hey should have a two-manual or a
three-manual instrument--a Great and Swell or a Great, Swell, and Choir
organ. At last Deacon MacNab, the church treasurer and a personage of
importance, got a chance to speak.

"Mr. Chairman," said he, "I don't see why we should have a Great, a
Swell, and a Choir organ. I think that one organ is quite enough."

Now, Deacon MacNab was a master tailor, and a good one at that; so the
musical man who was pushing the thing through appealed to his
professional instincts in explaining the situation by saying:

"Surely, Mr. MacNab, you would not say that a man was properly dressed
with only a coat on! You would expect him to have on a coat, waistcoat
and trousers!" And the day was won for the three-manual organ.

Of course there had been no organ in this church before, or the worthy
deacon might have known more about it. If he had read the second
chapter of this book, he would have known all about it. The following
pages have been written with the idea of helping those who may be
placed in a similar position; who may be called upon to decide the
serious question of the purchase of a new organ for their church, town
hall, or an auditorium, or the rebuilding of the old one now in use;
who are distracted by the conflicting plans and contending claims of
rival organ builders; who are disinclined to rely upon so-called
"expert" opinion, but wish to look into these things for themselves and
intelligently purchase an instrument which is thoroughly up-to-date in
every particular, which will not drive the organist to the verge of
profanity every time he plays upon it, and will not prove a snug source
of income to its builders--for repairs.

The organ-student, the amateur, and eke the professional organist, will
also find much here that will interest them and lead to a better
understanding of the instrument.

The revolution in organ-building herein described has for the most part
taken place under the personal notice of the author, during the last
fifty years. The organists of a younger generation are to be
congratulated on the facilities now placed at their disposal, mainly by
the genius and persevering efforts of four men--as hereinafter
described.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

As It Was in the Beginning

CHAPTER II

The Organ in the Nineteenth Century

CHAPTER III

The Dawn of a New Era; the Pneumatic Lever

CHAPTER IV

Pneumatic and Electro-pneumatic Actions--Tubula