I have heard the original Overton Low Whistles described as “organ pipes with holes” and these photos make a strong argument for that: note the near-identical blades and proportions of the windows.
(Taken backstage at a concert last Sunday.)
That photo suggests whistle players in Bach’s time had far bigger lungs than they do today. If this trend continues, whistle players in 2200 will be playing micro whistles in triple high-D and pubs will be surrounded by dogs. We need to get back to musicians running sprints every day, to develop lung capacity, and repopularizing some real Earth-shattering low notes in music again!
Ah, memories… As an erstwhile public school and college level teacher in the musical arts, one branch of my teaching over the years, was in Middle School. One course I taught over said years was a kind of potpourri experience, which touched on many different facets of music, and its place in society. One of my two-part lessons was on the history, function, use, repertoire, etc., of the pipe organ. I had the good fortune to live a stone’s throw away from a local excellent organ builder - Brunner & Associates. I took organ lessons in my youth, until my teacher passed away, and had some knowledge of the instruments, in general. The organ builder gave to me quite a number of discarded organ pipes - both wooden and metal - plus other paraphernalia, which were organ-based… The largest pipe I could safely have in my classroom, was an 8 footer. I also had a small wind chest, plus huge pictures of the Wanamaker and other huge instruments. The pictures, pipes, and tech were spread around the room, on lesson days.
The experience was a winner, and I usually placed the 8 footer in the front of my classroom, on a shelf below the blackboard, lying down - so that it was there during the lesson before the first of the organ lessons. When the students came in, they would invariably ask what it was… I would tell them it was a scud missile, or something like that, and ignore it for that day’s lesson.
When the 2 lessons on organ tech were complete, I would always give brave students who wished, the opportunity to attempt to get a sound out of the 8 foot pipe. 'Twas kind of cool, because the big and strong ones - who at first were those who wished to try - blowing as hard as they could - were unable to get a sound out of the pipe. It slowly dawned on the kids, that it was not blowing ‘hard’ that would seize the day. It was low pressure - volume - of air that succeeded. It was often the smallest students who won the day. Very nice…
Yes… memories.
Impressive comparison. Thanks for that.
Here you can get an idea what those big old whistles sound like:
Also an object lesson in the meaning of the words “chiff” & “fipple”!
Having spent some 40 years involved in the pipe organ business, I found the similarities in the mouths of some whistles interesting, too. I had some correspondence with Michael Copeland some years back, and he talked about studying pipe construction. We talked about the ears and beards and other details as I recall.
That style of mouth (on the pipe in the OP’s photo) is called ‘Roman’.
Or in situ, here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W4PJUOeVYw&t=105s
the sublime use of the organ’s lowest note
I’m reminded of a story I heard somewhere about a Protestant church somewhere in Scotland in days gone by. A local was scathing about the installation of a pipe organ, referring to it as a “fist o’ whistles” (a handful of whistles).
I’m also reminded of a concert we played in the newly constructed Sydney Opera House, back around 1973/74 from memory. At that point the building was finished and in use, but the organ, built by Melbourne maker Ron Sharp, was still being installed. The pipes were in, but not connected to anything yet. Depending on the air temperatures at various times of day, convection was sometimes enough to have the very big pipes quietly murmuring to themselves. The cleaning lady was apparently very superstitious, and having the organ pipes singing along all by themselves in the empty building didn’t help her peace of mind one little bit…
Ron is now 90 years of age and has just sold up his old factory building where all his organs were built. He commented that “Life is about harmony rather than dissonance.”
Sure that wasn’t a ‘kist o whistles’, Terry?
Also, for those quoting/using Scots, beware the apologetic apostrophe!
Nice. Now, here’s a kist o quyssills! (Including that hypersubcontrabass 64’!) Will be pure joy to experience … hear just isn’t the right word! … this when that organ gets anything like rebuilt!