Xylophone

The most complete description we have of this stop comes from Audsley, who says:

A percussion musical instrument recently introduced as a stop in certain Organs. Fine examples are made in this country by the Kohler-Liebich Co., and by J.C. Deagan, both of Chicago. The Xylophone, made by the former firm, is constructed of four octaves, chromatic, of Rosewood bars, graduated in size, and adjusted over properly tuned cylindrical metal resonators. The percussion action is electrically operated from the clavier of an Organ in which the stop is placed. Stops of this class are not suited for the dignified Church Organ.

Irwin's and Sumner's descriptions are consistent with Audsley's, but much less detailed. This stop is found almost exlusively on theatre organs. It often appears in two forms which share a common mechanism: single strike, and repeating.

Not to be confused with the mixture stop Xylophon.

Examples

Osiris contains 22 examples, ranging from 30 to 47 notes. Where pitches are given, all are at 4' pitch, sometimes unified to 2' pitch as well. The earliest known examples are given below.

Xylophone (both stroke and repeating), Percussion; Auditorium, Ocean Grove, New Jersey, USA; Hope-Jones 1907.

Xylophone 4' (repeating, 37 bars), Solo; City Hall, Hull, England; Forster & Andrews 1911.

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Bibliography