Inscribed to the American Chittd of Organist ORGAN REGISTRATION A COMPREHENSIVE TREATISE ON THE DISTINCTIVE QUALITY OF TONE OF ORGAN STOPS THE ACOUSTICAL AND MUSICAL EFFECT OF COMBINING INDIVIDUAL STOPS, AND THE SELECTION OF STOPS AND COMBINATIONS FOR THE VARIOUS PHRASES OF ORGAN COMPOSITIONS TOGETHER WITH SUGGESTED REGISTRA TION FOR ONE HUNDRED ORGAN COMPOSITIONS, HYMNS, AND ANTHEMS INTENDED TO BE PLAYED ON SPECIFIC ORGANS BY EVERETT E. TRUETTE t Mus. BAG., A. G. 0. A Founder of the American Guild of Organists and Dean of the New England Chapter Organist and Choirmaster of the Eliot Congregational Church, Newton, Mass. FOURTH EDITION BOSTON C. W. THOMPSON AND CO. 1919 EVERETT E. all I3STO, TT. S. A. PREFACE IN planning a work of this character, which requires the expression of a great deal of personal opinion, it is evident, at the outset, that the author renders himself a target for considerable criticism, from those organists who happen to entertain different opinions on any branch of the subject. I am not unmindful of the fact that the success of the work would perhaps be assured, if it were possible to pronounce opinions with which every organist would agree. From the nature of the subject itself, and from a great diversity of personal tastes, any one can see that such a course is absolutely impossible. I have attacked the subject of Registration from many angles, have treated it from many points of view, and have recorded my personal conclusions. In recording these personal conclusions, I wish, at the outset, to have it understood, that, while I am firm in my personal con victions, I do not put them forward ex cathedrd, with the idea that they are to be accepted without aquestion. As I have just stated, these con clusions can only be considered as an expression of my personal taste, and I am fully conscious that some organists will differ with me. As one English author wrote Where the standpoint of criticism is al most wholly subjective, great diversities of judgment are inevitable. I trust that my readers will readily see the impossibility of treating the subject impersonally, or of presenting all the personal opinions of others who happen to disagree with me on any branch of the subject. I bow my head to the different opinions of other organists who disagree with me, and hope that the young organist will fully consider the various opinions, in forming his personal taste and individuality in registration. It will be observed that many statements are repeated several times in the course of the book. This is unavoidable, as these statements have an important bearing on the subject-matter which occurs in various parts of the book. Furthermore, frequent repetitions of some of the important statements will ensure a permanency in the mind of the young organist which, otherwise, might not prevail. For the sake of clearness, I have treated the names of all organ stops as proper names, beginning them with capital letters. I am aware that this is not customary, but it seems to me that the importance of the names of the stops, and the method of referring to them so frequently, justifies this plan. In the technical description of the pipes of various stops, free use has been made of A Comprehensive Dictionary of Organ Stops, by James Ingall Wedgwood, F. A. S. F. R. Hist. S. England, an excellent work which ought to be in every organists library. If, after perusingthe following chapters, the young organist finds that a keen interest in the subject of registration has been kindled within his mind, my efforts will not have been in vain. BOSTON, JANUAKY, 1919. CONTENTS PART ONE CHAPTER I PAGE Definition and Description of Registration ..... 9 Registration and Orchestration Compared 9 CHAPTER II Classifications of Organ Stops . 13 Speaking and Mechanical Stops 13 Flue, Reed, and Percussion Stops 13 Five Qualities of Tone .........