The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1866-08-09
SIBERIA OTIS COLUMN.
S Z ERA OFT S COLUMN.
4 NJ f r ICAN ORG Ms.
From 8 Godey's Ladies' Book Feb
17tdyy 1866.
REED ORGANS, &c.
REED ORGANS, &c.

The following remarks and suggestions rela-
tive to this immensely popular instrument will
doubtless interest and profit very many of our
readers; we commend the article to their care
full perusal:
a hundred and one makers of Organs Cot
tage Parlor Cabinet, American. School Or
gans, etc, are each claiming to make the best
instrument in the world. Being compare
lively q new instrument, as at present con-
structed, we are convinced the public are
much less capable of judging. of its merits, or
dement's, than of most other instruments If
there is really an essential difference in them,
if there are some excellent and worthless ones,
the public should have some criterion for judg-
ing of them, some facts which will enlighten
them. We cheerfuly concede the space for
this article knowing that there is hardly
family, or church, or school in all the land,
but IS mo,s or less interested in this topic We
are also aware of its being great misfortune,
Il real calamity, to any of them to purchase az
inferior or worthless Organ, ruinous to good
playing, and often source Of much annoy
anee and vexation. We know this article to
emanate from candid and intelligent source,
and thus we Civ it to our readers.
The question is often asked, what are :" reed
disguise. Many of the so-ealled organs have
the same bellows, the same reeds and the same
general internal arrangement. With the bel
lows turned on edge to gain room, they have
spls pue on lli1ie prel.leiouH De- exterior, anu
4 '1aofe hlsh soulio'ls nahe. pttt ah organ
chest or reservoir for air separate from the
ana ta tnn ha no - avnd ad
itself into the FIJI round tones similar 70 The
tnte or nine ORGAN even smooth tirm and
mellow; and this tone from reeds cannot be
obtained in any other way known. Nothing
So annoys a true organlst as to have the volume
of sound swelling and Jerking systematically
with every variation of force on the bellows,
which is always the case where the reeds open
direct into the bellows or air passages, instead
Of wind-chest or sound-box. And yet some
makers GO so far as to claim this spaslnodic or
as an excellence, just as though they did not
know that it would very soon throw the reeds
out of tune, and injure the bellows and as
though it were not an easier matter to obtain
much better and more easily managed swell
by other methods. The truth Is any organ
so Called or melodcon which has the wind act
ing directly upon the reeds, is nothing more
nor less than huge ACCORDION, dress it up as
you may And when organsts aud true nll
sieians become aware Of the fact that they can
obtain those that are organs in fact we'll as
in hume, they will buy no more Of the oh
Jeetonable ones. Then again the swell should
always be separate and aietinet from the bel
lows, SO as not to be acted on by the hard or
ssAft blowing, but convenient, SO that he play
er can use it with the knee, separate from the
hands OF feet, and thus AWAY undereisy con
rel 70 be used aa f1o5taA1.
The large divided bellows, or double bel
! lows. is also a very important Improvement.
BY this means not only can the wind be sup
F piled more evenly, but with far Or. alter ease
] to the performer from the fact that either bel
! lows alone will be sufficient for the Hghtest
melodies, thus permitting the PLAYER to change
about and rest the feet at will; then, if the
bellows is of the requisite laree SIZE and
having the wind-chcst or reservoir ali Will be
well. As to the reeds thrv must be- scientif-
c,l]v tnned and and voiced or al rho athnr