Organ

Probably the most dramatic evolution to have taken place in the world of musical instruments concerns the organ. In its most primitive form as the panpipes, it is a hand-held instrument blown from the lips. At the other end of the scale is the monsted organ (built in the Wanamaker Store, Philadelphia, between 1911 and 1930) with 30,067 pipes, the longest of which measures 19.5 metres. Compared to the delicate, almost whispering tones of the panpipe, and organ's volume can equal to the of six American locomotive whistles, as may be experienced when the ophiceleide stop is operated on the Auditorium Organ, Atlantic City. This organ is sad at one time to haave been capable of equalling the volume of 25 brass bands.

Bach's massive volumes of organ works lend themselves to similarly massive treatment but still sound best on smallish baroque organs. Since then, Liszt, Franck and Widor have contributed valuable solo organ works, and Bruckner, an organist, allowed the organ's noble tones to invade his orchestral works. Recent organ concertos are rare, the best known being Poulenc's (1938).

Midi: Bach's Organ Concerto in A minor, Movement 1

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