Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-12-05
@Ottester Daily Spy


w men again shall come the beautiful au-
tumn days, the people here shall receive, in
return for their liberaity, the great organ for
Mechanics Hall and that more may be shown
OF its size and resources, it may not be amiss
at this time to compare it with that great and
marvellous organ in the Boston Music Hall
and hereafter, perhaps, with other great or
gans of the world.
The only thing in which they are to be pre-
cisely alike is, that the manuals and pedals are
the same in number and compass; in all other
respects that is much the greater, and the rea.
Son is, that its cost was about sixty thousand
dollars, while this is to cost only nine or ten
thousand, and yet this is over half as large.
With twenty thousand at their comm and (the
actual cost of that organ proper), it would
enable the builders to make an instrument rs
large or larger than that, and 1t would then
be seen whether American skill should yield
the palm to that of Europe
This is to have fifty sounding registers
that has elghty"nine. The house. or front of
that is artistically the finest in the world
Shall there not be some steps taken that this
great organ here be grand and beautiful 0ith-
out, So that all shall be proud and happy to
glze upon 1t, as well as to listen to the har-
monies from Within, and that its rament, like
Itself, be beautiful. The great manual there
has twenty-five registers, the swell eighteen.
the choir fifteen, the solo eleven, and the
pedal twenty. The great manual here is to
nave fourteen, the swell fourteen, the choir
Ten, the solo four, and the pedal seven regis
tiers. The pedal there is double one of
ISL ., 10, -, l..
seven, and in this, inyaYaa6lY do the Euro
pean organs excel all Others the probable
reason being that the pedal organ is the most
expensive part of the instrument 1t should
DC remembered that if the organ is otherwise
wen balanced, then every dollar expended
upon tins part oft is worth several spent 9th
erwise, as it adds vastly to the strength and
resources OF the instrument II to the pedal
organ here to be, there be added niauo
pedal organ Of four or five registers, there
could be produced some most wonderful and
beautiful effects
The great and solo organs there, more than
the others, excel ours in size, the latter being
IN tins more important as the former will
probably make up in power what it lacks in
number.
ne four registers to be in this solo organ
are all loud and brilliant ones, and although
there will be soft solo registers in the other
MANUALS, there should be some in this manu-.
al, else it will be one-sided and cannot he
used in soft and pathetic music for if the tull
organ and great power he at times grand and
Impressive, there should oftener be heard in
beautiful melodies and combinations the MANY
soft voices which dwell and should dwell in
this great temple of tones.
Here may be spoken of what is most i'm
portant Of all, and what was referred to in
paper number six, the pneumatic combine
tion pedals, Which are absolutely indispensa-
bic In concert organ, and without which it
must remain exceedingly limited in its effects
There are in the Boston organ twelve of
these double action pedals, besides four CON
trOlled by the thumbs, and it is perfectly mar
Vicious what can be done by them Although
tins may not need So many, its valve will he
quadrupled by their addition, anu us capabll- |
lties increased to an almost incalculable ex-
tent. 1t is yet time to have this done, and
after that highest duty is performed, the an
swer to the call of our country in this her
hour of sorest need, then the liberality which
has been shown heretofore, will doubtless add
a sufficient sum, and have that which, once
possessed, would not be parted with for ten
times what it shall cost.
In the writer's opinion this organ should by
all means be constructed with valves, the
same in kind of those used in the Boston or
gan, Tor tnlS Is We tllnp winch allows OF Inc
really amazing effects, and with the valves
used in America, although the best for church
organs. which are not for display, cannot by
any means whatsoever be produced these eff
fects, even if everything else be the same,
and these alone be wanting
The grand crescendo pedal, which will al
low the performer to commence with the
mereSt whisper, and increase as rapidly or as
slowly as he chooses to the full power of the
instrument, afterwards diminishing to abso-
lutely nothing, using it to any desired ex-
tent instantly getting precisely the power de-
sired without interfering in the least with any
combination drawn, can only be had by use of
these valves, and thus alone is invaluable in a
concert organ. As it is now, there is not to
be any such thing in the organ here.
The fact is, the organ committee was right
in saying that they desired to see and hear the
great organ in Boston, in order that all desir
able features and Improvements should be IN
troduced in this great american organ.
There can much money be yet obtained for
this, from untyied sources; and in writing
this we will not forget the noble lberality Of
all.'no the personal exurtons of the few, to
raise the present large amount There are
many who have not yet contributed, who
would do 50 il called upon-and if there shall
be really magnificent organ here, there can
some thousands of dollars come from concerts
which shall reveal to the people new music
and new sounds, such many had never
dreamed Of before.
The people can not afford to do without
these things for the price they would cost, for
they would make this organ wonder and Il
triumph Of American art