Harmonia Aethera Greek
Harmonia Aetherea Greek
Harmonia Aetheria Greek
Harmonica Aetherica Greek?

A soft and delicately toned mixture, made from small-scaled string or Dulciana ranks. According to Audsley, German builders did not put breaks in its ranks, which number two or more. Wedgwood considers it to be virtually identical to the Echo Cornet or Dulciana Cornet.

Compare with Echo Mixture.

Composition

Sumner gives its composition as 12-15-17 or 12-17. Audsley gives the following examples, which are more a reflection of his own intent than actual historical pratice:

Harmonia Aetheria V
g2 to c4 18121519
g1 to f#2 812151922
G to f# 1215192226
CC to F# 1519222629
Harmonia Aetheria VI
g2 to c4 1812151719
g1 to f#2 81215171922
G to f# 121517192226
CC to F# 151719222629

Examples

Osiris contains eight examples of Harmonia Aetherea, eleven examples of Harmonia Aethera, two of Harmonica Aetheria, and none of Harmonica Aetherica. It is not known how many of these may be misspellings. All are III or IV (or III-IV) ranks, except for a few of II ranks, and one of V-VI. The oldest examples are given below.

Harmonia Aethera III, Manual IV; Dom, Schwerin, Germany; Ladegast 1871.

Harmonia Aetheria III, Brustwerk; Grosser Saal, Vienna, Austria; Ladegast 1872. This stop may have been a later addition.

Harmonia Aetheria III [2-2/3' + 2' + 1-3/5'], Schwellwerk; Cathedral, Riga, Latvia; Walcker 1883.

Bibliography

Audsley[1]: Harmonia Aetheria. Audsley[2]: I.XIII Harmonia Aetheria. Grove[1]: Harmonia. Irwin[1]: Harmonia Aetheria. Locher[1]: Harmonica. Maclean[1]: Harmonia Aetheria. Skinner[1]: XII Harmonia Aetheria. Sumner[1]: Harmonia Aetheria. Wedgwood[1]: Harmonia Aetheria.
 
Copyright © 2001 Edward L. Stauff, all rights reserved.
HarmoniaAetheria.html - Last updated 4 November 2001.
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