After you read тнe text

1. Answer the following questions about the text.

1. What parts does the organ consist of?

2. What function do the valves have?

3. How many pipes does an organ typically have?

4. How many stops are there on modern organs?

5. How many manuals are there on a modern organ?

6. What are the divisions of the pipes called?

7. What is the function of the coupler?

8. For what purpose are the pistons in the shape of small round buttons provided?

9. Is it possible for the player to arrange a selection of stops in advance?

10. How can the player bring a selection of stops into play?

11. What kinds of stops are there on an organ?

12. What is the purpose of mutation stops?

1З. What is the purpose of mixture stops?

14. When and where was the organ invented?

15. Which extraordinary feature did the organ built in the 10th century in England have?

2. Choose the correct word.

1. Each series of pipes is called a (rank, stop, keyboard). 2. A separate division of pipes comprises (exactly, approximately, not more than) ten stops. 3. Modern organs (usually, always, occasionally) have up to seven manuals. 4. Each organ has its own selection of stops and their (movement, allotment, arrangement) to the manuals. 5. Couplers are (buttons, blowers, devices) which make the divisions available on other keyboards than their own. 6. There are pistons which (facilitate, reinforce, transmit) stop changes. 7. Stops tuned in the pitch of the key are called (mu­tations, mixture, foundation) stops. 8. Mutation and mixture stops are the most (distinctive, valuable, artificial) resources of the organ player. 9. The (imitation, admiration, invention) of the organ goes back to Greek аntiquity. 10. The organ built in the 1Oth century at Winchester in England had 26 (bellows, blowers, buttons).

3. Select the correct meaning of the words.

1) approximately a) император

2) court b) распределение

3) supply с) передавать

4) pressure d) искусственно

5) vice versa e) двор

6) rank f) воздуходувные меха

7) transmit g) наоборот

8) emperor h) заранее

9) reinforce i) подача

10) key j) приблизительно

k) давление

l) ключ; тональность; тон

m) регистр

n) клавиатура /органа/

o) усиливать, подкреплять

4. Name the devices of the organ. Compare old and modern instruments.

5. Bring the reasons why you would like to go to an organ concert.

6. Read and retell text B.

Text b harmonium

This is a keyboard instrument, also called “reed organ”. Its tones are produced by thin metal tongues or reeds, the reeds are set in vibration by wind from bellows which are operated by the feet of the player. The instrument is used as a substitute for the organ, which it resembles particularly in having a number of stops. These stops produce a variety of tone colours. An “expression stop” enables the player to produce graduations of intensity of sound, not by finger touch (as in the pianoforte) but by foot control. It serves for the regulation of the pressure in the bellows. The harmonium developed in the 19th century. Experimental forms led to the first real harmonium constructed in 1840. The expression stop was invented in 1854 (Mustel Organ).

The American organ is a variety of harmonium. The wind in it is not forced outwards, but is drawn inwards by evacuation of the air in the bellows. It has a softer and more organ like tone, but lacks the expressive device of the harmonium. The principle of the American instrument was invented about 1835 in Paris and developed by the firm “Estey” in Massachusetts (1856) and by the firm “Mason and Hamlin”, Boston (1861).

Proper Names

Paris [‘pxrIs]

Estey [‘esti]

Massachusetts [,mxsq’tSHsqts]

Mason [‘meIsqn]

Hamlin [‘hxmlIn]

Boston [‘bOstqn]