PROGRESS OF THE REVOLUTION IN OUR OWN COUNTRY.
In the study of the art of organ-building one cannot fail to be struck
by the fact that almost all the great steps in advance have been due to
Englishmen: the compound horizontal bellows, the concussion bellows,
the swell box, the pneumatic lever, the tubular-pneumatic action, the
electro-pneumatic action, the Universal air chest, the leathered lip,
the clothed flue, the diaphone, smooth reed tone, imitative string
tone, the vowel cavity, tone reflectors, cement swell boxes, the sound
trap joint, suitable bass, the unit organ, movable console, radiating
and concave pedal board, combination pedals, combination pistons and
keys, the rotary blower--and many other items--were the inventions and
work of Englishmen.
Speaking in general terms, this country lagged very far behind not only
England, but also behind France, and even Germany, in the art of
organ-building until comparatively a few years ago.
It has recently advanced with extraordinary rapidity, and if it be not
yet in the position of leader, it is certainly now well abreast of
other nations.
Hilborne Roosevelt constructed a number of beautiful organs in this
country, beginning his work about the year 1874. While his organs
altogether lacked the impressive dignity of the best European
instruments of the period, they were marked by beauty of finish and
artistic care in construction. He invented the adjustable combination
action, and this forms about all his original contribution destined to
live and influence the organ of the future. Nevertheless, his marks on
organ-building in this country were great and wholly beneficial. He
studied the art in Europe (especially France) and introduced into this
country many features at that time practically unknown here. Several
of the organs constructed by his firm are in use to-day and are in a
good state of repair. They contain Flutes that it would be hard to
surpass, Diapasons that are bold and firm, and far above the average,
though thought by some to lack weight and dignity of effect. The
action is excellent and the materials employed and the care and
workmanship shown throughout cannot be too highly praised.
Roosevelt must be set down as the leader of the revolution which, by
the introduction of foreign methods, has in the last twenty years so
completely transformed organ-building in the United States.
Roosevelt was also the pioneer in using electro-pneumatic action here.
Accounts had reached England of his wonderful organ in Garden City
Cathedral, part of which was in the gallery, part in the chancel, part
in the roof, and part in the choir vestry in the basement. The author,
on arriving in Philadelphia in 1893, as organist of St. Clement's
Church there, was anxious to see a Roosevelt electric organ and was
invited to see one in the concert hall of Stetson's hat factory. He
was shown one of the magnets, which was about six inches long! Here is
an account of the organ in Grace Church, New York City, which appeared
in the American Correspondence of the London _Musical News_, February
15, 1896:
There are three organs in this church by Roosevelt--in the chancel, in
the west gallery, and an echo in the roof, electrically connected and
playable from either of the keyboards, one in the chancel and one in
the gallery. The electric action is of an old and clumsy pattern,
operated from storage batteries filled from the electric-light main,
and requiring constant attention. The "full organs" and "full swells"
go off slowly, with a disagreeable effect, familiar to players on
faulty pneumatic instruments.
This organ has lately been entirely rebuilt with new action and vastly
improved by Mr. E. M. Skinner.
In 1894 the writer made the acquaintance of the late Mr. Edmund
Jardine, who was then building a new organ for Scotch Presbyterian
Church in Central Park West, with an entirely new electric action that
had been invented by his nephew. Of course by this time Mr.
Hope-Jones' inventions were well known over here, and Mr. Jardine told
the writer that some of the other organ-builders had been using actions
which were as close imitations of the Hope-Jones as it was possible to
get without infringement of patents. The Jardine action seemed to the
writer a very close imitation also, and he can testify to its being a
good one, as he later on had nearly three years experience of it at All
Angels' Church.
But the pioneers had troubles of their own, no doubt, caused by using
too large and heavy magnets, which exhausted the batteries faster than
the current could be produced. The writer had this experience with the
batteries at two different churches and had some difficulty in getting
the organ-builders to see what was the matter. The steady use of the
organ for an hour-and-a-half's choir rehearsal would exhaust the
batteries. The organ-builder would be notified, and, on coming next
day, _would not find anything the matter_, the batteries having
recovered themselves in the interim. Finally, two sets of batteries
were installed with a switch by the keyboard, so that the fresh set
could be brought into use on observing signs of exhaustion. Many
churches have installed small dynamos to furnish current for the key
action. Even in these cases signs of weakness are often apparent--the
organist in playing full does not get all the notes he puts down. Same
cause of trouble--too heavy magnets. Here is where the Hope-Jones
action has the whip-hand over all others, all the current it requires
being supplied by a single cell! At the writer's churches there were
six and eight cells. Most of the electric organs erected in this
country, 1894-1904, have had to be entirely rebuilt.
About the year 1894 Ernest M. Skinner (at that time Superintendent of
the Hutchings Organ Co., of Boston, Mass.), went over to England to
study the art in that country. He was well received by Hope-Jones, by
Willis and others. He introduced many of the English inventions into
this country--the movable console (St. Bartholomew's, New York;
Symphony Hall, Boston, etc.), increased wind pressure and the leathered
lip (Grace Church, Plymouth Church, Columbia College, College of the
City of New York, Cleveland Cathedral, etc.), smooth heavy pressure
reeds, Tibias (Philomela) small scale strings, etc. In this work
Skinner eventually had the advantage of Hope-Jones' services as
Vice-President of his own company and of the assistance of a number of
his men from England.
About the year 1895 Carlton C. Michell, an English organ-builder, who
had been associated with Thynne and with Hope-Jones, and who had as the
latter's representative set up new-type organs in Baltimore, Md., and
Taunton, Mass., joined the Austin Organ Co., Hartford, Conn. He
rapidly introduced modern string tone and other improvements there.
In 1903 Hope-Jones came to this country and also joined the Austin
Organ Co. as its Vice-President, whereupon that company adopted his
stop-keys, wind pressures, scales, leathered lip, smooth reeds,
orchestral stops, etc. (Albany Cathedral, Wanamaker's organ, New York,
the organs now standing in the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and others.)
In 1907 the Hope-Jones Organ Co., Elmira, N. Y., commenced the
construction of organs containing all these and other English
improvements (Ocean Grove, N. J.; Buffalo Cathedral, N. Y.; New
Orleans, La., etc.).
The influence of the work already done by the aforenamed pioneers in
this country is being manifested in a general improvement in organ tone
and mechanism throughout the United States.
Musical men, hearing the new tones and musical effects now produced,
realize for the first time the grandeur and refinement and amazing
variety of musical effects that the organ is capable of yielding; on
returning to their own churches they are filled with "divine
discontent," and they do not rest until a movement for obtaining a new
organ, or at least modernizing the old one, is set on foot. The
abandonment of old ideas as to the limitations of the organ is begun,
new ideals are being set up, and a revolution which will sweep the
whole country has now obtained firm foothold.
Until recently England unquestionably led in the development of the
organ, and Hope-Jones led England. Now that his genius is at work in
this country, who shall set limit to our progress? Even when
expressing himself through other firms, his influence entirely altered
the standard practice of the leading builders, and now, since direct
expression has been obtained, improvements have appeared with even
greater rapidity.
It is the author's opinion (based on a wide knowledge of the
instruments in both countries) that in the course of the last ten years
this country has made such great strides in the art that it may now
claim ability to produce organs that are quite equal to the best of
these built in England. And he ventures to prophesy that in less than
another ten years, American-built organs will be accepted as the
world's highest standard.
At a banquet given in his honor in New York in 1906, the late Alexandre
Guilmant complained that no organ that he had played in this country
possessed majesty of effect. The advent of Hope-Jones has entirely
changed the situation. Tertius Noble, late of York Minster, England,
who has just come to this country, asserts that organs can be found
here equal to or superior to any built in England, and the celebrated
English organist, Edwin Lemare, pronounced the reeds at Ocean Grove, N.
J., the finest he had ever heard.
[Illustration: ARISTIDE CAVAILLE-COLL.]