Pump organ

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The harmonium (plural: harmonies [ emphasis on the o] ) is a key instrument in which the sound by varying lengths breakdown tongues is generated which flows around are vibrated by air. So the harmonium belongs to the aerophones. A similar system of sound production has, for example, the accordion or harmonica.

In contrast to the pipes of the organ, the tongues of the harmonium produce more inharmonic overtones, creating a less pure sound is created, the people tried to dampen particularly through close Kanz Ellen at Saugwindharmonium. Thus, the Saugwindharmonium gets a soft, buzzing, partly organ-like sound. The pressure harmonium, however, is stronger and sharper in tone and timbre with a good accordion comparable.

Construction and Technology

The harmonium consists of the following main parts: the conversion, first meaning is the housing, the inner mechanism and the fan.

Roughly speaking, two systems differ, the harmonium: the French system ( pressure harmonium ) and the American system ( Saugwindharmonium ).

In both systems, the fan with the feet by repeatedly depressing two adjacent so-called Tretschemel (also: scoop pedals) operated.

In the French system, press the stool bellows, the Schöpfbälge that an accumulator, the Wind magazine inflate directly or through the channel. The Wind Magazine ( magazine bellows ) is related to the wind chest, an air-tight wooden box, in combination, the upper lid is the tongue board, lie at the holes on metal plates attached to the tongue. The game Tonventile valves or seal the holes in the board and tongue are the keys of the manual in mechanical communication with which they can be opened. The overpressure produced in the wind chest, the air flows to the outside, has to pass the tongue and puts it into vibration, which produces the sound. The magazine bellows can be disabled by a register ( expression ), so that the player on the Schöpfbälge the volume of the tone ( crescendo / decrescendo ) can directly influence.

The American system works the other way: using the Schöpfbälge air is pumped out of the wind and the wind loading magazine, so a vacuum is produced. If you open now Tonventil, Air flows and sets the tongues to vibrate.

One or more tabs may be present per pitch, resulting possibly from different possible timbres. Like an organ can register individually or taken together and also octave couplers are possible.

Both the French and the American system, the tongues are swinging freely mounted in a metal frame. While the French system a whole lot of tongues can be mounted on a plate, lie with the American system, the tongues in each Kanz Ellen. This construction facilitates cleaning of the tongue, the dust in the vacuum system rather. A global phenomenon in number has only easier to producing American system: In Germany, the most since the end of the 19th century harmonies were Saugwind -made instruments.

A special role plays the harmonium art. For these instruments, especially the wind pressure systems have been used in Germany and France. The Art Harmonium meets the highest artistic standards. For this instrument composed, inter alia, César Franck, Sigfrid Karg- Elert, Max Reger, August Reinhard. ( Karg- Elert was also the op 99, the term " Harmonist " introduced in his harmonium school, virtuoso on the harmonium. )

Designations

In English usage, the Saugwind - Harmonium is called (ie the harmonium of the "American System" ) usually "reed organ " (also "pump organ " or " parlor organ " ), while the name " harmonium " in English usually specific to ( rare ) for the rest pressure wind harmonies relates. In France and Germany the name " harmonium " is used for both systems.

History

Main article → History of resounding tongue

Precursor and formation

Christian Gottlieb Kratzenstein developed in 1780 as the first European, probably after Chinese models, by beating reed pipes. Even before 1800, made his first keyboard instruments like piano fortes and organs that used such a pipe mills. Abbé Vogler eased in 1786 many organs starting to rebuild at his own expense in Petersburg, Munich, Paris, Vienna, Prague, and in dozens of other cities. In 1796 he joined with his converted portable organ, which he called Orchestrion, in Stockholm for the first time auf.Der St. Petersburg organ builder Kirschnigk built 1788 " free swinging pipes" (ie breakdown tongues ) in an organ piano (combination of fortepiano and organ) a. Vogler inspired all organ builders to implement innovations. Probably went from an inspiration from Sheng, which was then played by an artist by the name of Johann Wilde in St. Petersburg.

However, the direct precursor of the harmonium are the instruments with names Aeoline and Physharmonica. Both were around instruments with two pumping pedals, a keyboard of four to five octaves and usually only one row resounding tongues. The Aeoline was in 1810 by Bernhard Eschenbach developed together with his cousin Johann Caspar Schlimbach, which were inspired by the Jew's harp. At the same time, in 1810, created by the French organ builders Gabriel Joseph Grenie ( 1756-1837 ) his orgue expressif. The term " expressive " ( = expressive ) alludes to the fact that it could affect the volume through the Windgebung in this instrument.

In the U.S., the organ builder Ebenezer Goodrich built after 1812, the first harmonium -like breakdown tongues instrument, inspired by his contact with Johann Nepomuk Mälzel.

" In June 1811 a curiose instrument called a Pan Harmonicon what Brought to Boston. It was invented by Maelzel, Whose name is linked Usually with the Metronome. William Goodrich what employed to set up and exhibit the Pan Harmonicon in New York and other cities. He [ ... ] traveled with the instrument from September 1811 until June 1812. "

" In June 1811 a strange instrument called Pan - Harmonicon was brought to Boston. Its inventor was Maelzel, which is normally associated with the metronome. William Goodrich was commissioned by him to establish the Pan - Harmonicon and show off in New York and other cities. He [ ... ] traveled to the instrument from September 1811 to June 1812 ".

The Physharmonica was patented in 1821 in Vienna by Anton Haeckl.

Greniés compatriot, the great French organ builder Aristide Cavaillé -Coll (1811-1899) created about 1833 a harmonium -like instrument for chamber music use, the so-called " Poikilorgue " (from the ancient Greek. Ποικίλος ( poikilos ) " varied, multiform ," the name means so as much as " organ with varied dynamic possibilities "). All essential features of today's harmonium eventually find themselves in a united instrument, the French organ builder Alexandre- François Debain (1809-1877) in 1842 under the name had patented harmonium, so this term first appears.

Debains Harmonium was a pressure wind instrument, which dominated the landscape harmonium to the 1870s. The simpler Saugwind system was invented in 1836 by the Berlin Physharmonica - maker Christian Friedrich Ludwig Buschmann, however, had initially not been successful in Europe. In the U.S., the development of Saugwindsystems has been driven since the 1860s; is considered the inventor of the Saugwindbälge there James Cahart. The American company, Mason & Hamlin introduced in 1861 its first Saugwindinstrument before and won in 1867 at the World Exhibition in Paris in the first place with such an instrument. Thus began the worldwide success of Saugwind harmonies.

( Organ Harmonium also ) referred Since 1860, a two-manual and pedal organ with harmonies were produced and as a pedal harmonium. They were primarily used as an organ replacement in sacred spaces or as a practice instrument for organists domestic. Later ( after 1900 ), with the advent of electric power supply, especially this pedal harmonies were given electric fan, because you can only bad at the same press with the feet the Tretschemel and play the organ pedal; However, this then accounted for the ability to nuance the wind pressure by the speed of the stepping stool.

Heyday and Responses

A boom was the harmonium in the late 19th and early 20th century, when it was discovered as a kind of home organ and house instrument of the bourgeois middle class, as a substitute for pipe organs in smaller churches, as well as a veritable concert instrument. Also, " salon orchestra " who used the harmonium regularly. In the Western world temporarily sold ( in 1900 ), twice as many harmonies as pianos.

Even in religious gatherings played the harmonium a role ( for example, in Pietism ), because it came close to the sound of the organ, but was cheaper and could be placed even in smaller rooms. In some pietistic groups accompanied by the harmonium singing religious songs is almost become a feature.

From the German Harmoniumbau companies have been prepared in total well over half a million instruments. The most important German Harmonium producers were following companies ( sorted by date of incorporation): Pianofortefabrik Schiedmayer in Stuttgart, founded in 1853, produced until the 1950s, numerous harmonies; Philipp Trayser in Stuttgart, founded in 1853, disbanded in 1906; Ernst Hinkel founded in Ulm, 1880, Harmonium production until circa 1975; Company Theodor man Borg founded in Leipzig, 1889, 1961 combined with the company Lindholm; Hörügel company in Leipzig, founded in 1893, lapsed in 1952; Company Magnus Hofberg in Borna founded in 1894, acquired in 1930 by company Lindholm; Company Olof Lindholm in Borna founded in 1894, Harmonium production in 1990 set but still repairing harmonies; Bongardt company founded in Wuppertal, 1897, the subsidiary company Bongardt & Herfurth in Wiehe founded in 1920, disbanded in 1991. Vienna in Austria was in the company Teofil Kotykiewicz that created pressure invariably wind instruments.

The mid- 1950s began the harmonica manufacturer Hohner and Koestler so, take small electrified harmonium variants under names such as Organetta or Harmophon in their product ranges in the GDR there were similar instruments under the name " Harmona " Klingenthal until the 1970s.

With the advent of electronic sound production and at least since the dissemination of electronic organs the harmonium from the music world is largely suppressed. These have certainly contributed to the diverse sonic possibilities of electronic instruments in the first place. If one looks at the harmonium himself for causes, can be think of the often relatively loud sound made by depressing the fan. Another reason might be that especially the tongues deep in the bass need a relatively long time to tune in, and therefore are slightly delayed in her speech. This disadvantage is, however, encountered in pressure wind harmonies with the fact that often a so-called " percussion register" is installed, the, this brings with small hammers that strike the tongues precise sounded ( at Saugwindharmonien but the incorporation of percussion registries was too expensive ). In conclusion, and in any event that the harmonium after the turn of the millennium at least experienced in the art of a renaissance.

On the antiquities market harmonies are still frequently encountered because of their wide distribution and the large number of units produced at that time. However, since there today are not particularly sought after instruments, they have no great commercial value, especially as a professional restoration of damaged or even worn pieces is usually quite expensive. However, many instruments have elaborately housing in the style of historicism so that they are very decorative.

In the popular music of the 20th century, the harmonium has only occasionally found uses. It was used most intensively by the German singer Nico, whose main instrument was the harmonium, as well as younger bands like Kaizers Orchestra use it.

The harmonium in India

The harmonium is from the Indian music is unthinkable these days. Originally brought English missionaries to India, which attracted so as organ replacement over the country. Hence the name " missionary organ ". In principle, this missionary organ is a half accordion, the bellows is operated with one hand, while the free hand plays the harmonies or the melody. Its simplicity has made it not only a popular instrument in the folk and religious music of India, but also gives him a permanent place as an accompanying instrument of North Indian classical ragas ( Raga scales ).

The Harmonium in traditional music

As an instrument for interpretation of traditional music, the harmonium has little to enforce. In some regions of the British Isles in the 19th century it was customary to accompany folk tunes with it. In Sweden, the practice continues to this day, even inspired some modern folk bands to incorporate it into their instruments ( for example, " Triakel "). As an accompaniment to the violin for traditional Celtic dance music, it is sometimes still in some parts of the Canadian Atlantic coast used (Prince Edward Iceland, Traditional Music on Cape Breton Iceland ). Also in the music of the medieval scene, it begins to spread, such as in the groups Faun from Germany and Sandragon from England.