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19th Century Harmonium in Moscow (VSTi)

Ghekorg7 (Ret)

Rear Admiral Appassionata (Ret)
Br. Panos,

When I view the case of the harmonium in question I am gravitating towards an instrument that has been made by a German builder. Before the Bolshevik Revolution lots of things were being imported to Moscow and St. Petersburg especially from Germany. These days the Russians are very secretive so it can take awhile to dig up intel. If I may, is there a specific interest in just that harmonium? In the 19th Century, harmonium builders were cranking out instruments like Detroit cranks out cars. Harmonium case work has ranged from the absolutely elegant to the most ugly contraption ever seen.

Cheers,

CD :tiphat::tiphat::tiphat:


Hi br.CD !
It seems like German allright and the link between Germany and Russia is certified also by the fact that lennin and the other Bolsheviks took support money from Germany just before the revolution.

Is also certified that the majority of harmoniums built are junks, ugly and awfull sounding. It's a real price if you find a good one.:(

The whole story started years before with Mechanical Organs when the company asked Mozart to write some music for these so customers buying them to have something to play on.

Mozart wrote some real exellent pieces - fantasia in F minor K608, Adagio & allegro in F minor K594 and andante in F major K616 (all in F...? I suspect the Mechanical Organ must sounded best in this key...:rolleyes:), witch can be played also on pipe organ to great effect.

There isn't a specific interest of mine in this Moscow Harmonium, I just wanted to share here a different and curious subject and to expand it, as we lately do , to other related topics and add interesting information ,some rare and/or untold stories, some jokes and in the end to have fun from our (all people) contact here in this very special forum.:cool:

This is the thing that I like most !

au revoir mon ami
Panos:)


pS : There is a very interesting site from N.Zealand Pipe Organ.com on the History of the Harmonium, comparing Eur/Amer builds, in a very humble relation...
Give it a try

http://www.nzorgan.com/vandr/humble-relations2.htm

on French ones and in humble relations 1 is the Mason-Hamlin we were talkin' about earlier in this thread.
 
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Corno Dolce

Admiral Honkenwheezenpooferspieler
Blessed Br. Panos,

Thanx for the link - Hey, I emailed Dr. Tikov - He said he had only downloaded an image from Google Search. The instrument in Kataev's residence looks much different - Not at all as fancy as the Google harmonium image.

You're absolutely right. It is difficult to find a really good harmonium with elegant casework. Did you know that the French harmoniums use a pressure system for the reeds? It contributes to a more muscular dynamic, whilst other makers used the suction system which is most often found in residence harmoniums.

Cheers,

CD :tiphat::tiphat::tiphat:
 

Ghekorg7 (Ret)

Rear Admiral Appassionata (Ret)
Great br.CD. Now this is an exellent investigation on the matter ! Brilliant thought to e-mail Dr.Tikov. And now we got an almost perfect picture on the Harmoniums case, including the pressure system information that I didn't know.
Thanks.

Tryin' still to find that French Harmonium site with two ellegant ones (as I remember them) restin' somewere in Paris, I fell in a, sort of, related site with these Indian - Pakistan Harmoniums, the sound of witch is more close to the accordeon, you know, these suit-case like instruments lay down the floor (on a carpet...).
Here's the link

http://nusofting.liqisynth.com/peti.html

They give this " Peti " instrument as a free download VSTi. Quality sound (I played a little) but (I insist) sounds like an accordeon.
Check it

Panos


Ps. "I know one thing, that I know nothing" - Socrates
 

Corno Dolce

Admiral Honkenwheezenpooferspieler
Br. Panos,

The link now brings one to a page that says *Domain has expired*. Oh well...
Ya know, it wouldn't at all surprise me that there have been quite a number of 3 manual plus pedal harmoniums, especially in Paris. Of course, this is only a guesstimation on my part but when one considers the price of a real pipe organ, both then and now, plus the fact that an instrument would be needed when maintenance of the regular instrument took place. Of course, the choir would have accompaniment as would the parishioners and there is lots of music for just the harmonium.

But we do still bump up to the fact that so many instruments have unnecessarily been destroyed. However, there is some consolation that there are a few instruments which have escaped being destroyed and they give us a glimpse of a fascinating era which was the 19th century. Did you know that the great organbuilder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll built a harmonium called the *Poikilorgue*? I'll be looking, as time permits, for some more leads into French Harmoniums.

Cheers,

CD :tiphat::tiphat::tiphat:
 

Ghekorg7 (Ret)

Rear Admiral Appassionata (Ret)
Br. Panos,

The link now brings one to a page that says *Domain has expired*. Oh well...
Ya know, it wouldn't at all surprise me that there have been quite a number of 3 manual plus pedal harmoniums, especially in Paris. Of course, this is only a guesstimation on my part but when one considers the price of a real pipe organ, both then and now, plus the fact that an instrument would be needed when maintenance of the regular instrument took place. Of course, the choir would have accompaniment as would the parishioners and there is lots of music for just the harmonium.

But we do still bump up to the fact that so many instruments have unnecessarily been destroyed. However, there is some consolation that there are a few instruments which have escaped being destroyed and they give us a glimpse of a fascinating era which was the 19th century. Did you know that the great organbuilder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll built a harmonium called the *Poikilorgue*? I'll be looking, as time permits, for some more leads into French Harmoniums.

Cheers,

CD :tiphat::tiphat::tiphat:


Poikolorgue ??!!:eek:
Never br.CD and HI. is there any photo, gravure?

I'm wiyh you in this 19th century fascinating era : Tesla, Jules Verne just to name some, innovations that went the world forward, but also music literature, arts and of course revolutions and wars.
I think we still know little about what was realy going on then and the whole must be biger than we know, I reccon.

What is goin'on with some sites ? One day ok the other off.

I found another way to "Peti" : Google search ~ liqihsynth.com ` VSTi there it is...

Time limits also meself...
Cheers
Panos


Ps. My son Constantine got bronge medal yesterday on a cycling race (road) in Patra, Greece, so I'm not thinkin' very clear today...:grin:
 

Corno Dolce

Admiral Honkenwheezenpooferspieler
Br. Panos,

Congrats on your son garnering a prize - He must have prepared well for it........

I'll see what I can dig up on the poikilorgue.

Cheers,

CD :tiphat::tiphat::tiphat:
 
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Ghekorg7 (Ret)

Rear Admiral Appassionata (Ret)
Hi br. CD and thank you so much for your kind words for Constantine. Blessed.

Prepared... not so much, but he wanted badly a place at the top, the last time was last year March 15...But all this took him away from his Organ practice and after tomorow his teacher gonna shoot him.

This is a real problem wth our new generation, that they do not practice much even the most talented ones, as Constantine, and perform below medium... His teacher, one of the best Organists, composer and good friend, Konstantine Christodulu, was very sad telling me what's gonna be with him not practicing.

Example:last year his practice was almost zero, but, 5 days before the exams in June, he played at home 5 hours a day three pieces (Tchaikovsky, Paganini and an old western tune) and passed with 9,1/2/10 ....!

Anyway enough said I about.You're a father you'll see...

Aristide Cavaille' Col... mm sounds good, I start dreaming some Reger

Panos
 

Corno Dolce

Admiral Honkenwheezenpooferspieler
Blessed Panos,

Thanx for sharing about Costya's strivings........I guess its hard for individuals who are members of *Generation I*(generation of Internet). They can have problems with *thinking outside the box* - Competitive sport and 'netWORK can be mutually exclusive paradigms, causing many to not have the inclination to perform physical tasks. Send him to the Greek Army, they'll make a man out of him :grin: King Leonidas, watch out! :D

My wife and I will home-school our kids. We decided on this before they were born and we do not regret our decision.

Reger sounds fabulous on a Cavaillé-Coll.

Cheers,

CD :tiphat::tiphat::tiphat:
 

Ghekorg7 (Ret)

Rear Admiral Appassionata (Ret)
Good Mooooorning CD, just drinkin' coffee listening to Mozart (organ Church sonata in Dmaj w str-MC Alain).
Army....hmm. This, is, SPARTA.! Yes I know what you mean.

Listening to this sonata, I think these small positiv pipe organs are exactly what is needed for chamber music and yet playing along with clavecin (continuo). A best combination.
And this gives me a good link to this thread (with the harmonium conversation).

Is better to have these positivs instead of harmoniums, ritch harmonics clear and louder sound without disturbing the string orch. It is a reason I lately prefer playin' my Hauptwerk Prib, Ott or Happy Birthday sets.

Time's up,
see you later
Panos
 

Corno Dolce

Admiral Honkenwheezenpooferspieler
Blessed Panos,

Yes! Chamber orchestras with portatives and continuos do make for a wonderful sound palette. Yes again, Hauptwerk is quite a wonderful antidote to the *toaster builders*(toaster=electricorganbuilderswidelyknown).

Frankly, I'd rather have an adequately spec'd 3manual/pedal harmonium than a 3manual/pedal toaster. However, when Hauptwerk began distributing their Cavaillé-Coll at Caen sample set I understood this as an acceptable compromise(oh how I loathe and despise that word).

May one day I'll track down enough info so that I can build my very own 3manual/pedal harmonium - yes, with two 32' stops in the pedal and one 32' in the manuals :grin::grin::grin:

Cheers,

CD :tiphat::tiphat::tiphat:
 

Corno Dolce

Admiral Honkenwheezenpooferspieler
Hi Mats,

Sorry to say but sadly there are none - It really bums me out. I read about the history of piano making in Sweden. There was once over 300 hundred makers of pianos in Sweden - Now there is not a single one - All having disappeared in the early part of the 20th century.

Cheers,

CD :tiphat::tiphat::tiphat:
 

Ghekorg7 (Ret)

Rear Admiral Appassionata (Ret)
Blessed Panos,

Yes! Chamber orchestras with portatives and continuos do make for a wonderful sound palette. Yes again, Hauptwerk is quite a wonderful antidote to the *toaster builders*(toaster=electricorganbuilderswidelyknown).

Frankly, I'd rather have an adequately spec'd 3manual/pedal harmonium than a 3manual/pedal toaster. However, when Hauptwerk began distributing their Cavaillé-Coll at Caen sample set I understood this as an acceptable compromise(oh how I loathe and despise that word).

May one day I'll track down enough info so that I can build my very own 3manual/pedal harmonium - yes, with two 32' stops in the pedal and one 32' in the manuals :grin::grin::grin:

Cheers,

CD :tiphat::tiphat::tiphat:

From the bottom of my heart I wish that you get this instrument exactly as you want it to be, br CD, and this to be soon !!!

My home organ is a toaster Yamaha el900, the best toaster of 1998, you could buy a house or a car with the money spent for one, then...
But as it is very difficult in Athens to play a real pipe, then came the...as you call it correctly, Antidote - Hauptwerk and his small sister GrandOrgue.
For me it was a great gift, exelent sound going out just from a pc (with good studio speakers I got) and as I considered as a Midi wizard, I can have full control of it almost like the real thing (considering some limitations of my toaster and the fact that my first instrument is the piano).
This "almost like the real thing" doesn't disturb me much for is imposible for me to get a real one of course , or to be with one everyday and play it anytime I feel like to.
So yesterday night I played with my favorite Italian organ, the one in St.Carlo, Brescia of 1600, for five long hours of enjoyment, thanks to Martin and his child.

Anyway br.CD, to return to our thread here.
Question : Do you have someone specialist in mind to adopt this great task to build this 3m/p harmonium ?
You'll have to put some elecricity in, or strictly acoustic?
When it's ready someday, I'll wait for a demo with you playin'it and feel your joy from it ! Like the trumpet menuet you linked.

Peti case.Indian Harmonium (Moscow to N.Delhi !!)
From their site I gotta pictcha
What you think ?

Dream on br.
Panos
 

Corno Dolce

Admiral Honkenwheezenpooferspieler
Blessed Panos,

Actually, I would like to build the harmonium myself. Of course, it will be built on the pressure system. No, I won't add any effects, just straight on acoustic.

Now I must confess a grievous sin to you: I have not shared about something called a *Vocalion* - I think of it as a harmonium on steroids :grin::grin::grin:

Anyway, here it is:

www.comune.pisa.it/valdesiapisa/vocalion.htm

And here's a Vocalion Society link:

www.sgeinc.com/~franktau/index.html

Cheers,

CD :tiphat::tiphat::tiphat::tiphat:
 

Ghekorg7 (Ret)

Rear Admiral Appassionata (Ret)
Blessed Panos,

Actually, I would like to build the harmonium myself. Of course, it will be built on the pressure system. No, I won't add any effects, just straight on acoustic.

Now I must confess a grievous sin to you: I have not shared about something called a *Vocalion* - I think of it as a harmonium on steroids :grin::grin::grin:

Anyway, here it is:

www.comune.pisa.it/valdesiapisa/vocalion.htm

And here's a Vocalion Society link:

www.sgeinc.com/~franktau/index.html

Cheers,

CD :tiphat::tiphat::tiphat::tiphat:


Br.CD you're great !
Exactly the thing I want ! how can I get one?:grin::rolleyes::cry::smirk:

Exellant continuum to this hot, as it goes, thread and a perfect link to the stories told here some posts above !

Pier-Luigi's familly was connected with F.Liszt (!:eek:) and he probably played the Vocalion in Firenze. Perfect. And the thing is an American built (another hit) very close to Harmonium and was at familly's home:):D;):crazy:

Hi Bill,
as I read, the vocalion in under restoration..so, obviusly we have to wait after it's ready and can listen to something...
....unless br.CD can dig - up some extra rare old 78prm recording of it (!!!) with a very special player. who knows...?

Guys, another thing I read :
Each of the three manuals can split (as a modern kbd). This thing I have seen it usualy on single manual/limited compass padals small organs as a conveniant solution to play works for two manuals (with clever registration - instead of hohl8' on the left pull a flute4' and play the left hand part an octave lower - prestan8'/sesquialtera on the right hand theme part).
But this vocalion, with split , can come with six manuals !! :) Fantastic.

to be continued...
Cheers
Panos
 

Corno Dolce

Admiral Honkenwheezenpooferspieler
Br. Panos,

You probably are aware that the vocalion in question had been shipped to Italy as a 3man/42 register instrument. Thanx for your kind word - I really don't know if I'm great but I do thrive in collegial participation for to investigate, process the forensics, and disseminating the findings. As to the poikilorgue I seem to be unable to link a picture or gravure of it on this thread. So, one can do an image search on Google.

To be continued...

Cheers,

CD :tiphat::tiphat::tiphat::tiphat:
 
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