Re: Coupler Controls for Pianos
By John Grant
[ Editor's Note:
[ I've slightly rearranged the order of the quoted text here for
[ brevity (and I hope clarity). The content of John's message reply
[ to Karl (and us) is unchanged
[ Jody
<in digest 95.10.09 Karl Ellison wrote:>
> Subject: Base and treble coupler suggestion ...
>
> My parents own a beautiful Story&Clark reed pump organ. It has two paddles
> that swing out on either sides of your knees (while your pumping) that
> allow you to push out on them outwards with your knees to engage a base
> octave coupler (with the left paddle) or a treble coupler (with the right
> paddle). By bowing both of your knees outwards, you engage both
> simultaneously.
>
> <additional text snipped by editor>
Karl,
Are you ABSOLUTELY sure that the knee paddles worked in this fashion? I've restored an awful lot of pump organs and don't think I've ever come across one where they worked this way. Usually the right knee paddle is a "swell" that opens the wooden baffles that cover the reeds resulting in a louder sound but no coupling. The left paddle is usually a "crescendo" that brings on all of the stops that are not already pulled (except couplers). Of course, certain manufacturers or models may be different. It does seem logical, however. With respect to having such a device on pianos (working as you suggest), while I am not a pianist, I don't think many pianists would find it very useful. For one thing, a low say 4 note chord within one octave, played an octave lower, would probably sound very muddy. In (most) grands, at least, much the same effect can be achieved by using the sostenuto pedal to sustain the chord root or perhaps root/fifth while the left hand goes on to do something else. It might have limited application in the treble. Of course, you would always have the dilemma of where to place the bass/treble break. (Making it adjustable would be a real mechanical challenge!) I'm not aware of any pianos or manufacturers who tried this, but there's some strange experimental stuff out there. (Remember Irving Berlin's F# piano?) Perhaps someone's seen one. Thanks for an interesting question. -John Grant |
(Message sent Wed 11 Oct 1995, 14:30:59 GMT, from time zone GMT-0400.) |
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