Contrary to Bonnie's recollection, Muckram Wakes' Pearl River harmonium was four octaves and WAS designed to collapse (usually after the gig, but occasionally during).

The three octave version was fixed but several people, including Packie, took a saw to the legs and with the addition of some hinges made a more portable package.

Roger Watson found the importers in North London, on the Edgeware Rd not so far from Bonnie & Packies' (then) house, and Pete Coe and I went and bought a container load and spread them round the English folk scene.

Made up in low quality oak, they arrived from China in wooden packing cases marked 'No Drop - No Get Wet'.
The tuning was usually of the 'close but no cigar' variety. They are still imported but the tuning quality is noticeably worse as is the build quality.

The one I use with Chris Coe (and on the occasional Ryburn 3 Step gig) was one of the originals which I think I bought from somebody, sold to Mary Humphreys and then bought it back. It's now in concert pitch Anahata.

Harmoniums (is that the plural?) are very useful instruments in folk music but same as any instrument, can be deployed in an unsuitable and sometimes dreary way. In retrospect, some of the old MW harmonium tracks are glorious and some very ponderous. That's the way it goes. I remember George Deacon and Marion Ross doing gigs with a harmonium and it working very well but I've no recordings to judge how good my recollection is.

Sampled and pitch shifted both up and down, the textures are brilliant for film sound designs!

Johnny A