Among the variety of musical instruments a worthy place is rightfully taken by the "king of instruments" organ, the most dimensional and varied in its sounding. Despite the similarity of its structure to the piano, it belongs not to string instruments, but to keyboard-wind instruments.
The ancestors of the organ have been known since ancient times. One of them is the sheng, a traditional wind instrument made of reed tubes. The birthplace of this instrument, the sound from which is extracted through breathing, is China. Another predecessor of the organ is the Pan flute. It is named after the ancient Greek deity, the patron saint of forests and meadows, who created this instrument. The Pan flute is made up of pipes of various lengths fastened together.
Hydravlos Ktesebia
The closest to the modern organ was the hydravlos, or water organ. His invention dates back to the third century BC. Its author is Ktesebius, an ancient Greek mechanic and inventor. Hydravlos made sounds due to its structure: two piston pumps, one of which supplied air to the instrument, and the other to the pipes. The music that was extracted from this instrument in this way was very loud and shrill. Over time, furs began to be used for the water organ instead of a water reservoir and pumps.
divine music
Over time, the organs have improved more and more. In the seventh century, the organ began to be used in Catholic churches. The number of metal pipes increased and could reach several thousand. In the 14th century, foot pedals appeared for lower sounds. The organ could imitate other instruments, as well as natural phenomena, this is possible thanks to the huge number of pipes that emit sounds of different timbre, as well as thanks to the register levers and various buttons.
In the XIV century, this instrument became known throughout Europe. Stationary organs, called positive, and portable ones, portable, have become popular. The 17th and 18th centuries were the golden times for organ music. The music of this instrument was distinguished by its excellent sounding, new ingenious works were written for it. The organ has become an obligatory element of all Catholic churches and cathedrals.
From the 18th century it began to be used in oratorios, and from the 19th century in operas. The sound of this instrument, like no other, was suitable for creating a solemn and majestic atmosphere. Almost all great composers have included organ music in their compositions. Subsequently, the "king of instruments" continued to acquire new sounds and new timbres, new items were introduced into the design, until the organ reached its modern form.
