The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #40065   Message #571119
Posted By: Joe Offer
13-Oct-01 - 05:22 AM
Thread Name: harmonium advice
Subject: RE: harmonium advice
And a little more...
-Joe offer-


How to sit at the Harmonium, position and pose of the body.
The player should seat himself opposite the middle of the key-board. He should use a stool the seat of which slants about 2 inches towards the instrument. The stool must be so high, that the forearm of the player and the back of this hand shall form a horizontal line. He must avoid twisting or moving the elbows outwards, they must remain steady and lightly in contact with the body. The feet are placed upon the treadles (pedals) and so far on them that the heels shall not quite touch the lower edge of the treadles or pedals. The body should be held and remain in an upright, unconstrained position.

How to hold or set the hands and fingers.
In playing, hands and arms should remain steady, avoiding any and all unnecessary movements or action. The hands are turned slightly outwards, so that thumb and little finger shall lie in a straight line. The fingers, counting from the thumb of each hand respectively, numbered and indicated with the figures: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, are of unequal length, which necessitates such a slight, corresponding curving of the second, third, fourth and fifth fingers, that they shall press down the keys with a hammer-like motion. The key must be pressed down with the tip of the finger, but not with the nail. The thumb forms an exception to this rule, in that it meets the key and sets it in motion with its lower lateral part. The knuckles must not project and the two thumbs are not to be withdrawn from the keyboard.

The Touch.
        The manner of playing the harmonium differs essentially from that of playing the piano. On the piano the tonal power depends upon the power with which the key is struck, which in no way affects that of the harmonium.
        To acquire a good touch on the harmonium, It is necessary that the respective key be pressed down softly and completely to the bottom in the selfsame moment exactly when the note is to sound. On the harmonium the bound or legato touch prevails; it is indeed the normal style of playing on the instrument, unless the respective sign or term is expressly added, indicating the opposite style. A legato touch is acquired in the.following manner: Press down the key and hold it down exactly as long as the value of the note requires and until another finger sounds the next key, so that there shall be no audible break between the two notes. In other words, each note must be given and receive its full time-value; the notes must succeed each without the least interruption. On the other hand, a key must not be held down too long; this is as great a mistake as holding it down too short a time, as it produces an intermixture of the tones. It is also of the greatest importance that the indicated fingering be observed, which is shown by the figures 1 to 5 written above or below the notes. A pressed down key must not be released, until the right finger is ready for the next note.

How to work the treadles (bellows).
        Expression in playing the harmonium depends chiefly upon the skilful employment and correct action of the treadles or pedals. Hence it is absolutely necessary to devote the greatest attention to the use of the bellows. The upward and downward motion of the feet proceeds from the ankles, alternately, so that the rest of the leg shall remain perfectly motionless and steady, affording the knees perfect freedom in working, enabling them to work the knee-swell without the least incumbrance. Carefully avoid a jerky action in working the treadles; they must be worked with perfect uniformity, and as far as they will go; the one not being set in motion until the other has risen completely. When playing with one or several weak stops or registers, a small quantity of wind will suffice, so that the treadles or pedals must then be worked slowly and with ease, lightly. When using powerful stops or registers and such of 16, in fact when playing with powerful tone, more especially with "full organ", the treadles or pedals must be worked quicker and more powerfully. According as the treadles or pedals are worked quicker or slower, the tone increases or decreases. To produce the softest tone the stop is capable of giving, the treadles or pedals must be worked as slowly as possible.