72 
House & Garden 
HE quality of weave 
and fabric that goes 
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maker, which ensures your enjoy¬ 
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its Oriental beauty for years and 
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Send for beautifully illustrated 
catalogue, “Oriental Art in 
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M. J. WHITTALL ASSOCIATES 
170 Brussels Street Worcester, Mass. 
The Pipe Organ in the House 
(Continued from page 70) 
shout in the clangorous metal of the 
'trumpet. 
The interior of the organ is mysteri¬ 
ous,—almost uncanny, it looks like a 
collection of all sizes and kinds of metals 
and woods. On close examination it is 
found that some of them are square, 
some round, some very short, some very 
tall. In each there is an opening at the 
bottom through which the air comes, 
from the player. Also at the top an 
opening. Somewhere in the middle is 
an opening—the lips. I never shall for¬ 
get the first time that I visited an organ 
factory. The artisans, old men, were at 
work upon the pipes. The metal is cut 
to the length, then the lips are carved 
out, and the air is forced through. 
Finally the voices come—and by the 
change of the length, the change of 
shape of the lips, the timbre of the 
tone is changed. 
Combining the Pipes 
Generally the pipe organ is made up 
in different sections—all the notes of 
each quality being together. The en¬ 
tire mechanism of the instrument can 
then be built in one huge bulk behind 
the walls (this part is not seen at all). 
But the general practice is to separate 
the different sections and place them 
judiciously in various parts of the house. 
Thus one set of notes might be in the 
cellar, another in the attic, the most 
delicate reeds close at hand, the chimes 
out in the laundry, the echo at the en¬ 
trance to the garden. One gentleman 
had a set of chimes set out several hun¬ 
dred yards from his house, so that 
when visitors came or went, the pres¬ 
ence of this gentleman was realized 
from the sound which issued from the 
great emptiness of space. 
Quite apart from the actual mechan¬ 
ism of the organ that speaks, is the ex¬ 
terior or decorative mural. Here are 
the golden pipes you see, the frieze, the 
fret, the rich coloring. Here is the 
architect and the painter’s skill. The 
exterior of the organ can be placed 
anywhere, in as limited or broad a 
space as desired. Its design can be 
made to blend with the spirit of the 
room in which it appears, to curve and 
shape itself to the space in which it is 
placed, to adopt the color, the emblem, 
the design which is most characteristic 
of its surroundings. Or it can suggest 
and dominate the spirit of all size which 
is placed within its ken. 
Placing the Exterior 
Thus, I have seen the pipes crown¬ 
ing the fireplace, or mounting the curv¬ 
ing steps, as they look down upon the 
humans underneath with quiet con¬ 
descension, or entirely covering the four 
walls of the living room or auditorium. 
I have seen the elimination of pipes and 
instead the introduction of a grill with 
fretted designs. I have seen a pipe de¬ 
sign carried through an entire home,— 
on every floor being the repetition of 
the same grouping of the tapering 
memories of Pan. 
In this respect the pipe organ is the 
joy of the architect and the interior 
decorator. It is so amenable to change 
and adaptation, so suggestive in its 
possibilities for the rest of the decora¬ 
tive additions. 
Picture yourself, with your guests, 
after dinner, retiring to the living room. 
The organist goes to the console, and 
first whispering from what seems to 
be the far distance, are trembling notes. 
Gradually the tone increases, and as if a 
celestial choir had descended, the room 
rocks with the mighty diapason of 
voices. 
To be sure, many have been hesitant 
to consider the pipe organ because it 
seems almost prohibitive in price. This 
is a great error. It is possible to make 
an organ to suit one’s requirements in 
all senses. While it is possible to spend 
half a million dollars on an instrument, 
it is also possible to make a showing 
with a very few thousands of dollars. 
While it is the height of luxury to en¬ 
gage an organist with the organ, as one 
has a chauffeur with one’s car, never¬ 
theless this is unnecessary. Practically 
everybody who plays piano can make 
something of the organ at once. Of 
course closer study and acquaintance 
develops the special nuances and deli¬ 
cacies of shadings and subtle effects, 
which are reminiscent of Sullivan’s 
sentiments in “The Lost Chord.” 
Playing with Rolls 
Then, it must be also remembered 
that, with modem progress, it is pos¬ 
sible to play the organ with rolls, after 
the manner of the player-piano. Special 
recording made by the most famous 
organs can be played upon the pipes, by 
turning on the current, and these per¬ 
formances are most satisfactory. The 
repertoire of the catalogues is large and 
practically everything worth while in 
the classics and modern music is avail¬ 
able. 
The time has not yet arrived when 
thousands will instal organs, fortunately 
for those who seek to keep something 
for the exclusive. But it is interesting 
to observe that several inventors are on 
the threshold of a mighty development. 
What they seek to accomplish is this: 
Using the ordinary piano as the key¬ 
board, it is hoped to add an attachment 
which will operate the pipes. The goal 
is not impossible or even difficult to im¬ 
agine. The pipes are now operated 
from a special keyboard. If the piano 
keyboard can also be used, with one 
instrument a home will be able to make 
piano or organ music. 
But fortunately that idea has not yet 
arrived, and it is likely that it will not 
be a factor to be reckoned with in the 
present generation. 
Latitude of Choice 
• 
Nevertheless, the desire to own a pipe 
organ can be fulfilled. In the purchas¬ 
ing of a pipe organ it can be cut to 
measure. You can have as few sec¬ 
tions or as many as you care to buy. 
You can start with a part and add to it 
as you go along, just as with the sec¬ 
tional book-case. This makes it so 
much more inviting to the gentleman 
home-owner who does not choose to 
load himself with a great expenditure; 
the personal and intimate value and 
pleasure to himself he cannot really 
judge until he has found in use. Take 
the phonograph as an instance. After 
the instrument has become familiar and 
has assumed its definite place in the 
household the call for records is in¬ 
creased. 
Nevertheless, I believe I can state 
conservatively, that the introduction of 
a pipe organ into a home, operates a 
change in the whole house, upon the 
furniture, the pictures, the draperies— 
and almost particularly the people who 
live there. If it were possible I would 
enter upon a metaphysical discussion of 
the effect of the tall, majestic pipes, the 
thrilling, clear, celestial tones—upon the 
life of the people who are in contact 
with the organ through two of their 
senses—hearing and seeing. 
But it would scarcely be in place. 
Let me repeat that one sure insignia 
of certain aristocracy which is unmis¬ 
takable is the pipe organ in the private 
residence. 
