Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 40.djvu/666

646 pipe-organs in effect. Quality of tone, together with power and great variety, are now possible, whereas the harmoniums, melodeons, and seraphines known in 1860 were simple instruments with one set of reeds and no stops worthy of the name, being only fit for domestic hymn-singing. Notwithstanding, the organ has ceased to be popular at present, nearly all the firms named having added the production of pianos to their business. The latter instrument has been growing into popular favor, to the disadvantage of the former, and if present indications are reliable the production of organs will be an insignificant branch of industry in the future; yet some look forward to the re-establishment of the organ in popular favor.

Many attempts have been made to combine reeds with strings in the piano, the first being made by Prof. Wheatstone, in London, in 1834. Obed Coleman, a native of New Bedford, Mass., invented a system for uniting both in a square piano, which he named the Æolian attachment. This was adopted by a Boston manufacturer in 1844, but was abandoned after a few years. Other attempts have been made, with like results.

Organs combining the features of the pipe and reed have been also made, the Peloubet system being regarded as the most successful. Lyon & Healy, of Chicago, manufacture the "Peloubet reed-pipe organs" at present, their trade extending to Europe largely. Another form of organ somewhat approximate is the Vocalian. The physical basis of sound production in this instrument resembles that of the human voice, according to its inventor. Dr. Hamilton, a Scottish gentleman, who produced it after many years of study and experiment. The instrument consequently attracted much attention when introduced here in 1882. It comes very close to the pipe-organ in quality, and is an excellent substitute. Mason & Risch, of Worcester, Mass., manufacture these instruments.

Mechanical instruments called organettes are also produced in large numbers for export and domestic purposes. In these, sheets of perforated paper run over the reeds, the perforations admitting free play for the air, thus producing the desired effect. They are of American invention. Organs employing somewhat similar methods for the mechanical production of music by pneumatic action have come into use recently, but, while capable of yielding pleasing effects, they are decried by musicians, upon the ground that the individuality of an artistic musical performance can not be duplicated apart from human instrumentality. This is, however, only a matter of opinion. While the majority of organ manufacturers are scattered throughout various States—unlike the piano art industry, which is mostly concentrated in New York and Boston—Chicago is the largest producing center in the country.