Sfz pedal ...

[Contratrombone64]

SFORZANDO PEDAL—DOUBLE TOUCH.

Under the name of Sforzando Coupler, the mechanism of which is described and illustrated in Stainer's Dictionary, a device was formerly found in some organs by which the keys of the Swell were caused to act upon the keys of the Great. The coupler being brought on and off by a pedal, sforzando effects could be produced, or the first beat in cadi measure strongly accented in the style of the orchestration of the great masters. Hope-Jones in his pioneer organ at St. John's Church, Birkenhead, England, provided a pedal which brought the Tuba on the Great organ. The pedal was thrown back by a spring on being released from the pressure of the foot. Some fine effects could be produced by this, but of course the whole keyboard was affected and only chords could be played. Various complicated devices to bring out a melody have been invented from time to time by various builders, but all have been superseded by the invention of the "Double Touch." On a keyboard provided with this device, extra pressure of the fingers causes the keys struck to fall an additional eighth inch (through a spring giving way), bringing the stops drawn on another manual into play. If playing on the Swell organ, the Choir stops will sound as well when the keys are struck with extra firmness; if playing on the Choir the Swell stops sound; and if playing on the Great the Double Touch usually brings on the Tuba or Trumpet. It is thus possible to play a hymn tune in four parts on the Swell and bring out the melody on the Choir Clarinet; to play on the Choir and bring out the melody on the Swell Vox Humana or Cornopean; or to play a fugue with the full power of the Great organ (except the Trumpet) and bring out the subject of the fugue every time it enters, whether in the soprano voice, the alto, tenor, or bass.
In the latest Hope-Jones organs arrangements are made for drawing many of the individual stops on the second touch, independently of the couplers.

Anyone know of any organs with one of these built into it?

[NEB]

I've got an ex-Compton theatre organ pedal board at home as my practice one, and that had double touch springs on it. I would imagine it would be more likely found in those organs?

[AllanP]

My home instrument has double touch on both manuals. The double touch stops on the lower manual are Trumpet, Tibia, Chimes, Triangle. On the upper manual the stops are Trumpet 16', Tibia 8'. Use of the double touch is not difficult to learn, it only requires that the player be able to control the force with which the key is pressed. My instrument is a Style D Wurlitzer from 1927 which was originally equipped with double (or second) touch on both manuals and pedal. The pedal double touch was only used for traps, it is presently not connected.

[methodistgirl]

I believe the organ at my church has one. It's new enough. These are the
extra buttons in front of you up under the music stand is it?
judy tooley

[organsonline]

Double Touch keyboards are normal on most of the larger non-classical Theatre organs either Christie or Wurlizter. In was incorporated into some of the earlier electronic organs, but has not been used in modern pipe organ building to my knowledge for at least 60 years.

[Krummhorn]

I believe the organ at my church has one. It's new enough. These are the extra buttons in front of you up under the music stand is it? judy tooley

Hi Judy,

Wicks, to the best of my knowledge, did not employ second touch mechanisms on their church models. In the early days though, the Wicks theater organs did have what they called "double touch", which is the same as second touch. Are there any numbers or stop names on those buttons ... it would be interesting to know.

The 2nd church position that I had (1965-1980) had a Wicks theater, horseshoe console and all (but no traps) and the second touch, which was later disabled because of contact problems, and the fact that it really had no practical use in a liturgical church service, in particular a very staunch German Lutheran congregation.