The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1866-04-12
S I B ERA OTIS COLUMN.
a M e R &c AN ORGANS.
From "Godey's Ladies Booh,n Feb
1atdly, 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 their care
ful perusal:
A hundred and one makers of Organs, Cot
tage Paror Cabinet, American School Or
gans, etc, are each claiming to make the best
instrument in the world Being compare
lively a new instrument, as at present con-
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 eheerfully concede the space for
this article knowing that there is hardly
family, or church, or school in al the land,
but IS more or less interested in this topic. We
are also aware of its being great misfortune,
a real calamity, to any Of them to purchaseas
inferior or worthless Organ, ruinous to good
playing, and often source OF much annoy
ance and veXation. We know this article to
emanate from a candid and INTEL igeat source,
and thus we give it to ca readers.
The question is often asked, what are reed
nothing in the world but the old melodeon in
disguise. Many Of the so-called organs have
the same bellows, the same reeds and the same
general internal arrangement. With the bel
lows turned Oh edge to gain room, they have
simply put on more pretentlous exterior, and
more high sounding name. But an organ,
to be in reality en- organ, must have wind
chest or reservoir for air separate from the
bellows, into which Wind-chest the reeds open,
and the tone has room to expand and perfect
itself into the full round tone, similar to the
flute pipe organ, even, smooth, firm, and
mellow and this tone from reeds cannot be
obtained in any other way known. Nothing
SO annoys Il true organisms to have the volume
Of sound swelling and Jerking spasmodically
with every variation Of force on the bellows,
which is always the ease where the reeds open
direct into the bellows or air-passages, instead
of wnd-ehest or sound-boX. And yet some
makers go SO far as to claim this spasnodie or
automatic jerking of the bellows on the reeds
as an excellence, just as though they did not
know that it would very soon throw the reeds
out of tune and iniure the bellows; and as
though it We're not an easier matter to obtain a
much better and more easily managed swell
by other methods. The truth is, any organ,
called, or melodeon which has the wind act
ing directly upon the reeds, is nothing more
nor less than Il huge ACCORDION, dress it up as
you may. And when organsts and true mu-
sieians become aware Of the fact that they can
obtain those that are organs in fact rs we'll us
in name they will buy no more Of the OBJ
jeetionable ones. Then again the swell should
always be separate and dietinct from the bel
lows, so as not to be acted by the hard or
soft blowing, but convenient, so that the play
er can use it with the knee, separate from the
hands or feet and thus always under easy con-
troll, to be used adlibitua.
The large divided bellows, or double bell
lows, is also a very important Improvement.
BY this means not only can the wind be sup
piled more evenly, but with far greater ease
to the performer, from the fact that either bel
lows alone will be sufficient for the lightest
melodies, thus permitting the player to change
about and rest the feet at will; then, if the
bellows is Of the requisite large size, and
having the Wind-chest or reservoir, all will be
well. As TO the reeds, they must be scientf.
eally tuned and and voiced, all the other
good qualities in the world cannot produce a
good toned instrument. The inquiry now very
naturally arises where can the organ be pro-
cured combining all these essential and de-
sirable qualities? There is only one possess
ing all these points, and that is the AMERI-
CAN ORGAN, made by $. D. y Il: W.
SMITH, of Boston, SIBERIA OFT, Wholesale
Agent, AS Broadway, New York. These
organs have a wind-chest extending the whole
length of the instrument, and so constructed
as to act at the same time as 4 reverberating
sound-box or board, and having the same i'm
portant relation and part to perform that the
sounding board has to the piano. This feature
the makers have patented, and to it are owing
in n great measure the entirely unequalled
fulness aud richness Of tone 50 highly priced
byal those who have used these organs. They
also have the largest and best divided bellows
in use, which is another important feature.
n part Of their work is sighted, no expense
or pains spared to make the American Organs
perfect mltscally, as well as mechanically,
and, Judging from the immense sale of them
at present, they bid fair to long maintain the
proud position they have won by superior
merit alone We would most heartily advise
all interested to call upon or address Mr.. ST.
IBERIA OTI. the WHOLESALE AGENT af
7i3 BROADWAY, New York, and can assure
them he Will in the most gentemanly and
truthful manner, impart TO them all the infor-
scriptivs circulars relative to this truly de-
iightful instrument.