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

42 DICTIONARY OF ORGAN STOPS.
It is merely balancing one extreme against the other. A full-scaled Schulze
Diapason may indeed dominate an organ otherwise weak in fluework, but
it certainly does not blend, nor weld the tone together, like the newer type
of stop. Such a stop certainly might advantageously be included in a large
organ already provided with at least one Diapason of the modern variety,
less "free" in tone and more powerful, full and refined in the treble. Nor,
indeed, is there anything to hinder the making of the newer type of
Diapason with wide mouths, should extraordinary volume of tone be
rendered desirable. It cannot be too strongly insisted upon, that this
desire for abnormal brilliancy in Diapason work is essentially pernicious in
its effect. By all means let there be added stops of duly subordinate tone
calculated to impart brilliancy and splendour to the organ—and better then
by the medium of the internal foundation work of the organ than by the
employment of external Mixture work—but only when the true function of
the Diapason has first been apprehended and provided for. Those who
•crave for brilliancy coute que coute will better be able to gratify their
predilections on the roundabouts, than by listening to church organs. (See
also Tibia).
(5) As regards the scaling of Diapasons it is important to observe that
the bass of the organ is not to be found in the lowest octave on the manual,
but in the Pedal organ. There is no need, therefore, for any abnormal
treatment in the bass. It is the " playable " portion of the stop (as it is
sometimes expressed), viz., the tenor and middle portions of the compass
which bear the nucleus of the chords, that demands the greater develop-
ment. Diapasons, of all stops, require to be judged in full chords rather
than in single notes, in order to display their weight of tone and the
proportionate balance of the several portions of the compass.
Schulze considered 6\ in. at CC the extreme limit for a large building,
and, although in many respects his work and ideals have been surpassed,
his condemnation of huge basses would seem valid at the present day.
Yet CC, 7 in., is constantly to be found in quite small buildings, and the
author can recall the case of a stop measuring actually 8J in. at CC, yet
diminishing so rapidly that the bass almost entirely eclipses the middle
portion of the compass, and the treble becomes sharp and thin. This
latter quality of tone, arising from the use of disproportionately small-scaled
trebles, appears to have been especially characteristic of the work of
Renatus Harris. The treble, indeed, is the least satisfactory point of all
the old English builders, and it was not until modern English builders
adopted the scientific system of scaling inaugurated by Topfer, in pre-
ference to the traditional empirical "rule of thumb" methods, that purity
and proportionate balance of tone were secured for this portion of the
compass.
(6) Yet another detail requiring consideration is the height to which the