
Most organs in Europe, the Americas, and Australasia can be found in Christian churches. Another interesting feature lies in its intrinsic " polyphony" approach: each set of pipes can be played simultaneously with others, and the sounds mixed and interspersed in the environment, not in the instrument itself. For instance, the Wanamaker organ, located in Philadelphia, USA, has sonic resources comparable with three simultaneous symphony orchestras. Perhaps the most distinctive feature is the ability to range from the slightest sound to the most powerful, plein-jeu impressive sonic discharge, which can be sustained in time indefinitely by the organist. Some of the biggest instruments have 64-foot pipes (a foot here means "sonic-foot", a measure quite close to the English measurement unit), and it sounds to an 8 Hz frequency fundamental tone. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart called the organ the "King of instruments". A large modern organ typically has three or four keyboards ( manuals) with five octaves (61 notes) each, and a two-and-a-half octave (32-note) pedal board. Pipe organs range in size from a single short keyboard to huge instruments with over 10,000 pipes. Along with the clock, it was considered one of the most complex human-made mechanical creations before the Industrial Revolution. It has existed in its current form since the 14th century, though similar designs were common in the Eastern Mediterranean from the early Byzantine period (from the 4th century AD) and precursors, such as the hydraulic organ, have been found dating to the late Hellenistic period (1st century BC).
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Some special registers with free reed pipes are expressive. Some organs are totally enclosed, meaning that all the divisions can be controlled by one set of shutters. Although the keyboard is not expressive as on a piano and does not affect dynamics (it is binary pressing a key only turns the sound on or off), some divisions may be enclosed in a swell box, allowing the dynamics to be controlled by shutters. The pipes are divided into ranks and controlled by the use of hand stops and combination pistons. Small organs are called " positive" (easily placed in different locations) or " portative" (small enough to carry while playing). These instruments vary greatly in size, ranging from a cubic yard to a height reaching five floors, and are built in churches, synagogues, concert halls, and homes. The pipe organ is the largest musical instrument. Little barrel organs dispense with the hands of an organist and bigger organs are powered in most cases by an organ grinder or today by other means such as an electric motor.Ĥth century AD "Mosaic of the Female Musicians" showing a woman playing organ from a Byzantine villa in Maryamin, Syria. These are controlled by mechanical means such as pinned barrels or book music. Mechanical organs include the barrel organ, water organ, and Orchestrion. Non-piped organs include the reed organ or harmonium, which like the accordion and harmonica (or "mouth organ") use air to excite free reeds.Įlectronic organs or digital organs, notably the Hammond organ, generate electronically produced sound through one or more loudspeakers. Great economies of space and cost are possible especially when the lowest (and largest) of the pipes can be replaced. Increasingly hybrid organs are appearing in which pipes are augmented with electronic additions. Since the 16th century, pipe organs have used various materials for pipes, which can vary widely in timbre and volume. Pipe organs use air moving through pipes to produce sounds. Subsequently it re-emerged as a secular and recital instrument in the Classical music tradition. During the early medieval period it spread from the Byzantine Empire, where it continued to be used in secular (non-religious) and imperial court music, to Western Europe, where it gradually assumed a prominent place in the liturgy of the Catholic Church. It was played throughout the Ancient Greek and Ancient Roman world, particularly during races and games. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria (285–222 BC), who invented the water organ.

In music, the organ (from Greek ὄργανον organon, "organ, instrument, tool") is a keyboard instrument of one or more pipe divisions or other means for producing tones, each played with its own keyboard, played either with the hands on a keyboard or with the feet using pedals. Problems listening to this file? See media help.įile:Flight of the Bumblebee on Pipe Organ Pedals.webmĬarol Williams performing at the United States Military Academy West Point Cadet Chapel. George's Minster in the town of Dinkelsbühl Improvisation in e, played on the organ located in the St.
