The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1882-07-26
GREAT ORGANS.

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GREAT ORGANS. 80
Notable Instruments In this Country and
.-.,-, in Europe. -.. Z
One of the first, as well as one of the
best, organs saw in Europe was the
one in the parochial kirche in Berlin.
The organ was built by Buchholz, one of
the best and most eminent of the Euro
pean builders. Although, strictly speak
ing, it is not one of the great organs of
the world, it is very large, and the best
1 have ever seen for the Interpretation of
true organ music. 1t is of great power,
clearness and brilliancy, and, it may be
said, that nearly every register init is q
master-work in itself. The organ in the
beautiful First Church in Boston Quilt
in Germany, by Walcker, the builder of
the great organ in Music HaIl) much re-
sembles it in all its main qualities, al
though it is not over two-thirds as large.
At the old cathedral at Merseberg
stands one of the largest and most beau
tiful organs ever made. 1t has the great
est number of pipes in its front that 1
have ever seen in an organ facade. The
player sits facing the Instrument, and
directly back of him (between him and
the congregation) is another smaller or
gan, called the positif-a sort of solo
organ, complete in itself, with its own
case or house, standing twenty or more
feet in. front of the great organ
proper. The effect, both to eye and
ear, is very charming. Engel is
the organist, and the great Liszt has
several times been here to bring out
some pieces for the organ, harp, and
quartette of brass instruments very
wonderful and beautiful combination.
In the Thomas kirche, where Hauptman
was then cantor, or music director, was
the organ that old Sebastian Bach used
to play. Although it had been reno
waited during Mendelssohn's time, it was
substantially the same instrument. None
of the modern registers were to be found
in it, although it had drums and bells.
The touch was the hardest ever played,
and the tone so solid as to sound almost
cumbrous; further than this, it did not
seem remarkable instrument.
And now for one of the so-called Won
ders of the world, the famous organ in
Freiburg, Switzerland. So much has
been written about this organ that was
curious to examine all the claims that
had been made for it. Everybody had
been told so many times that it was the
largest organ in the world, the best, and
the most wonderful, that Twas prepared
for surprise. And was surprised. II
is not only not the largest in the world,
but it is of not more than medium size
as compared with the acknowledged
great organs in Europe. And, aside
from its having pretty good diapasons,
and powerful, though somewhat dis
agreeable reeds, it is not a remarkable
organ at all. 1t has not even a full sci
of pedals. , s--4 Ilf,..r sai ,.eie
Its much-talked-of Vox Humana owes
its effect wholly to its being placed out
side the auditorium at such q distance
that the Illusion only remains. And
here, again, for the next most famous
organ in the world, the organ in the
HARLEM Cathedral, Holland. This is
certainly much larger and better than
the Freiburg instrument outwardly. II
is not unlike our Music Hall organ in
size and appearance. Musically, it is
more like it than any sorganI have evel
heard. This organ is about one hun
dred and fifty years old, and is noted
for having all its pipes Except twenty
recently added made of metal.
The most curious organ in Europe Is
the great one at Weingarten, near
Switzerland. 1t was built by monk,
the celebrated Able Volger, who was
an organ-player as well as a priest. II
has 6, ,666 pipes, he having been. paid 8
fiorin for each pipe, large and small.
He was evidently not unmindful Of
earthly things, for the sly old dominic
filed the organ full of very small pipes
called mixtures. Ordinary organs have
from five to eight ranks, or rows, oi
mixtures, this one has over hundred
One would naturally suppose that the
tone of the organ would consequently
be very shrill. This was not the case
however. The priest was musica
enough to have them all voiced so deli
eately that the effect, though it cannot
be called legitimate, was altogether
charming Il was as if the air was full
of snowflakes of sound. Besides this
feature, the organ has drums, bells
great and small, angels with drums, and
all sorts or queer things; and its case is
ornamented and colOred in the mos
brilliant manner possible. Large as il
| looks, it is useless for real organ music
as it has only an octave and half of the
clumsiest kind of pedals. ai a'si
The finest church organ Gn the full
sense of the word) that the world CON
tains is in Westminster Abbey. By
finest, mean the most devotional in it
| quality and effect. How much may be
due to the acoustic qualities of the mar
velous edifice in which it stands / can
not say, have not heard its like, nor dt
expect to this side of the heavenly
| gates At the time / am speaking of
the most celebrated organ in ENGLAND
was the organ in ST. Georges Hall, Liy
erpool This was built by Willis, tht
most eminent of English organ makers
1t had four manuals and great mum
bers of pneumatic combination levers
small knobs, by which the organist coul(
make number of combinations withou
taking his hands from the key board O.
in any way interrupting his playing
William BestIwas years ago appointed
the organist of the hall, and twice
week gives regular organ concerts a
sixpence admission
The largest organ in the world is il
the Royal Albert Hall, London. Th
magnificent hall in which it is placed j
oriform or egg-shaped, the organ stand
ing somewhat above the level of the low
er floor. Above are three galleries, an,
over these grand tier of boxes extend
ing completely around the auditorium
The hall is capable of holding from 10,
600 10 1900 auditors Gf l remembe
rightly), and it will be seen that only Al
organ of great power could adequatel
fll S. large spaca. The organ case