Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-02-04
NO 80.

Z
Sebastian Bach used to play. Although it
had been renovated during Mendelssohn's
| time, II was substantially the same
instrument None of the modern registers
were TO be found in it. although il had drums
and bells. The touch was the hardest ever
! played. and the tone solid as TO sound al
most cumhrous; further than this it did not
seem remarkable instrument
| And now for one of the so-csiled wonders
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
il was the largest organ in the world, the best,
and the most wonderful, that was 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 ils having pretty
good dispasons, and powerful, though some
what disagrecahlo reeds, il is not remark
able organ at all. 1t has not even a full set
of pedals.
Its much-talkcd-of voN humana owes its
effect wholly to its being placed outside the
auditorium at such distance that the
Illusion only remains And here. again. for
the next most famous organ in the world, the
organ in the ilaarlem Cathedral, Holland.
This is certainly much larger and better than
the Freihurg instrument outwardly. II is not
unlike our Music Hall organ in size and
appearance. Musically, il is more like it
than any organ | have ever heard. This
organ is about $50 years old. and is noted for
having all its pipes (cxcept 20 recently
added made OF metal
The most curious organ in Europe is the
great one at Weingarten, near Switzerland.
IL was built by a monk, the celebrated Able
Nolger, who was an organ-player AS well as u
priest. IL has 6666 pipes, he having been paid
a horin 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,
OF mixtures; this one has over hundred.
One would naturally suppose that the tone Of
the organ would consequently suppose that
the tone of the organ would consequently be
very shrll. This was not the case. however.
The priest was musical enough to have them
all voiced SO delicately that the effect, al
though il cannot be called legitimate. was al
together charming II was as if the air
was full of snowhakes of sound Besides this
feature, the organ has drums, bells great and
small angels with drums. and all sorts Of
queer things and its case is ornamepted and
colored in the most brilliant manner possible.
~ IL ttoks. IL IL useless real organ
music, as il has only an octave and half of
the clumsiest kind Of pedals.
The finest church organ Gin the full sense
of the word) that the world contains is in
Westminster Abbey.
The largest organ in the world is In the
ROYAL Albert Hail. London. The magnf-
cent hall in which it is placed is oyifurm or
egg-shaped, the organ standing somewhat
above the level of the lower floor Above are
three galleries. and over these grand tier of
boxes extending completely around the audi
torium. The hall is capable of holding from
1900 to l4.000 auditors (if I remember
rightly, and it will be seen that only an or
gan of great power could adequately I'll so
large space. The organ case is massive
and strong, although not of ornate design,
and the front pipes are nearly of pure tin Go
per cent alloy only and their bright polish
gives the organ a very beautiful and impos-
ing appearance. This organ has four manuals
and complete pedale.
In addition, it has 80 combination knobs
(eight over each kev-board), and n large
number Of combination pedals. by means Of
which an almost endless variety Of effects can
he instantaneously obtained. All the bellows
and blowing apparatus are placed in large
room by themselves, this room being always
kept perfectly dry and of an even tempera-
ture. The effect of some of the solo regis
tiers Is very beautiful. and the tone of the full
organ grand anJ maj jestic in the extreme,
when music which is adapted to so large an
instrument is played. The total number of
registers (actual sets of pipes is III, and
the whole number of draw-stops 125.
The next largest organ in the world (the
Clm cathedral organ) has just 100 registers.
None of these very large organs can be called
successful in the full sense Of the word
When tlg full Ia uaab ,,pl,. ,f.
very slow and massive character can be
played. without more or less confusion ~ the
result. An organ Of 90. or, at most, 10 reg
listers, can furnish all the variety that can
possibly be needed; and, if more power Is
desired. the pressure can easily be increased
to any desired degree. Sixty registers (about
1000 pipes can be made to speak together.
greater number than this never did. and
never will, speak with precision or clearness
Of all the great organs in our land, the
great organ in the Boston Music Hall is the
most famous. 1t is about two-thirls the size
of the Albert Hall instrument, and is Justly
celebrated as enc of the most beautiful of the
great organs in the world. BY this I mean
that its softer combinations are all of
most beautiful and lovely character, and
their tone Of great purity and beauty.
In the full organ is the same old story Of con-
fusion of tone and slowness Of speech which Is
found in every one Of the great organs. This
organ has four manuals, l3 combination ped
ais all double actng) and pedal which has
not one, but three 32-foot registers. 1t was
made by Walcker, Of Ludwigsburg, Ger
many. and was seven years in course Of con-
s,ructon.
The house or case, is certainly not cqualled
in beauty by any Of the other famous great
organs. The size is about 45 feet wide, 40
feet deep and G3 feet high. and the number of
pipes is 1858. The large, pure tin types in
the front weigh nearly thousand pounds
each. and full-sized man might easily crawl
through them. The grand crescend0 pedal
brings on, as slowly or rapidly as may be de-
sired, all Of the registers, one by one, up to
the full power Of the organ, and then with
draws them in similar manner. There is
| also pedal which instantly gives and takes
away the entire power Of the instrument 1t
is blown by steam-engine located in the
cellar many feet below the organ. If this
noble organ were only played regularly by
master organist it would soon win and hold
the foremost rank among the musical won-
ders Of the world.
DIR. Pierce's "Favorte Prescription" is