producing an effect, when
sounding together, something like that of an open pipe. But the
phenomena is not by any means confined to stopped pipes, though, on
account of their dulness of tone, it is more frequently encountered in
connection therewith. The author has noticed it in the case of Major
Basses. It is probably due to the fact that the sound waves advance in
great loops, and is undoubtedly mainly dependent on the acoustical
properties of the building. The best remedy would seem to be that of
planting the pipes so as to speak against a reflecting surface.
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