enthusiasm in promoting music and free reed instruments!

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

I have realised recently, as I am sure you all have too, that I may keep popping in to make yet more comments on concertina things!  I don't know if I should stop or humbly ask for your forgiveness in this habit; but, you see, until recently I have few opportunities to discuss such niche interests to others; if you mention to other people 'concertina' they seem to smirk a bit! or be mildly amused; or pass comments as to say 'as long as it keeps you amused'... 

We all of course know that there is a vast world of possibilities of these wonderful instruments, and how once someone tries one out, just how addictive they are to want to learn to play!

So there I was sat, very much a  'closet performer', and then I discovered this little site; and off I went, to share the interest.

So, let's all try and enthuse whoever we can with the alternative instruments available today; other than the [marvellous] guitars, electronic keyboards and the like? The free reed wonders as they are!

[Jim2010]

Here is a free reed instrument that is relatively unknown compared with concertinas: portable folding organ. These instruments are sometimes called a preacher's or chaplain's organs (because they were carried in the field for religious services during WW I).

 

A look inside and a good performance.

 

 

 

Minnesota (USA) Historical Society description of a Bilhorn Preacher's organ in their collection.

 

A performance on an instrument almost identical to the Historical Society.

 

 

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

Just listened to that reed organ; what a lovely sound it has... And capable of quite dynamic range too ( loud and quiet).. so nifty and handy size... Is it Harmonium related? Or same instrument?

[DaveM]

I always figured that they are pared-down version of full-fledged reed organs.  I too find them quite pleasant to listen to.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 20, 2022 by DaveM

[Kathryn Wheeler]

DaveM - Thanks for introducing me to Emilia’s channel (the Juuri and Juuri fiddler - she has more tunes with the two instruments - reminds me of playing fiddle with my piano accordionist friend and also if the reed organ I played as a kid  

[Anglo-Irishman]

On 1/24/2022 at 10:34 AM, Kathryn Wheeler said:

reminds me of ... the reed organ I played as a kid

I, too had the privilege of growing up with a harmonium in the living-room at home! At least, in the house we lived in when I was aged between 7 and 13. I was sent to piano lessons at that time, but I preferred to do my finger exercises at home on the harmonium. It's so much more fun than a piano. You can play great handfuls of notes, and alter them from major through seventh to minor, let them swell up and die down, and alter the sound by pulling out different stops. The only real advantage of the piano-forte - the ability to play softly or loudly - is matched easily by the harmonium. If you pedal a bit harder, it gets a bit louder,and if you operate the swell lever with your knee, it gets a lot louder. This is the type of harmonium I'm talking about:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrmSv3ay6-A

 

As a child, I also got to know the portable, folding reed organ. My parents belonged to an evangelical mission, and we had a portable organ for use in open-air services on bathing-beaches in summer. It seemed impervious to sand and salty air!

 

In my tool-chest there's an odd-looking gedget that I inherited from my father. It's a small turned wood handle like that of a screwdriver of chisel, but the "business end" is simply a thick, round-headed screw partly screwed into the handle. As I remember, my father told me it was for drawing deeds out of a harmonium for maintenance or tuning purposes.

[Kathryn Wheeler]

My mum grew up with a harmonium in the front room in the 40s (she remembers he clunking sound of the pedals!) and also remembers evangelical folk (she thinks) pushing a harmonium through the streets, stopping and singing carols (she joined in - all under the street lamp), before moving on. This was in a valley in S Wales  

The reed organ I remember was in the 70s and was electric - I definitely remember the whirring sound!

 

Thankyou for your recollections!

 

Edited January 27, 2022 by Kathryn Wheeler

[Richard Mellish]

My Grandfather had a harmonium but sold it before my time. When I was somewhere around twenty one turned up in an antique shop and my Grandmother paid for it for me. The dealer was going to do it up before selling it but in the end didn't bother, so I had to do a bit of work to make it playable. It is still in my living room but I hardly ever play it.

[Jim2010]

 

1 hour ago, Richard Mellish said:

My Grandfather had a harmonium but sold it before my time. When I was somewhere around twenty one turned up in an antique shop and my Grandmother paid for it for me. The dealer was going to do it up before selling it but in the end didn't bother, so I had to do a bit of work to make it playable. It is still in my living room but I hardly ever play it.

I also have one. Mine is like the Bilhorn Preacher's organs above, but without the swell bars. I don't know if they ever had them. 

[Anglo-Irishman]

The term "preacher's organ" has a second meaning!

A friend of mine is a passionate player and collector of barrel organs (or street organs, as they are sometimes called). All the organs in his collection have pipes, except for one, which has free reeds. Otherwise, it's a barrel organ, driven by a crank handle and actuated by a punched paper roll. It is American, and officially termed a "preacher's organ." Needless to say, the rolls all play old Gospel hymn tunes!

I must admit that it sounds more solemn and less fair-groundish than his piped barrel organs.😉

Cheers,

John

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

Just remembered, reading through all these lovely recalled events, years ago in York there was a man went about with a hand wound barrel organ, he would wheel about, and a couple little monkeys that sort of sat on the thing as he wound the handle; amazing and olde world even then ( in the 70s)! Not much related to concertinas but odd musical memory brought back to me!

[Kathryn Wheeler]

Wonderful anecdotes! I'd love to have a go and I am sure my mum would get all sorts of flashbacks to playing one!

[DaveRo]

I recently visited the Musical Instrument Museum in Leipzig. No concertinas, just one melodion (manufacturor's spelling) - a 'Royal Standard' made in Saxony for the English market.

 

It had comprehensive collection of keyboard instruments, as you'd expect in that Bach-besotted city.

 

And they had an orthotonophonium.

This 90 second YouTube tells you exactly what it is and what it sounds like.

(It's in German - like all the captions in the museum. I don't speak German, which is why I'm googling it.)

 

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

What an intriguing instrument that Orthotonophonium is..( think I got the spelling right!!)...

Very strange tone of sound of muddled up keys all over the place! You could literally accidentally fall onto it and still make a tune!🌝

[JimR]

I recently learned of a different type of harmonium, popular in India, I believe. With less than a full keyboard and bellows on the back, I assume you play one-handed.

[Jake Middleton-Metcalfe]

Simon please don't feel self conscious about being enthusiastic!

Edited June 21, 2023 by Jake Middleton-Metcalfe