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| ISBN-13: | 9780486779836 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Dover Publications |
| Publication date: | 07/11/2013 |
| Series: | Dover Books On Music: Instruments , #2 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 758 |
| File size: | 26 MB |
| Note: | This product may take a few minutes to download. |
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THE ART OF ORGAN-BUILDING
A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORICAL, THEORETICAL, AND PRACTICAL TREATISE ON THE TONAL APPOINTMENT AND MECHANICAL CONSTRUCTION OF CONCERT-ROOM, CHURCH, AND CHAMBER ORGANS
By GEORGE ASHDOWN AUDSLEY
Dover Publications, Inc.
Copyright © 1965 Dover Publications, Inc.All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-486-77983-6
CHAPTER 1
THE WEAKNESS AND THE AUGMENTATION OF THE TREBLE.
In the present short Chapter we touch upon questions of some interest and importance to the student of organ-building, especially as they are intimately connected with the tonal appointment of the Organ. The questions are: Do Organs, as usually constructed and located, display any tendency to weakness in the treble portion of their compass? And if they do show a weakness; What is the best way of overcoming it in practical organ-building?
To the former question a conclusive answer has not yet been formulated; but researches go far to show that certain organ builders—men of considerable musical taste and great skill in their art—have evidently worked under a conviction that Organs treated in the ordinary way display a decided tendency to weakness in their treble octaves, or, in other words, an undue preponderance of tone in their bass and tenor octaves. It is probable that, in many instances, the tones of well-balanced instruments may have been so modified by the acoustical properties of the buildings in which they were placed, that an inequality of tonal effect between treble and bass became evident to the ear; and that this inequality may have seemed more or less pronounced to the listener in different parts of the buildings is also highly probable. The simple fact that grave sounds travel farther and have more fulness and impressiveness than acute ones, is alone sufficient to account for an apparent weakness in the treble of an Organ, especially when the instrument is located in a very large church or cathedral, and commonly heard at a considerable distance from its situation. If a marching military band is listened to, it will be observed that the sounds of the Bass Drum will be heard before those of any of the other instruments; later, as the band approaches, the lower notes of the Bass Tuba and the other grave instruments strike the ear, then those of the tenor instruments, and, lastly, when much closer, the treble notes are heard. Such is the case, notwithstanding the fact that in the band the relative powers of the bass and treble sounds are much closer than they can ever be in Organs constructed on the present prevailing lines.
Leaving acoustical phenomena out of the question, there are causes in the present imperfect systems of tonal structure which go far to account for the absence of balance between the bass and treble octaves of the Organ. Most potent amongst these being an undue proportion of stops of 16 ft. pitch in the manual divisions; the too liberal introduction of a certain class of stops which have, in themselves, a decided disposition to become weaker as they ascend in the scale; and the usual adoption of one pressure of wind throughout the compass of the instrument. There can be no doubt that the use of "Doubles," or stops of 16 ft. pitch, in the manual divisions, has a tendency to weaken the treble, which even in well-balanced stops of the unison pitch (8 ft.) has enough to do to hold its own against its associated bass and tenor. In the case of a single, properly-balanced, Open Diapason, 8 ft., weakness in the treble can barely be realized; while the addition of an equally well-balanced Octave, 4 ft., practically removes any evidence of weakness. The further addition of a Double Open Diapason, 16 ft., will materially interfere with the balance, and a weakness in the treble will become apparent, especially if the ear is at a considerable distance from the Organ, and full chords are played. If a pedal part is also played the weakness becomes more striking. The stops which have an inherent weakness in the higher portion of the scale are the usual reed stops; and, under ordinary conditions, a liberal introduction of such stops, in any manual division of the Organ, is attended with a more or less decided loss of strength in the treble in comparison to the attendant bass: both have gained in power by the addition of the stops, but the bass has gained considerably more than the treble. The portion of the manual compass least disturbed is that embracing the two octaves lying between tenor C and c2. There can be no question that the general practice of voicing and blowing stops on wind of the same pressure throughout their entire compass is conducive to comparative weakness in their treble octaves; and this effect has been observed by both old and modern builders. It is, indeed, unreasonable to look for a result different from that which universally obtains in stops so blown. When one turns to the wind instruments of the orchestra, the sounds of which are produced by the action of the lips and the wind from the lungs of the performers, one immediately recognizes the fact that as their tones rise in pitch a proportionate increase in the pressure of the wind from the lungs is demanded; and that there is a great range of different pressures employed in producing the low, medium, and high notes of such instruments as the Horn, Trombone, and Trumpet. It is due to this increase of force in blowing that the higher tones of such instruments are as strong as their lower tones, if, indeed, they are not stronger, when heard close to the orchestra. These observed facts in connection with the production of the different sounds in the orchestral wind instruments, guide the organ builder to one effective way of overcoming weakness in the treble.
In addition to the causes already alluded to, which may be said to be active in all Organs of the ordinary construction, there are others more subtile but still of considerable influence in increasing the inequality between the sounds of the lower and higher octaves of the manual stops. We allude to certain acoustical phenomena; chief among which are the generation of differential tones, as explained in the Chapter on The Tonal Structure of the Organ, and what is commonly known as sympathy. The generation of the differential tones is certainly more observable in the lower than in the higher octaves; and as the differential tones are invariably lower in pitch than the upper generating tones, and frequently lower than both the generating tones, the bass is sensibly increased in volume and strength, and much more so than are any of the higher octaves. In the latter the differential tones become weaker and weaker as they rise in pitch. The potency of the differential tones in the lower portion of the musical scale is well demonstrated by the generation of the so-called acoustic bass (32 ft. pitch) by the simultaneous sounding of stops of 16 ft. and 10 2/3 ft. pitch. The differential tones, of 32 ft. pitch, are in this case distinctly heard. A single example in relation to the manual stops will suffice for our present purpose. If the CC pipe of the Open Diapason, 8 ft., is sounded along with the corresponding pipe of the Octave, 4 ft., a differential tone will be produced of considerable strength, and this tone will be of the same pitch as the note yielded by the Open Diapason, and will, accordingly, go to increase the volume and strength of that note. In like manner, every pair of pipes throughout the manual compass will create a differential tone which will increase the lower note of the same. The differential tones, however, become comparatively weaker as they ascend the scale. In the case of a single Open Diapason, 8 ft., and its attendant Octave, 4 ft., the differential tones have very little effect on the balance of tone the stops may possess; but in full combinations, including assertive reed stops, the differential tones, while they go far to enrich the general tonal structure, have a potent effect in increasing the difference of strength and assertiveness between the lower and the upper octaves of the manual compass; or, in other words, in increasing the relative weakness of the treble.
The old builders seem to have observed the tendency toward weakness in the treble of their Organs; but, with the exception of one very important example, there appears to be no direct evidence of any decided measures having been taken by them to overcome that weakness by systematic augmentation. The builder of the celebrated Organ in the Cathedral of St. Bavon, at Haarlem, is the earliest who is known to have adopted a positive system of augmentation. In this instrument, which was constructed by Christian Müller, of Amsterdam, in the year 1738, we find certain stops in the manual divisions have their pipes duplicated in the higher octaves. The Prestant, 16 ft., (Double Open Diapason) and the Octaaf, 8 ft., (Open Diapason) in the Great Organ, have both two ranks of pipes from middle c1 to the top note. The Prestant 8 ft., (Open Diapason) in the Choir Organ, has two ranks from GG, to the top; and the Prestant, 8 ft., in the Echo Organ, has two ranks from A. It is quite evident that these very important stops were duplicated, as above described, for the purpose of augmenting the treble: and apparently with the same view four of the Mixtures have their ranks increased in number as they break upward. Collectively, they have in their lower, middle, and upper divisions, XVIII., XXIII., and XXVIII. ranks.
Another noteworthy example, which may be considered as modern, shows a decided attempt to augment the treble by the addition of auxiliary pipes. We allude to the Organ in the chief Protestant Church at Utrecht, built by Batz, of Utrecht, in the year 1826. In the Great division of this important instrument all the stops with the exception of the two Mixtures have two ranks of pipes from middle c1 to the top. In all probability, many Organs built between the years 1738 and 1826, were treated in a somewhat similar manner and for the same purpose, but we have no records of them. The necessity for some system of augmentation of the treble was doubtless pressed upon the attention of the older German and Dutch builders by the effects produced by the stops of 16 ft. pitch, so liberally introduced by them in the manual divisions of their Organs; and by the large size and heavy character of the pedal departments of their instruments.
There can be no question that the strength and brilliancy of the treble sounds of the Organ are greatly impaired and obscured by the too liberal introduction or use of the manual Doubles; and also by the insertion of such stops, in scales and intonation, out of all proportion to the unison stops. It must be borne in mind, both by the organ builder and the organist, that 16 ft. tone has no necessary connection with the tonal structure of the manual divisions of the Organ; and that it has a greater power to disturb than to improve tonal structure. The 16 ft. tone belongs to the Pedal Organ, and only appears in the manual divisions as the means of imparting variety to certain combinations, and for the production of tonal effects rarely called for. Comparatively few organists have the correct conception of the office of the manual Doubles; and not one in a hundred uses them in a thoroughly artistic manner. To draw the Doubles in all full combinations is a serious blunder, from a musical point of view, yet it is an almost universal practice among the generality of organ players.
While the system of duplication, as illustrated by the Haarlem and Utrecht instruments, may appear to be both reasonable and desirable, it is, for certain reasons, not to be recommended, and chiefly because it has not been found to be reliable in practical organ-building. The acoustical or tonal aspect of the system may be first considered. It is quite certain if the stops so treated are to retain their proper tonal character, that their duplicated ranks of pipes must be precisely similar in tone; and such being the case, there is considerable danger of the combined tones losing strength through what is known as acoustical sympathy, and the stops being injured rather than benefited by the duplication. The uncertain nature of this peculiar acoustical phenomenon will always interfere with anything approaching regularity of intonation in such stops. Among the objections to the system, advanced on purely practical grounds, may be named the additional expense entailed, the undesirable demand for increased size in the wind-chests, the greater consumption of wind, and the call for more labor and care in tuning. With all the drawbacks named, it is not probable that this system will ever again be adopted.
Somewhat akin to the above is the system which seeks to augment the treble by increasing the number of the ranks of the Mixtures in their higher breaks. An example of this system is furnished by the Haarlem Organ. It is not too much to say that any builder who attempts to augment the treble by any special treatment of the compound harmonic-corroborating stops, loses sight entirely of the true and only office of such stops in the tonal structure of the Organ. There are enough of loud, screaming, and inartistic Mixtures in existence, destroying good organ-tone in countless instruments; and in the name of art we protest against any increase of vulgarity in them, with the view of adding noise to any portion of the Organ. Every attempt that has been made to augment the treble by means of additional ranks or an increase of assertiveness in the higher octaves of the Mixtures, has made matters worse instead of better.
There are other systems which deserve more careful consideration. These are augmentation by means of increased pressures of wind; augmentation by enlargement of the scales of the stops, upward: argumentation by the introduction of harmonic pipes; and augmentation by simple voicing and regulating.
M. Cavaillé-Coll seems to have been the first builder to devise the system of overcoming the weakness of the treble by means of increased pressures of wind, practically applying it in the Grand Organ he erected in the Royal Church of Saint-Denis, in the year 1841. In the Report on the construction of this instrument, submitted to the Société Libre des Beaux-Arts by J. Adrien de La Fage, we find the following interesting particulars respecting the wind supply and distribution:—
"There are eleven reservoirs, the eight larger of which contain each two thousand litres of compressed air, while the three smaller ones have a combined capacity of one thousand litres, making a total capacity of seventeen thousand litres. The eight large reservoirs are arranged in superposed pairs; each pair is fed by a piston attached to a lever worked by a man, supplying about ninety litres of air per second. The three other reservoirs, giving high pressure wind, are fed, in like manner, by a piston worked by a man, supplying forty litres of air per second; making a total supply of four hundred litres per second.
"The power necessary for operating the entire blowing apparatus is equivalent to 50 kilogrammétres, which being divided gives 10 kilogrammétres to each of the five levers, corresponding to the working power of a man, when only laboring a short time with frequent intervals of rest.
"A blowing apparatus of this large capacity was absolutely necessary to supply an instrument of so great a size and containing so many large stops: and the contents of the reservoirs and the supply of the feeders respond so well to the demands of the instrument, that playing upon it with all the stops drawn fails to disturb the wind or affect the tuning of the pipes ...
"Many other advantages have been secured by the bellows arrangements and combinations. First, the different pressures allow the distribution to each stop and its octaves of wind of such pressures as are best calculated to develop its desired tones. The upper octaves of the reed stops have especially benefited, having acquired a much purer and more brilliant quality of tone. The upper octaves are well balanced with the bass octaves, without requiring the help of some compound stop, like a Cornet or Mixture, which, combining imperfectly with the treble octaves, would produce a sharp and noisy tone. Secondly, the variety of pressures has largely aided the proper voicing of the harmonic stops ... Thirdly, the variety of pressures allows of the advantageous separation of the wind between the bass and the treble of the stops, and between the labial stops and the reed stops of the instrument. Such are the happy consequences of the divisions of the reservoirs and the various pressures."
(Continues...)
Excerpted from THE ART OF ORGAN-BUILDING by GEORGE ASHDOWN AUDSLEY. Copyright © 1965 Dover Publications, Inc.. Excerpted by permission of Dover Publications, Inc..
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Table of Contents
Contents
VOLUME II,CHAPTER,
XV. The Weakness and the Augmentation of the Treble.,
XVI. Borrowing and Duplication.,
XVII. Tablature and Compass of the Organ.,
XVIII. The Swell in the Organ.,
XIX. The Manual Claviers.,
XX. The Manual Couplers.,
XXI. The Pedal Clavier.,
XXII. The Pedal Couplers.,
XXIII. The Tracker Action.,
XXIV. The Slider and Pallet Wind-Chest.,
XXV. The Relief Pallet.,
XXVI. The Pneumatic Lever.,
XXVII. The Ventil Wind-Chest. Mechanical,
XXVIII. Tubular-Pneumatic Action.,
XXIX. The Ventil Wind-Chest. Pneumatic,
XXX. The Draw-Stop Action.,
XXXI. The Pneumatic Couplers.,
XXXII. The Combination Action.,
XXXIII. Wood Pipes: And the Materials Used in Their Construction.,
XXXIV. Wood Pipes: And Their Modes of Construction.,
XXXV. Metal Pipes: And the Materials Used in Their Construction.,
XXXVI. Metal Pipes: And Their Modes of Construction.,
XXXVII. Scales of Labial Pipes.,
XXXVIII. Reed Pipes: And Their Modes of Construction.,
XXXIX. The Art of Voicing.,
XL. Pitch, Tuning, and Regulating.,
XLI. The Tremolant.,
XLII. Construction of the Swell-Box.,
XLIII. The Expression-Lever.,
XLIV. The Anemometer.,
XLV. The Bellows and Its Accessories.,
XLVI. Electricity in Organ-Building.,
Specifications.,
Index.,