THE HARMONIUM.
This instrument is daily getting into greater and greater repute, as its qualities are heightened and its capacities developed by M. Alexandre of Paris; who, by a long series of improvements, (each secured by patent,) has acquired undisputed preeminence as a manufacturer of the instru- ment : his harmoniums, indeed, being now almost the only ones in use. The principle on which the harmonium is constructed iff -now well known, and Alexandre's instruments, in various-stages of progress, are met with everywhere-in our chapels find places of worship as well as in our houses ; but the last great improvement is as yet almost new to the public; and we therefore g.ve it a word of notice. It consists of the "knee swell" a pieec 3f mechanism applied to the instruments con- structed for drawing room use, for the purpose of heightening their powers of expression. M. Alexandre encloses the entire instrument in a swell, which is acted upon by a pedal pressed by the knee. The pedal is in.iwo pieces, the left wing swelling the bass, the right one the treble. By this means a perfect crescendo and diminuendo in either part, or in both together, can be obtained with the greatest facility : in- deed the perfect use of this pedal may be acquired by an hour's practice.
Nothing can be simpler than this piece of mechanism ; but no idea of the beauty and variety of its effects can be obtained without listening to them; a thing, therefore, which we advise our musical readers to do. They will be charmed with the rich, swelling harmonies, and " dying fall' so exquisite and so full of pathos, produced by this simple pressure of the knee ; and they will perceive, with surprise, what inexhaustible resources are furnished, in this way, for the expressive performance of almost every description of music.
M. Alexandre's Harmoniums are manufactured by himself at Paris; and his agents for their sale in England are Messrs. Chappell of Bond Street.
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