lity.

[Illustration: Fig. 19. Diagram of Reed Pipe]

Willis created an entirely new school of reed voicing. He was the
first to show that reeds could be made really beautiful and fit for use
without help from flue stops. When he wanted power he obtained it by
raising the pressure, in order that he might be able to afford still to
restrain the tone and to consider only beauty of musical quality.

He was the first to show that every trace of roughness and rattle could
be obviated by imparting to the reed tongue exactly the right curve.

He restrained too emphatic vibrations in the case of the larger reed
tongues by affixing to them with small screws, weights made of brass.
He quickly adopted the practice of using harmonic, or double-length
tubes, for the treble notes, and secured a degree of power and
brilliance never before dreamed possible.

Willis gave up the open eschallot in favor of the closed variety,
thereby securing greater refinement of musical quality, though of
course sacrificing power of tone. He designed many varieties of reed
tubes, the most notable departure from existing standards being
probably his Cor Anglais and Orchestral Oboe.

Under the guiding genius of Willis, the Swell organ--which had hitherto
been a poor and weak department, entirely over-shadowed by the
Great--became rich, powerful and alive with angry reeds, which were
nevertheless truly musical in effect. Hope-Jones took up the work
where Willis left it, and has not only pushed the Willis work to its
logical conclusion, but has introduced a new school of his own.

He has taken the Willis chorus reeds and by doubling the wind pressures
and increasing the loading and thickness of tongues, has produced
results of surpassing magnificence. From the Willis Cor Anglais he has
developed his Double English Horn, from the Willis Oboe his Oboe Horn,
and from the Willis Orchestral Oboe the thin-toned stops of that class
now being introduced by Austin, Skinner and by his own firm. His chief
claim to distinction in this field, however, lies in the production of
the smooth reed tone now so rapidly coming into general use; in his
85-note Tuba; in the use of diminutive eschallots with mere saw-cut
openings; in providing means for making reed pipes stand in tune almost
as well as flue pipes; and in the utilization of "vowel cavities" for
giving character to orchestral-toned reeds.

The latter are of particular interest, as their possibilities