Melodic ... English

A prefix Listed only by Wedgwood, who says:

Melodic - e.g., Melodic Flute, Melodic Diapason, Melodic Viol.
A prefix signifying that the stop so described speaks on a “Melody Attachment”. The latter is a device, the operation of which silences all the notes of the chord played on the particular manual or stop to which it is attached, with the exception of the treble one. In its inversion it may be employed to silence all except the bass note of a stop or stops, and thus render possible pedal bass effects from a manual. The melody attachment, as applied to the harmonium, was invented by Dawes, and patented by him under the name of Soprano Coupler in 1864. The reverse effect, the double bass coupler, was patented by Dawes & Ramsden in 1868. Similar contrivances were applied to the harmonium by Howard, and Mason & Hamlin. The Melodic Coupler was first adapted to the organ by Mr. Thomas Casson, whose “Positive” organs (of the larger pattern) normally possess a double bass stop acting from the lowest note struck, and also a melodic stop reinforcing the treble note.
. . .
Attached to large instruments it may be seen at: London Organ School; Cathcart House, South Kensington, W. (Positive Organ Co.); St. Paul, Aix-la-Chapelle (Aachen), (Stahlhuth). Mr. R. S. Rutt, of Leyton, has also patented an ingenious “part-singing” soundboard, by means of which it is possible to isolate or combine together any of the individual parts of four-part harmony on the given stop or manual to which it is applied. A somewhat similar contrivance has also been designed by Mr. Casson. The Double Touch is another device, admitting of the accentuation of isolated notes.

Examples

Osiris contains two examples of the prefix Melodic, but it is not known if either conforms to Wedgwood's definition.

Melodic Diapason 8', Choir; City Hall, Hull, England; FOrster & Andrews 1911.

Melodic Sub-Bass 16', Great & Swell; Masonic Temple, Singapore; Walker 1970.

Bibliography

Wedgwood[1]: Melodic.
 
Copyright © 1999 Edward L. Stauff, all rights reserved.
Melodic.html - Last updated 15 May 2002.
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