Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 2.djvu/606

594 Smith's organ had three complete manuals, which was also a novelty. Two complete stops were allotted to the upper set of keys, forming a kind of Solo organ, with which the 'Ecchos' acted in combination.

The following is a copy of the Schedule of Father Smith's organ as delivered to the two societies, signed, and dated June 21, 1688.

Not long after this date, in 1690, Renatus Harris undertook to repair and improve the organ erected by his grandfather in Magdalen College, Oxford; and the conditions he named showed how thoroughly such renovations were sometimes undertaken in those days. He 'covenanted' to render all the mechanism 'strong, staunch, good, and serviceable,' and to make the pipes 'bear a good tone, strong, clear, and sweet.' He also undertook to 'alter the pitch of the said organs'—which had been tuned to a very high one—'half a note lower than they now are'; and to make the 'two sets of keys fall as little as can be to give the pipes their due tone; the touch to be ready, soft, and even under the finger.' Renatus Harris therefore took honest thought of the interest of his patrons, the pleasure of the listeners, the ease of the singers, and the comfort of the player. Among the new stops which he introduced was a Cedirne (Cithern), doubtless a string-toned stop; and he applied the terms 'Furniture' and 'Cymbal' to the compound stops for the first time in England. Harris introduced no reeds into this organ, Its amended specification stood as follows:—

Father Smith's success at the Temple doubtless had much to do with his being invited to erect an organ in the Metropolitan Cathedral; the contract for which was dated and signed Dec. 19, 1694. The instrument was to consist of Great and Chayre Organs, and Echoes, it was to be completed by Lady Day, 1696, and the price to be £2000. The compass was to be the same as that at the Temple, namely 'Double F fa ut to C sol fa in Alt inclusive,' 54 notes. Smith's contract was for the inside of the organ only; the case being provided by Sir Christopher Wren. The list of stops originally agreed upon was as follows:—

12 stops.
 * 1) Open Diapason.
 * 2) Open Diapason.
 * 3) Stop Diapason.
 * 4) Principal.
 * 5) Holfleut.
 * 6) Great Twelfth.
 * 7) Fifteenth.
 * 8) Small Twelfth.
 * 9) Sesquialtera.
 * 10) Mixture.
 * 11) Cornet.
 * 12) Trumpet.

9 stops.

Stop Diapason. Quinta dena Diapason. Principal. Holfleut. Great Twelfth. Fifteenth. Cymball. Voice Humane.</li> <li>Crumhorne.</li></ol>

or halfe stops; 6.

<li>Diapason.</li> <li>Principal.</li> <li>Nason.</li> <li>Fifteenth.</li> <li>Cornet.</li> <li>Trumpet.</li></ol>

After the contract was signed, Smith extended his design, and made the Great Manual to the compass of 16 ft., instead of 12 ft. only; and he added the six large extra notes—CCC, DDD, EEE♭, EEE♮, FFF♯, and GG♯—at his own expense. He had previously given Sir Christopher Wren the dimensions of the case he would require for his 12-ft. organ; and he now desired these to be increased, but this Sir Christopher refused, declaring that the building was already spoiled by the 'confounded box of whistles.' Smith took his revenge on Wren by letting the larger open diapason pipes in the two side towers project through the top of the case nearly a foot, which vexed Sir Christopher exceedingly, and compelled him to add ornaments several feet in height to hide the disfigurement. The Choir Organ case, too, was made so small that it had no room for the Quinta-dena, which therefore, though made, had to be left out.

Renatus Harris was very partial to an