The great organ at Methuen / David F. Gallagher ; Paula King, illustrator.

Author/creator Gallagher, David F.
Format Book
Publication InfoWaltham, MA : David F. Gallagher, ©1995.
Descriptionii, 118 pages : illustrations ; 28 cm
Subjects

Contents Introduction. Opening comments. What will be discussed ; What you see at concerts ; Mystery ; What will not be discussed -- Chapter I: Outside and inside the organ, the console and the interior. Where is everything? The console. Names of keyboards. The choir ; The swell ; The great ; The positiv ; The pedal ; The pitch of keyboards and pedals -- Where did you say everything was? The stop knobs on the console. The console diagram. The choir ; The swell ; The pedal ; The great ; The positiv -- Yes! But, where is everything? Inside the organ: this is where things are! Floor plans of the interior of the organ. Upper level: Manual chests ; Lower level: Pedal chests -- How pipes stand on a chest. The "C" side ; Physical size of this organ -- Chapter II: Pipe making, the sounds that pipes make. Tonal production in flue pipes ; Speaking length ; A spectrum of sound. Pipe scales ; Treatment of mouths -- Names of stops -- Colors of eight foot stops. Principals. The foundation of the organ: great principal 8' ; Swell principal 8' ; Choir viola 8' ; Positiv principal 4' -- Other colors in the spectrum. Flutes ; Strings: the string chorus ; Reeds -- Registration -- Chapter III: The principal chorus. The principal chorus. Building a principal chorus beginning with principal 8 octave 4 and super octave 2. Diagram of principal 8, octave 4 and super octave 2 -- Mixtures. Great fourniture IV ; Breaks in mixtures. Diagram of great fourniture IV ; Diagram of great Scharff IV ; Diagram of kleine mixture IV ; Diagram of the full great principal chorus ; Diagram of positiv Zimbel III -- Other chorus mixtures -- Chapter IV: Other choruses: flutes, reeds & the pedal division. Flute choruses. Great flute chorus ; Swell flute chorus ; Mutations. An ear game with the full swell flute chorus ; An ear game with the full positiv flute chorus ; Cornet: Flute 8 with 2 2/3 and 1 3/5 great cornet IV-VI ; An ear game with the great mutations -- Reed choruses. Great reeds ; Swell reeds ; Choir reeds -- The pedal division -- Chapter V: Couplers. The coupler system. Diagram of the couplers. 8' couplers ; Mathematical complications of couplers 16' & 4' ; Coupler theory vs. sound ; Great on positiv, positiv on great -- Chapter VI: Not much ado about not many other things. Resultants. Grand bourdon ; Great mutations -- Proportions of pedal stops to manual stops -- Sub-octave manual stops -- Case pipes -- Mechanical equipment. The combination action -- Other mechanical helps. Manual reversibles to pedal ; Crescendo pedal ; Sforzando pedal -- Tremolos -- Chapter VII: A final comment -- A lexicon of technical terms -- A lexicon of stops found in the Methuen organ.
Abstract In this series of four lectures, the author explores the Methuen Organ, its sound, details regarding the console, the location, and building of pipes.