Book Description

Excerpt from The Organ in France: A Study of Its Mechanical Construction, Tonal Characteristics and Literature, With Suggestions for the Registration, of French Organ Music Upon American Instruments The relation of these improvements to the previously established conception of the organ as an instrument, and of its legitimate function, it is not my province to discuss. Many believe that the new methods have emancipated the organ from the fetters of mechanical limitations, while others maintain that at least in ex treme cases an essentially new instrument has been evolved, possessing a field of usefulness and demanding an individuality of treatment peculiarly its own. One thing is certain: that under discriminating and skilful direction the new methods adopted in recent years have given our organ-builders of to-day the opportunity to produce work possessing at once such artistic excellence and interesting possibilities as could seldom have been vouchsafed to their predecessors, working under existing limitations. Only the future can determine the exact value of these new methods. When judiciously employed, it is in contestable that they will greatly increase the technical possibilities of the organ. But to prove their artistic as well as their commercial value, they must awaken a corresponding development of musical faculties on the part of executants, and stimulate interest in the organ among musicians and composers. Especially must the latter be inspired to augment a repertoire which is none too rich in modern works of genuine musical importance. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.