Page:A Dictionary of Music and Musicians vol 2.djvu/604

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592
ORGAN.

however were sounded nearly a tone higher than on a modern organ, and hence the inconvenience; for transposition on an unequally tempered organ was impracticable, on account of the 'howling of the wolf,' as the defective tuning of the other scales was termed; and equal temperament did not take its rise until 1688–93, and then only in Germany; the organ in the Church of St. Jacobi, Hamburg, being apparently the earliest one tuned according to that system.


1664–5. Wimbourne Minster. Robert Hayward.

Mutation stops (Nos. 6 and 7 below).

In 1663 (July 28) a rate was made at Wimbourne for buying a new organ; and in 1664 (Sept. 10) an arrangement was made with 'Robert Hayward, of the Citty of Bath, orgin-master, to erect and set up a payre of organs in the Church,' for £180; which contract was completed in 1665. Although this maker's name is not to be found in the list of native members of his craft contained in the standard works on the subject, yet in excellence he was not a whit behind his countrymen whose names have become better known.

The instrument originally consisted of 'Great Organ with Choir Organ in front.' The Stopped Diapasons were of metal down to Tenor F, with chimneys. Hayward anticipated Harris's type of organ to a remarkable extent, as will be perceived on comparing the following list of stops with the St. Sepulchre's specification given farther on.

Great organ. 10 stops.
Pipes
1. Open Diapason, metal 52
2. Stopped Diapason, metal treble 52
3. Principal, metal 52
4. Twelfth, metal 52
5. Fifteenth, metal 52
6. Tierce, metal 52
7. Larigot, metal 52
8. Sesquialtera, 4 ranks, metal 208
9. Cornet, to middle C, mounted, 5 ranks, metal 135
10. Trumpet, metal 52
707
Choir organ. In front 4 stops
11. Stopped Diapason, metal treble 52
12. Principal, metal 52
13. Flute, wood, closed 52
14. Fifteenth, metal 52
Total 985
Compass, Great and Choir, GG,
short octaves to D in alt, 52 notes.

Neither Dallam's nor Hayward's organ contained an Echo.


1665–6. Exeter Cathedral. John Loosemore.

Double Diapason, Bass, etc.

The organ in Exeter Cathedral, constructed by John Loosemore, possessed a remarkable feature in its Double open Diapason, which contained the largest pipes ever made in this country. The fourteen pipes of which this stop consisted, were grouped in two separate sets of seven each, against two of the columns of the great central tower, and therefore at some distance from the main body of the organ; and were acted upon by an additional set of pallets. The dimensions of the largest pipe (GGG), were as follows:—

Speaking part, long 20 ft. 6 in.
Nose 4 0
Circumference 3 11
Diameter 1 3
Contents of the speaking part, 3 hogs. 8 gal.
Weight, 360 lbs.


The large Exeter pipes, like those at Halberstadt, did not produce much effect when tried by themselves, for an old writer, the Hon. Roger North, says of them, 'I could not be so happy to perceive that in the musick they signified anything at all'; but (like those at Halberstadt) they manifested their influence when used in combination; for another writer, at the commencement of the present century, observes respecting them, 'no effect alone, but very fine with the Diapasons and Principal.'

The following was the scheme of the Exeter Cathedral organ, in which we find the open diapason duplicated:—

Great organ. 10 stops.
Pipes.
1. Double Diapason 14
2. Open Diapason 55
3. Open Diapason 55
4. Stopped Diapason 55
5. Principal 55
6. Twelfth 55
7. Fifteenth 55
8. Sesquialtera, 5 ranks 275
9. Cornet to middle C, do. 135
10. Trumpet 55
809
Choir organ. In front, 5 stops.
11. Stopped Diapason 55
12. Principal 55
13. Flute 55
14. Fifteenth 55
15. Bassoon 55
Total 1084
Compass, Great and Choir, GG, long octaves, no GG♯, to
D in alt. 65 notes.


1666–7. Worcester Cathedral. Thomas Harris.

Chiefly Foundation-stops.

On July 5, 1666, Thomas Harris entered into an agreement with the Dean and Chapter of Worcester, according to which 'within eighteen months he shall set up in the choyre a double organ, consisting of great organ and chaire organ.' The list of the stops for this instrument has been preserved, and goes far to explain why Harris did not for some time meet with quite as much encouragement as Smith. His specification is made up simply of the same kind of stops as were in vogue in England before the Commonwealth, and presents but slight indication of its author's having profited by his sojourn abroad. The specification was as follows:—

Great organ. 9 stops.

1 & 2. two open Diapasons, of metal,
3. one Recorder, of metal.
4 & 5. two Principals, of metal.
6. one Twelfth, of metal.
7 & 8. two Fifteenths, of metal.
9. one place for another stop.

Chaire organ. 5 stops.


10. one Open Diapason, of wood, having nine pipes towards the bases beginning in A re.
11. one Stopped Diapason, of wood.
12. one Principal, of metal.
13. one Fifteenth, of metal.
14. one Two-and-20th (as they call it).

The compass of the organ is not given, but some interesting particulars occur as to the dimensions for two of the metal pipes. The two great open diapasons, which were 'to be in sight, east and west,' were to contain 'a 10-ft. pipe, as at Sarum and Gloucester, following the proportion of 8 in. diameter in the 10-ft. pipe; and 4 in. diameter in a pipe of 5ft.'[1]

Although he specified the dimensions of his largest pipe, Harris mentioned nothing as to the key upon which it was to act—whether F, F♯, or G; and the omission of this particular would have left the question as to the downward compass and consequent pitch of his organ in great uncertainty, were there not means for obtaining the information by deduction.

Thomas Tomkins, organist of Worcester Cathedral, who published his 'Musica Deo Sacra' in

  1. 'The Monastery and Cathedral of Worcester, by John Noake. 1866.' p. 483.