About Organs - Schmitt Music

About Organs
During Roman times, the first organ – called an hydraulis – was
invented by Ctesibius of Alexandria, who lived about 200 B.C.
The hydraulis was the first keyboard musical instrument and the
ancestor of the modern pipe organ.
A pipe organ creates sounds by driving air (called wind) through
pipes selected with a keyboard. The pipes vary in diameter and
length with each pipe having a different pitch. Supplying enough
pressurized wind needed by a pipe organ at stable pressure
was a major challenge for instrument builders and inventors.
The hydraulis used water pressure - most likely supplied by a
pump and windmill.
By the sixth or seventh century A.D., bellows (people operating
hand pumps) were used to supply organs with pressurized air.
The pipes could be played alone or combined in groups to
create a variety of “voices”.
Model of early pipe organ
with water pump powered
by a windmill
During the Middle Ages the organ gradually became part of the
musical tradition of Western society. The new “romantic” organ
emphasized a broad range of dynamics using individual “stops”
that gave it the ability to imitate a variety of orchestral
instruments, such as flutes, oboes and violins.
In the early 20th century, the availability of electric power fueled
a great leap forward in the art of organ building, replacing
mechanical pumps with electricl pumps to provide the wind
supply. Pipe organs were installed in churches, synagogues,
concert halls, and other public buildings and were used for the
performance of classical, sacred, and secular music. Pipe
organs were also installed in theaters to provide a musical
"sound track" for films during the silent movie era.
Person using bellows
(on left) to power an
early pipe organ
20th century advances in electronics and computers allowed
organs to be built without bulky and expensive pipes. The
Hammond organ became popular in the 1930s as a church
organ and in the 1960s and 1970s became a standard
keyboard instrument for jazz, blues, rock and gospel music,
popular with artists like Gregg Allman, Steve Winwood and
Keith Emerson.
Modern organs simulate the sound produced by pipe organs
with electronic or digital tone generators and speakers.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Lowrey Organ Company was the
largest manufacturer of electronic organs in the world and in
1989, produced their 1,000,000th organ.
1960s Hammond Organ

Lowrey organs differed from Hammond Organs with their
addition of "automatic accompaniment" features. While originally
intended for the home entertainment market, Lowrey organs
were also used by some rock groups in the 1960s and 1970s
including The Beatles.
Today Lowrey organs are available in a variety of models with
features to please any musician. For example, the Lowrey Elite
Series Prestige A5000 offers the player 5,799 total presets -
from Theatre, to Country, Big Band, Latin and more!
Here at Schmitt Music, we have been providing sales, service
and lesson expertise to our neighbors in the Midwest since
1896. We started selling and servicing home organs in 1947
and we haven't stopped! Contact us for more information about
new or used organs or about our popular and affordable
Lowrey Organ Quick Start classes. Call these stores
for more information, or email judy.halvorson@schmittmusic.com
Lowrey Elite Series
Prestige A5000
Roseville: Schmitt Music in Roseville MN
2436 Cleveland Avenue North
Call (651)636-5614 ask for Al or Steve
Kansas City: Schmitt Music in Rosana Square
119th & Metcalf, Overland Park KS
Call (913) 653-7000 ask for Ryan or Craig
Burnsville: Schmitt Music in Burnsville MN
14150 Nicollet Avenue South
Cobblestone Court
Call (952)435-3590 ask for Joanne
Lowrey Entry Level Series
Adventurer II SE2
Denver: Wells Music in Denver
685 South Broadway, Denver CO
Just north of I-25 on Broadway
Call (303)777-1900 ask for Don or Barry
Lowrey QUICK START class
Right Advice. Right Brands. Real Value.