The Organ A Comprehensive Treatise On Its Structure PDF Download

Excerpt from The Organ: A Comprehensive Treatise on Its Structure, Vol. 1: Writings and Other Utterances on Its Structure, History, Procural, Capabilities, Etc;; With Criticisms, and Depositories; Preceded by an Analytical Consideration of General Bibliographical and by Construction The present work furnishes the second published department (Compass being the first) of the author's intended entire Treatise on the structure, &c., of the Organ. Several of such departments (though not including any bibliographical one) have already appeared in the pages of the English Mechanic, but written on a too complicated (a Gradal-Alphabetical) plan, - now discarded. The structure of the Organ is a subject so large in its extent, and, at the same time, so comparatively limited as to the interest which it excites, that no really complete work thereon has ever been written, - in any language; and, very possibly, never will be so. The departments just mentioned as having been issued in the English Mechanic constitute, perhaps, the most thorough treatment that those branches of the subject have ever received; but these, as will be seen on a reference to that journal, cover but a quite small portion of the instrument. The Treatise of which the present work forms a department is, undoubtedly, even more nearly exhaustive, so far as it has gone; but this, as is equally obvious, is but a very short distance. There exists, however, scattered here and there throughout Europe and some other parts of the world, a very large amount of literary and pictorial Organ-structural matter. Much of this is contained in Treatises wholly or chiefly devoted to the instrument; but a very considerable portion is imbedded in musical and general brochures, periodicals, &c, of every description conceivable. It is mainly for the purpose of furnishing a key to this heterogeneous mass that the present department has been undertaken so early as the second of the series. The bibliography thus now presented is not, however, confined to the indication of Organ-structural matter, but is - as will have been just understood, - largely, a directory to other musical, mechanical, and general works also. The total number of the regular heads comprised will be seen the introduction (Division I) to be about 1715. It will be noted that the said Introductory Division, which deals with bibliographical structure in the abstract, is of considerable size. This is simply because the plan of the bibliography proper is virtually, an entirely new one; and it therefore manifestly became highly desirable that the reasons for so thorough a departure from established procedure should be fully explained and vindicated. It is to be remembered, that with the large and constant increase in the number of published books existent, there arises the greater necessity that the bibliographies which furnish the indexes thereto shall be constructed on the most correct and lucid principles. The author feels confident that the present work will help to clear up more than one obscurity; notably that which has hitherto almost entirely enveloped the actual structure of the Hydraulic Organ, as described by Vitruvius and other early Writers. Also, it is trusted that some light will be thrown on the real nature of the "Qualifications" and "Trustworthiness" possessed by certain past writers on organ construction. For the reason why so much space has been given to this last matter see at near end of Sub-Division 1 of Division II. As to the qualifications of the present author, it will suffice to refer the reader to the Mead Critical Examination of Mackenzies Org. in the Bibliography Proper. It should be borne in mind that the Degree A.R.C.O. is never conferred honorarily. It is only fair to add that the entire bibliography has been compiled without the advantage of a visit to any other than British Libraries; and that even of the latter, only one of any note has bee...