Engel Organ Matinee: 1st

To be performed on the Engel organ, made by Needham & Son, New York.

“A large and also very select audience assembled in this theatre yesterday afternoon at the first public exhibition of the new organ invented by Engel, and made by Messrs. Needham. When this instrument was first tried at Steinway’s before a circle of the inventor’s friends it labored under the disadvantages of being heard in a small, close hall, and also because Mr. Engel had not then fully carried out the contemplated improvements. At that time we described its characteristics as a power of imitating the pizzicato of violins, a full, even and sonorous tone, and a free, untrammeled action, which constitute it a remarkable specimen of reed instruments. The artistic playing of Mr. Engel contributed no small share to the favor with which the organ was received yesterday. The programme commenced with a very brilliant fantasia on ‘Faust,’ arranged and played by Mr. Engel, which was followed by some artistic variations on ‘Spiritu gentil’ on the organ and piano, both instruments being played at the same time by Mr. Engel. Then succeeded [see above for programme]. It must certainly be a remarkable instrument on which a performer can sing the melody, play the accompaniment and give the pizzicato of the violins. Mr. Engel, in some of these selections, drew forth a tone rivalling that of a pipe organ and exhibited the cultivation and finish of a thorough artist. Miss Pauline Nininger sang ‘Bel Raggio’ and an aria from ‘Trovatore’ with telling effect during the recital.”

“Mr. Louis Engel gave the first of a series of three matinees at Union League Theatre yesterday, before a densely crowded and most fashionable audience. The main object of Mr. Engel was, we apprehend, to introduce to the public his new chamber organ or harmonium, manufactured by Needham & Co., which possesses some novel and charming characteristics not possessed by the ordinary instrument.

The programme, in which Miss Pauline Nininger assisted, was mostly of rare excellence, and served to show with fine effect, not only the singular and beautiful combinations of which this instrument is capable, but the thorough genius and musicianly qualities of the able inventor and artist in whose hands it was made to achieve so signal a triumph.

Every number that was performed on the occasion by this gentleman met with the most cordial applause, and that, too, on the part of an audience refined and intelligent to an unusual degree. To the selections of Miss Nininger, which were accompanied most charmingly by Mr. Lindsey Sloper, plaudit upon plaudit was accorded, also; and with every degree of justice, for her ‘Bel Raggio’ and her scena from ‘Trovatore’ were given with an artistic grace, fluency and clearness which foreshadow a most brilliant future for her.”

“Mr. Louis Engel gave an afternoon concert yesterday at the Union League Theatre for the purpose of exhibiting his modifications of the Needham cabinet organ, of which we have already made some mention. He has two varieties of the instrument. The ‘piano organ’ consists of a small reed instrument placed underneath a piano, in such a way that the two keyboards are in a range like the manuals of a church organ, and the performer can use them together or alternately, according to his skill. This, however, is not all. The organ has several improvements in the voicing and action, which increase its brilliancy and power of expression, and is furnished moreover with a lever, worked by the knee, which enables the player to sustain any note or chord ad libitum. With this combination of piano and harmonium, and the sustaining stop, the performer, with a little dexterity and practice, can become almost a band in himself. The effect, however, after all, is only to enable one man to do, more or less imperfectly, the work that properly belongs to two. A much more interesting and valuable invention is the so-called ‘Engel organ,’ which is the ordinary Needham organ improved and enriched almost beyond recognition. The most remarkable of several devices which characterize it is the addition of a set of hammers like those of a piano-forte, with draw-stops to connect or disconnect them with the reeds at pleasure. We shall not attempt to explain the mechanical contrivance in detail; the brilliant result must have been appreciated by all who heard the performance yesterday. Unlike other cabinet organs, it speaks instantaneously when a note is struck, and it is therefore possible to play much quicker and more showy music on it than on the old style of harmonium. The player can so modify his touch as to produce either the simple round organ tone or the percussive tone of the piano, softened and lengthened by the reeds, or, what is most curious, a genuine pizzicato, hardly distinguishable from the music of a harp. All these different tones can be used at once, and Mr. Engel has a capital arrangement of the serenade from ‘Don Giovanni,’ in which he plays the voice part with one finger in the sustained organ tone and gives with the left hand and the remaining fingers of the right the pizzicato accompaniment which Mozart wrote for the violin. For ordinary music the instrument can be so played as to produce nearly the effect of a piano or harp in unison with an organ. Another highly important improvement is in connection with the bellows and treadle. In ordinary organs, when the wind is allowed to die away, the breath retires from the reeds with a moan as the pressure of air becomes too weak to give a true musical sound. In the Engel organ the note remains perfect as long as it is audible, and you consequently obtain a more perfect crescendo and decrescendo than any other instrument whatever can give, except the trained human voice. The swell is produced by pressure with the foot upon the same treadle which works the bellows. Mr. Engel’s performance was a brilliant exhibition of his mastery of the instrument. His fantasia on themes from ‘Faust,’ and arrangement of ‘The Last Rose of Summer,’ were particularly good. Miss Nininger varied the entertainment with a little vocal music, and Mr. Lindsay Sloper was the accompanist.”