Organ

“The king of instruments” has a long and rich history. Essentially, an organ is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when pressurized air flows through rows of pipes. Instruments in this family range from the harmonium to the mighty pipe organ, and you can also find their electric cousin, the Hammond organ, in pop, rock, and jazz. The pipe organ evolved from the ancient hydraulis or water organ, and later, its air-powered descendant developed alongside Western European religious traditions from around 900 CE. Every organ is different, and can range in size from a single manual instrument with under 200 pipes to colossal five-manual monsters featuring over 10,000 pipes. Most organs include a pedalboard allowing organists to play with their feet. An organ’s sounds are produced by pulling out stops, either alone or in combination with each other, that trigger rows, or ranks, of metal or wooden pipes. One of the most famous composers for the organ was J.S. Bach whose nine volumes of works remain staples of the organ repertoire today. In the 19th century, French composers such as Vierne and Widor, plus the German composer Reger, championed the instrument, creating extraordinary symphonic music on mighty new instruments. In the 20th century, Messiaen brought to the organ an entirely new musical landscape, with works such as L’Ascension and La Nativité du Seigneur.