Melodeon (organ)

Melodeon (organ)

The Pump organ is a type of organ that generates its sounds using free metal reeds with a foot-operated vacuum bellows.

Smaller, cheaper and more portable than pipe organs, reed organs were widely used in smaller churches and in private homes in the 19th century, but their volume and tonal range are limited, and they were generally confined to one or two manuals, with pedal-boards being extremely rare. Reed organs were largely replaced by electronic organs, but there remain a number of enthusiasts. The finer instruments have a unique tone, and the cabinets of those intended for churches and affluent homes were often excellent pieces of furniture. Several million reed organs and melodeons were made in the U.S. between the 1850s and the 1920s. During this time Estey Organ and Mason & Hamlin were popular manufacturers.

The melodean is another reed keyboard instrument usually housed in a table-like casing which predates the pump organ. In reference to the music of India, it usually refers to a concertina accordian. Harmonium (which sometimes refers to pump organs) means the smaller hand-pumped variety.

Read more about Melodeon (organ):  Sound Production, History, Acoustics, Folk Music, Harmonium