The largest type of musical instrument.
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Subtitles
Terminology
Indeed, even in inanimate objects there is this kind of ability (δύναμις), for example, in [musical] instruments (ἐν τοῖς ὀργάνοις); they say about one lyre that it is capable [of sounding], and about the other - that it is not, if it is dissonant (μὴ εὔφωνος).
That kind of people who deal in instruments spends all their labor on it, like, for example, a kifared, or one who demonstrates his craft on the organ and other musical instruments (organo ceterisque musicae instrumentis).
Fundamentals of Music, I.34
In Russian, the word "organ" by default means wind organ, but is also used in relation to other varieties, including electronic analog and digital, which imitate the sound of an organ. Organs are:
- by device - wind, reed, electronic, analog, digital;
- by functional affiliation - concert, church, theatrical, fair, salon, educational, etc .;
- by disposition - baroque, French classical, romantic, symphonic, neo-baroque, modern;
- by the number of manuals - one-manual, two-, three-, etc.
The word "organ" is also usually qualified by reference to the organ builder (e.g. "Cavaillé-Cohl Organ") or trademark ("Hammond Organ"). Some varieties of the organ have independent terms: antique hydraulics, portable, positive, regal, harmonium, hurdy-gurdy, etc.
Story
The organ is one of the oldest musical instruments. Its history goes back several thousand years. Hugo Riemann believed that the ancient Babylonian bagpipe (19th century BC) was the ancestor of the organ: “The fur was inflated through a pipe, and at the opposite end there was a body with pipes, which, no doubt, had tongues and several holes.” The germ of the organ can also be seen in the pan flute, the Chinese sheng, and other similar instruments. It is believed that the organ (water organ, hydraulics) was invented by the Greek Ctesibius, who lived in Alexandria Egyptian in 296-228. BC e. The image of a similar tool is available on one coin or token from the time of Nero. Large organs appeared in the 4th century, more or less improved organs in the 7th and 8th centuries. Pope Vitalian is traditionally credited with introducing the organ into Catholic worship. In the 8th century, Byzantium was famous for its organs. The Byzantine emperor Constantine V Kopronym in 757 presented the organ to the Frankish king Pepin the Short. Later, the Byzantine Empress Irina presented his son, Charles the Great, with an organ that sounded at the coronation of Charles. The organ was considered at that time a ceremonial attribute of the Byzantine, and then the Western European imperial power.
The art of building organs also developed in Italy, from where they were sent to France in the 9th century. This art later developed in Germany. The organ has been widespread in Western Europe since the 14th century. Medieval organs, in comparison with later ones, were of crude workmanship; a manual keyboard, for example, consisted of keys with a width of 5 to 7 cm, the distance between the keys reached one and a half cm. They hit the keys not with fingers, as they do now, but with fists. In the 15th century, the keys were reduced and the number of pipes increased.
The oldest example of a medieval organ with relatively complete mechanics (pipes have not been preserved) is considered to be an organ from Norrlanda (a church parish on the island of Gotland in Sweden). This tool is usually dated to 1370-1400, although some researchers doubt such an early dating. Currently, the Norrland organ is stored in the National Historical Museum in Stockholm.
In the 19th century, thanks primarily to the work of the French organ master Aristide Cavaille-Coll, who set out to design organs in such a way that they could compete with the sound of a whole symphony orchestra with their powerful and rich sound, instruments of a previously unprecedented scale and power of sound began to appear. , which are sometimes called symphonic organs.
Device
Remote controller
Remote organ ("spiltish" from German Spieltisch or organ department) - a remote control with all the tools necessary for an organist, the set of which is individual in each organ, but most have common ones: gaming - manuals And pedal keyboard(or simply "pedal") and timbre - switches registers. There may also be dynamic channels, various foot levers or buttons to turn on copula and switching combinations from register combination memory bank and a device for turning on the organ. At the console, on a bench, the organist sits during the performance.
- Copula - a mechanism by which the included registers of one manual can sound when played on another manual or pedal. Organs always have copulas of manuals for the pedal and copulas for the main manual, and there are almost always copulas of weaker-sounding manuals for stronger ones. The copula is turned on/off by a special foot switch with a latch or a button.
- Channel - a device with which you can adjust the volume of this manual by opening or closing the blinds in the box in which the pipes of this manual are located.
- The register combination memory bank is a device in the form of buttons, available only in organs with an electric register tracture, which allows you to memorize register combinations, thereby simplifying register switching (changing the overall timbre) during performance.
- Ready-made register combinations - a device in organs with a pneumatic register tracture that allows you to turn on a ready-made set of registers (usually p, mp, mf, f)
- (from Italian Tutti - all) - the button for turning on all the registers and copulas of the organ.
Manuals
The first musical instruments with an organ pedal date back to the middle of the 15th century. - this is the tablature of the German musician Adam from Åleborg (English) Russian(Adam Ileborgh, c. 1448) and the Buxheim Organ Book (c. 1470). Arnolt Schlick in Spiegel der Orgelmacher (1511) already writes in detail about the pedal and appends his pieces, where it is used with great virtuosity. Among them, the unique treatment of the antiphon stands out. Ascendo ad Patrem meum for 10 voices, of which 4 are entrusted to pedals. The performance of this piece probably required some kind of special shoes, which allowed one foot to simultaneously press two keys at a distance of a third. In Italy, notes using the organ pedal appear much later - in the toccatas of Annibale Padovano (1604).
Registers
Each row of pipes of a wind organ of the same timbre constitutes, as it were, a separate instrument and is called register. Each of the extendable or retractable drawbar knobs (or electronic switches) located on the organ console above the keyboards or on the sides of the music stand turns the corresponding row of organ pipes on or off. If drawbars are off, the organ will not sound when a key is pressed.
Each knob corresponds to the register and has its own name indicating the pitch of the largest pipe of this register - feet, traditionally denoted in feet in Principal. For example, the pipes of the Gedackt register are closed and sound an octave lower, so such a pipe of tone "to" subcontroctave is designated as 32", with an actual length of 16". Reed registers, whose pitch depends on the mass of the reed itself rather than on the height of the bell, are also indicated in feet, similar in length to the Principal register pipe in pitch.
The registers are grouped into families according to a number of unifying features - principals, flutes, gambas, aliquots, potions, etc. The main registers include all 32-, 16-, 8-, 4-, 2-, 1-foot registers, auxiliary (or overtone ) - aliquots and potions. Each pipe of the main register reproduces only one sound of the same pitch, strength and timbre. Aliquots reproduce an ordinal overtone to the main sound, mixtures give a chord, which consists of several (usually from 2 to a dozen, sometimes up to fifty) overtones to a given sound.
All registers for the device of pipes are divided into two groups:
- Labial- registers with open or closed pipes without reeds. This group includes: flutes (wide-scale registers), principals and narrow-scale ones (German Streicher - “streichers” or strings), as well as overtone registers - aliquots and potions, in which each note has one or more (weaker) overtone overtones.
- Reed- registers, in the pipes of which there is a tongue, when exposed to the supplied air, which produces a characteristic sound similar in timbre, depending on the name and design features of the register, with some wind orchestral musical instruments: oboe, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, trombone, etc. Reed registers can be located not only vertically, but also horizontally - such registers make up a group that is from fr. chamade is called "shamad".
Connection of various types of registers:
- ital. Organo pleno - labial and reed registers along with potion;
- fr. Grand jeu - labial and reed without potions;
- fr. Plein jeu - labial with potion.
The composer can indicate the name of the register and the size of the pipes in the notes above the place where this register should be applied. The choice of registers for the performance of a musical work is called registration, and the included registers - register combination.
Since the registers in different organs of different countries and eras are not the same, they are usually not indicated in detail in the organ part: only the manual, the designation of pipes with or without reeds and the size of the pipes are written over one or another place in the organ part, and the rest is left to the discretion performer. Most of the musical organ repertoire does not have any author's designations regarding the registration of the work, so the composers and organists of previous eras had their own traditions and the art of combining different organ timbres was passed on orally from generation to generation.
Pipes
The register pipes sound different:
- 8-foot pipes sound in accordance with musical notation;
- 4- and 2-foot sounds one and two octaves higher, respectively;
- 16- and 32-footers sound one and two octaves lower, respectively;
- The 64-foot labial pipes found in the largest organs in the world sound three octaves below the record, therefore, those actuated by the keys of the pedal and manual below the counter-octave already emit infrasound;
- the labial tubes closed at the top sound an octave lower than the open ones.
A stimhorn is used to tune the organ's small open labial metal pipes. With this hammer-shaped tool, the open end of the pipe is rolled or flared. Larger open pipes are tuned by cutting a vertical piece of metal near or directly from the open end of the pipe, which is bent at one angle or another. Open wood pipes usually have a wood or metal adjuster that can be adjusted to allow the pipe to be tuned. Closed wood or metal pipes are adjusted by adjusting the plug or cap at the top end of the pipe.
Facade pipes of the organ can also play a decorative role. If the pipes do not sound, then they are called "decorative" or "blind" (eng. dummy pipes).
Traktura
An organ tractura is a system of transmission devices that functionally connects the controls on the organ's console with the organ's air-locking devices. The game tractor transmits the movement of the manual keys and the pedal to the valves of a particular pipe or group of pipes in a potion. The register tracture provides switching on or off of the whole register or a group of registers in response to pressing the toggle switch or moving the register handle.
Through the register tracture, the memory of the organ also acts - combinations of registers, pre-configured and embedded in the device of the organ - ready-made, fixed combinations. They can be named both by the combination of registers - Pleno, Plein Jeu, Gran Jeu, Tutti, and by the strength of sound - Piano, Mezzopiano, Mezzoforte, Forte. In addition to ready-made combinations, there are free combinations that allow the organist to select, memorize and change a set of registers in the organ's memory at his discretion. The function of memory is not available in all organs. It is absent in organs with a mechanical register tracture.
Mechanical
The mechanical tractura is a reference, authentic and the most common at the moment, allowing you to perform the widest range of works of all eras; mechanical tracture does not give the phenomenon of "delay" of sound and allows you to thoroughly feel the position and behavior of the air valve, which makes it possible for the best control of the instrument by the organist and the achievement of high performance technique. The key of the manual or pedal, when using a mechanical traction, is connected to the air valve by a system of light wooden or polymer rods (abstracts), rollers and levers; occasionally, in large old organs, a cable-block transmission was used. Since the movement of all these elements is carried out only by the effort of the organist, there are restrictions in the size and nature of the arrangement of the sounding elements of the organ. In giant organs (more than 100 registers), mechanical traction is either not used or supplemented by a Barker machine (a pneumatic amplifier that helps to press the keys; such are the French organs of the early 20th century, for example, the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory and the Church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris). The mechanical gaming is usually combined with the mechanical register tracture and windlad of the shleyflade system.
Pneumatic
Pneumatic tracture - the most common in romantic organs - from the end of the 19th century to the 20s of the 20th century; pressing the key opens a valve in the control air duct, the air supply to which opens the pneumatic valve of a particular pipe (when using windblade shleyflade, it is extremely rare) or a whole series of pipes of the same tone (windblade kegellade, characteristic of pneumatic traction). It allows building huge instruments in terms of the set of registers, as it has no power limitations of the mechanical tracture, however, it has the phenomenon of sound “delay”. This often makes it impossible to perform technically complex works, especially in “wet” church acoustics, given that the register delay time depends not only on the distance from the organ console, but also on its pipe size, the presence of relays in the tract, which accelerate the operation of the mechanics for due to the refreshment of the impulse, the design features of the pipe and the type of windlad used (almost always it is a kegellad, sometimes it is a membranenlad: it works to exhaust air, extremely fast response). In addition, the pneumatic tractor disconnects the keyboard with air valves, depriving the organist of the feeling of "feedback" and impairing control over the instrument. Pneumatic tracture of the organ is good for performing solo works of the Romantic period, difficult to play in an ensemble, and not always suitable for baroque and contemporary music.
Electrical
Electric tractor is a tractor widely used in the 20th century, with direct signal transmission from a key to an electromechanical valve opening-closing relay by means of a direct current pulse in an electrical circuit. Currently, more and more often replaced by mechanical. This is the only tractura that does not impose any restrictions on the number and location of the registers, as well as the placement of the organ console on the stage in the hall. It allows you to place groups of registers at different ends of the hall, control the organ from an unlimited number of additional consoles, play music for two and three organs on one organ, and also put the console in a convenient place in the orchestra, from which the conductor will be clearly visible. It allows you to connect several organs into a common system, and also provides a unique opportunity to record a performance with subsequent playback without the participation of an organist. The disadvantage of the electric tracture, as well as the pneumatic one, is the break in the "feedback" of the organist's fingers and air valves. In addition, an electric tractor can delay the sound due to the response time of the electric valve relays, as well as the distribution switch (in modern organs, this device is electronic and does not give a delay; in instruments of the first half and the middle of the 20th century, it was often electromechanical). When actuated, electromechanical relays often give additional "metallic" sounds - clicks and knocks, which, unlike similar "wooden" overtones of mechanical tracture, do not decorate the sound of the work at all. In some cases, the largest pipes in the rest of a completely mechanical organ (for example, in a new instrument from Hermann Eule in Belgorod) receive an electric valve, which is due to the need to preserve the area of the mechanical valve, and as a result, playing efforts, in the bass within acceptable limits. Noise can also be emitted by a register electric tractor when changing register combinations. An example of an acoustically excellent organ with a mechanical playing tracture and at the same time a rather noisy register tracture is the Swiss Kuhn organ in the Catholic Cathedral in Moscow.
Other
The largest organs in the world
The largest organ in Europe is the Great Organ of the Cathedral of St. Stephen in Passau (Germany), built by the German company Stenmayer & Co. It has 5 manuals, 229 registers, 17,774 pipes. It is considered the fourth largest operating body in the world.
Until recently, the largest organ in the world with a completely mechanical playing tracture (without the use of electronic and pneumatic control) was the organ of the Cathedral of St. Trinity in Liepaja (4 manuals, 131 registers, more than 7 thousand pipes), however, in 1979, an organ with 5 manuals, 125 registers and about 10 thousand pipes was installed in the large concert hall of the Sydney Opera House performing arts center. Now it is considered the largest (with a mechanical traction).
The main organ of the Cathedral in Kaliningrad (4 manuals, 90 registers, about 6.5 thousand pipes) is the largest organ in Russia.
Experimental Bodies
Organs of original design and tuning have been developed since the second half of the 16th century, such as, for example, the archiorgan of the Italian music theorist and composer N. Vicentino. However, such bodies have not received wide distribution. Today they are exhibited as historical artifacts in museums of musical instruments along with other experimental instruments of the past.
The historic Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City is the city's most important convention center. All the big events in Atlantic City are held there. The Boardwalk Hall has hosted numerous sporting events (boxing, basketball, football, wrestling, figure skating, etc.), music concerts (The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Madonna and Lady Gaga are just a few of the celebrities), political conventions and even stage shows. Miss America. This entertainment complex occupies 7 acres of land with its own power plant, radio station, kitchens and telephone network. At the time of opening in 1929, the structure was an incredible feat of developers. Another outstanding feature of the Boardwalk Hall is the largest organ in the world, which will be discussed in this article.
In those days, organs were standard equipment for any entertainment complex, mainly used for the musical accompaniment of films (film dubbing technology had not yet been developed at that time). In those days, the average theater could seat 2,000 to 3,000 people, but the capacity of the Boardwalk Hall was a whopping 42,000 spectators. The closed space of the hall reached 5.5 million cubic feet in area and it was a big technical problem to fill this huge volume with music. 
The task of building the organ was given to Midmer-Losh Inc. from New York. They created a gigantic instrument that broke all possible records. Hall Hall is still the proud owner of the largest organ in the world and one of the most unique musical instruments on earth. Made with 33,000 pipes, this gigantic instrument handles a huge hall area with ease and sounds louder than the loudest train. To produce such a deafening sound, the organ uses a 600 horsepower electric drive capable of blowing 36,400 cubic feet of air per minute. The organ's main console is also the world's largest console. It took three years to build the organ - all work took place directly inside the building. The highest pipe reaches 20 meters in height. 
Another large antique organ is located in Brooklyn's forgotten Theater Royal. It was created by Robert Morton and named after him.
Unfortunately, the organ rarely functioned after the Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944, although it still continued to play for some shows, like the Miss America Pageant, political conventions, and athletic events. Long years of inactivity spoiled the organ so much that only 15-20% of the instrument remained in working order. It was then further damaged when careless workers broke several pipes during repairs in 2000-2001. The Boardwalk Hall organ is currently undergoing a major restoration. Restoration work is expected to take another 8 years.
The organ is one of the most ancient musical instruments. The first prototypes of wind musical instruments appeared in ancient Mesopotamia. Organ-like instruments are mentioned in the cultures of Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, but the organ acquired its modern look during the Middle Ages.
The art of building organs in those days was rapidly developing in Italy, France and Germany. The musical instrument grew in size, so it began to be built into churches, and a team of several people had to take care of the maintenance of the instrument during the game. One can imagine what impression the organ made on the medieval listener: from the majestic sound of its pipes, a shiver runs through the body, and thoughts are carried away somewhere far away ... Even a small organ in a chapel delights with the widest sound range, but real giants are of the greatest interest among the kings of musical instruments, installed in concert halls.
Organ console of the Boardwalk Concert Hall
The largest organ in the world is the Boardwalk Concert Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. This organ, built in 1932, has 33,112 pipes and is a record holder in several categories at once: “the largest organ”, “the largest musical instrument in the world” and “the loudest musical instrument in the world”. And these titles are quite fair: at a distance of one meter from its pipes, the sound volume can reach 120 dB - enough to feel pain in the ears. To force air into the pipes at a speed of 1050 cubic meters per minute, the organ uses an electrical system with a capacity of 600 horsepower. Such a high volume is permissible for a concert hall, in which up to 42,000 people can gather on performance days.
Inside the world's largest organ Unfortunately, the world's largest organ is not used as often as the audience would like. The active period of concerts with its use continued until 1944, when a devastating hurricane that hit Atlantic City caused significant damage to the concert hall and the organ itself. Since then, the musical instrument of the Boardwalk Concert Hall has been reconstructed and has given several concerts a year. The last time it was used during a public performance was in 1973, after which the organ was mothballed for a long time.
In 1988, experts examined the instrument and recognized its poor technical condition, after which a long period of restoration began. Only in 2013, after a long period of silence, did the organ pipes sound again before the audience. However, the restoration of part of the pipes of the largest musical instrument in the world continues to this day.
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