Music Trade Review
Issue: 1952 Vol. 111 N. 6 - Page 13
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
Unites Classic Organ with
"Electronic Modernities"
In a recent issue of the "New York
Sunday Times" under the heading of
"Better Pipe Organs" an article ap-
peared telling how John Hays Ham-
mond, Jr. of Gloucester, Mass., who has
developed an organ of several thousand
pipes, has used microphones in each
chamber to amplify tones. One of those
persons who helped Mr. Hammond de-
velop this organ to something like 12.-
000 pipes is Tolbert F. Cheek, whose
shop is at 11 Beauport Ave., Gloucester,
Mass.
The magnitude of this work can be
realized somewhat through what is told
in this article, which appeared in the
"Times" as follows:
"Every broadcasting studio has at
least one so-called "electronic organ,"
an instrument that has a keyboard with
which the performer controls the oscil-
lations of tone-producing electron
tubes. Because of the effects that can
be produced, the instrument deserves to
stand on its own feet as a new creation.
It is no organ at all. Nothing can take
the place of the church organ. But the
church organ has its limitations. There
are not only space-consuming pipes
large and small but chests, reservoirs,
and other apparatus, all acoustically
bad because they weaken overtones.
"John Hays Hammond Jr., inventor
of scores of devices in which electronic
principles are applied, has intensely
studied this problem in his laboratory
at Gloucester, Mass. After deciding that
there is no substitute for the classic pipe
organ, he enlarges its potentialities
with the aid of electronics. He picks
up the tone in each chamber with mi-
crophones and conducts it electrically
to its proper place in a bank of out-
side loudspeakers in the church or audi-
torium. Lost harmonic intensities are
strengthened so that they regain their
original quality. The electronic and the
ordinary acoustic swell shutter are co-
ordinated, so that the instrument can
be played by any organist without
learning a new technique.
"In this way Hammond unites the
classic organ with what he calls "elec-
tronic modernities." Solo voices and
ensembles are remarkably improved be-
cause there are not acoustic losses. It
is now possible to use for solo pur-
poses many stops to achieve unprece-
dented delicacy of intonation. The large
pipe organ becomes more flexible, and
the smaller instrument is able to fill a
very large auditorium. It is no longer
necessary to build great choirs of dia-
pasons to achieve the powerful ensem-
bles wanted by the church or concert
organist.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, JUNE, 1952
HESITATES
The sales initiative goes to the dealer who offers
a selection.
Now Manual Arts style matched
bench legs are combined with a standard fabric
bench seat. This new line is available in 24 different
cover materials. Your customers will appreciate
this additional service for matching home color
schemes.
Fa brie selection easily made
from this attractive display
book. Write for your free-
sample book now!
^Available in more than 100
perfectly matched leg designs.
The M a n u a l
Arts
Furniture
Company
1013
HULBERT
AVENUE, CINCINNATI
14,
OHIO
13
Unites Classic Organ with
"Electronic Modernities"
In a recent issue of the "New York
Sunday Times" under the heading of
"Better Pipe Organs" an article ap-
peared telling how John Hays Ham-
mond, Jr. of Gloucester, Mass., who has
developed an organ of several thousand
pipes, has used microphones in each
chamber to amplify tones. One of those
persons who helped Mr. Hammond de-
velop this organ to something like 12.-
000 pipes is Tolbert F. Cheek, whose
shop is at 11 Beauport Ave., Gloucester,
Mass.
The magnitude of this work can be
realized somewhat through what is told
in this article, which appeared in the
"Times" as follows:
"Every broadcasting studio has at
least one so-called "electronic organ,"
an instrument that has a keyboard with
which the performer controls the oscil-
lations of tone-producing electron
tubes. Because of the effects that can
be produced, the instrument deserves to
stand on its own feet as a new creation.
It is no organ at all. Nothing can take
the place of the church organ. But the
church organ has its limitations. There
are not only space-consuming pipes
large and small but chests, reservoirs,
and other apparatus, all acoustically
bad because they weaken overtones.
"John Hays Hammond Jr., inventor
of scores of devices in which electronic
principles are applied, has intensely
studied this problem in his laboratory
at Gloucester, Mass. After deciding that
there is no substitute for the classic pipe
organ, he enlarges its potentialities
with the aid of electronics. He picks
up the tone in each chamber with mi-
crophones and conducts it electrically
to its proper place in a bank of out-
side loudspeakers in the church or audi-
torium. Lost harmonic intensities are
strengthened so that they regain their
original quality. The electronic and the
ordinary acoustic swell shutter are co-
ordinated, so that the instrument can
be played by any organist without
learning a new technique.
"In this way Hammond unites the
classic organ with what he calls "elec-
tronic modernities." Solo voices and
ensembles are remarkably improved be-
cause there are not acoustic losses. It
is now possible to use for solo pur-
poses many stops to achieve unprece-
dented delicacy of intonation. The large
pipe organ becomes more flexible, and
the smaller instrument is able to fill a
very large auditorium. It is no longer
necessary to build great choirs of dia-
pasons to achieve the powerful ensem-
bles wanted by the church or concert
organist.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, JUNE, 1952
HESITATES
The sales initiative goes to the dealer who offers
a selection.
Now Manual Arts style matched
bench legs are combined with a standard fabric
bench seat. This new line is available in 24 different
cover materials. Your customers will appreciate
this additional service for matching home color
schemes.
Fa brie selection easily made
from this attractive display
book. Write for your free-
sample book now!
^Available in more than 100
perfectly matched leg designs.
The M a n u a l
Arts
Furniture
Company
1013
HULBERT
AVENUE, CINCINNATI
14,
OHIO
13
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