HARMONISTA
by Joop Rodenburg
Reprinted from Vol. XVI, No. 2, Summer 1997 of the *ROS Bulletin*, journal of the Reed Organ Society, Inc., and used with permission of the editor. COPYRIGHTED with ALL OTHER RIGHTS RESERVED.
Some years ago I had the opportunity to buy a reed organ with a so-called
"Transponier-Harmonista".
I was very interested in this type of device and the techniques used, so I did some
research to get some information about this type of device. The results of this research
are presented in this article.
An Harmonista is a device that is used to produce complete harmonies, just by pushing a
single button. As will be shown, Harmonistas exist in different designs: as a separate
device, to be placed on the keys of a keyboard, and as device built-in into a reed organ.
The Harmonista-device in my reed organ has been built in into the reed organ, and has
three rows of button-keys, with a total of 28 buttons. By pressing one button, four keys
of the normal keyboard are pressed. In this way it is very easy to play a beautiful
harmony with one single finger Ñ very easy and useful for people who are not able to read
the traditional music notation.
The German addition "Transponier" indicates that the device is made to slide, so
that it can be set on different positions on the keyboard. An arrow on the front of the
Harmonista marks the position: C, C#, D, D#, E,..
When the position is set to C, the first button produces the chord c-e-g-c. But when the
device has been set to G, this button produces the chord g-b-d-g.
The buttons on the devices are coded: 1, 1x, 1o, 2, 2x, 2o, etc. On my instrument
the numbers 1 - 11 are used, and for some numbers there are two additional codes, marked
with an o or with an x. In this way you can play the instrument with a very simple music
notation.
Figure 1 shows the melody of the song "My God and Lord" as it appears in an
Harmonista manual.
As you can see this is a very simple way to accompany a song. However, when you try to
play a song with the use of the Harmonista, you will notice that it takes some time to
find the buttons. Playing the Harmonista requires a lot of effort. It is not a convenient
way of playing: by pressing one single small button, you press 4 keys, by using a smaller
lever than used when playing the keys yourself on the normal keyboard.
Technique
When you take apart the Harmonista, you find out that the device uses 12 thin
wooden levers of each 5-mm.
Each lever is pressed by a number. These buttons are numbered: 1, 2, 2#.
Each lever has four contacts at the bottom. When the button is pressed, these contacts
press a key on the keyboard. In this way the device uses the normal keys of the organ.
Origin of the Harmonista
The idea to produce a harmony by using one single button or key is rather old. In a flyer
used by Alexandre during the Exhibition of 1851 in London, a similar device is listed. In
this flyer it is called by the name "Harmoniphone Transpositeur". The
commentary:
"With this mechanism, invented by the abbot Lambilotte, a person, without any knowledge of music, will be able to produce the most beautiful harmonies by using the 38 buttons."
It is remarkable that there were 38 buttons, and not 28, as in my instrument.
In the Encyclopedia of Music, published by Elsevier (1959), another person is listed as
the inventor of the Harmonista. Here one V. Gevaert from Gent (Belgium) is listed as the
inventor of a system with 26 buttons, to produce harmonies. This system is referred to as
an Harmonista.
In the issue of ROSB autumn 1997 the name Alois Maier from Fulda, Germany, is referred to.
It is not clear whether he is one of the inventors of the device, or one of the
manufacturers.
Conclusion: it is not clear who is the inventor of this device.
Manufacturers
The principle of a device to produce harmonies can found in different types of
devices. Until now I saw this type of device only in reed organs of German or Dutch
origin.
As manufacturers of these instruments I found two German manufacturers:
I have seen several harmony-devices in reed organs of other makes: Vermeulen (Woerden, The Netherlands) (1), Caecilia-Orgel (1), Emil Müller (2), Bruning & Bongardt (1), and Max Born (1). According to the patents listed on these devices, they appeared to be one of the Transponier-Harmonistas made by Emil Müller from Werdau (Germany).
Liebmannista
The firm Liebmann from Gera was a reed organ builder who also made reed organs with a
built-in harmony-device. This harmony-device got the name "Liebmannista".
A so-called small patent has patented this system. In Germany a small patent is referred
to as DRGM (Deutsche Reich Gebrauchs Muster). This patent was issued 21 June 1906 as DRGM
283302. It was indicated as:
Harmoniumspielapparat, dessen Griffbrett mit den auf die Tasten einwerkenden Druckschienen seitlich verschieb- und einstellbar ist." (Reed organ playing device, with a keyboard that is together with the key-contacts sidelong movable and adjustable.)
I found the Liebmannista in two designs: one with a build-in device, that is fixed in the instrument, and a second design, a build-in device that can be drawn out to use it. The Liebmannista can be pushed in under the stopboard. To use the Liebmannista the device has to be drawn and placed on the keyboard, as is shown on next photos.
It is likely that the Liebmannista was also available as a separate device, to be placed on top of the keyboard, like one of the designs of the Harmonista. I have not yet seen this design.
The two Liebmannistas I found has both 33 buttons, arranged in 3 rows of 11 buttons each. Each button marked with the codes 1 - 11, 1o - 11o and 1x - 11. The chords produced are listed in the table at this end of this article.
Harmonista
As already mentioned, there was another firm in Germany producing harmony
devices: Emil Müller from Werdau. Müller named his system "Harmonista", or "Transponier-Harmonista".
The Harmonista has been protected by a number of so-called small patents. The numbers I
found are DRGM 347724, 364901 and 364902.
DRGM 347724 is dated 3 July 1908 with the following description:
"Chord-device, to be used on a keyboard of a normal instrument, movable and adjustable to four directions."
The owner of this patent is Emil Müller, Werdau in Sachsen.
The patents DRGM 364901 and 364902 describe specifically the slide with the buttons. These
two patents are dated on 24 Oct. 1908. The owner of these two patents is the Harmonista
Fabrik Werdau, from Werdau in Sachsen. Emil Müller also used this company name.
The Harmonista can be found in two designs: in a design with 28 chords and in a design
with 40 chords.
The buttons are coded in almost the same way as those on the Liebmannista. However, the
numbering scheme and the chords produced differ.
A table with the used chords on the Liebmannista, the Harmonista with 28 chords and the
Harmonista with 40 chords is listed on page 13.
During my research I found the Harmonista in four designs:
Harmonista as small
keyboard
On several instruments I found the Harmonista in the design of a small
keyboard with 14 white and 14 black keys. This keyboard is placed in the middle, above the
stopboard.
The codes are printed on the stopboard, above the stops of the small keyboard. In some
designs the codes 3x, 4x etc. are presented as 3+, 4+.
When comparing these keyboards, it appeared that there are two variations. It appears that
only the position of the different chords with codes to match has changed. It is not clear
why there were two variations.
 |
The codes used are listed in this figure. When you play the small keyboard to accompany a song, it is rather difficult to find the right keys. In one of variations the keys are not numbered sequentially. This makes it very difficult to play.
Harmonista as slide with buttons
One of my own instruments has a built-in Harmonista, a slide with 28 buttons.
This design looks like the Liebmannista. However: the buttons are arranged in different
rows, there are fewer buttons than on the Liebmannista (28 instead of 33), and different
chords are used.
Harmonista as separate device
There is a separate Harmonista device. This is wooden device, to be placed on top of the
keyboard (figure 2).
On top of the Harmonista is a slide with 28 buttons, coded in the same way as on the other
Harmonista-designs. These buttons are connected with wooded levers, which can play 4 keys
on the normal keyboard.
This device can be placed on top of a common reed organ keyboard. Most devices bear the
name "Transponier-Harmonista", with one of the DRGM-numbers.
Harmonista built-in into the normal keyboard.
The Harmonista, designed as a built-in keyboard, differs strongly from the other
designs.
This Harmonista has no special keyboard or buttons, but is controlled from the normal
keyboard. As a special addition in this design the Harmonista can produce 40 chords.
A number of keys on the normal keyboard are indicated by the code of the chord: 1, 2, 2x,
etc.
By using a handle placed between the knee levers, the keyboard can be moved somewhat to
the back. In this way the Harmonista is activated. Now 40 keys on the normal keyboards can
be used, numbered from 1 to 16, some with the addition of the o- or x-sign.
This Harmonista bears three patent numbers: DRP 448868, DRP 451141 and Dansk Patent 38540.
The abbreviation DRP means: "Deutsche Reich Patent". And I did not look at the
Danish patents.
DRP 448868 is dated 26 June 1926, and owned by the firm Eugen Roggenbauch in Oberturkheim,
Wurttenberg (Germany). This patent defines a Spielvorrichtung fur Tasteninstrumente
(Playing device for keyboard instruments)
The patent DRP 451141 is extension of this patent, and is dated 15 February 1927. The
owner of this extension is the same. It is unclear how this name is related to Emil
Müller.
Neither the Reed Organ Atlas, nor the book "Das Harmonium" by Prof. Ahrens, nor
Ord'Hume refers to this name.
It is strange that this patent is dated so many years after the introduction of the first
chord devices in almost 20 years.
The chords used in this design are an extension of the chords used in the 28-chords
Harmonista. Music written for the "small" Harmonista can also be used on this
"large" Harmonista.
Suppliers of Harmonistas and Liebmannistas
In contradiction to the Liebmannista, which (to my knowledge) has only been used
in instruments of Liebmann, the Harmonista has also been used in instruments of other
make.
A number of suppliers had an extensive catalog of instruments listing a large number of
Harmonistas. I have a copy of a catalog from Brüning & Bongardt from 1920, with a
large number of reed organs with a built-in Harmonista, with the small keyboard.
In this catalog two folding instruments were also listed, with a built-in Harmonista. I am
very interested whether some of us ever saw these instruments.
A catalog of the Caecilia-organs from 1925 lists also a large number of instruments with
built-in Harmonista keyboards.
Other types of chord devices
Beside the Transponier-Harmonista and the Liebmannista there have been other chord
devices.
In The Netherlands the firm Joh. de Heer sold the Koralion. The Koralion looks the same as
the Harmonista in the design of a separate device, to be placed on top of the keyboard.
The Koralion has a movable lever with 33 buttons, using the same type of codes as the
Liebmannista, however with different chords.
The same firm Joh. de Heer also sold the so-called Organola. This was also a separate
device, with a non-movable set of 18 buttons. The chords produced are the same as the
corresponding chords of the Harmonista.
Remarkable is, that the chords of the Organola do not correspond with the chords of the
Koralion, also being sold by the same supplier.
Other chord devices, I know about, are:
Chord list
As mentioned earlier the Harmonista and the Liebmannista produce different
chords. In the next table the chords of the Liebmannista, the Harmonista and the Dutch
Koralion are listed. An interesting question is why these chords were chosen. Is there a
connection to the Accordion? I don"t know. Maybe some of our readers know the
answers.
| Chord nr. |
Liebmannista (33 chords) |
Harmonista (28 chords) |
Harmonista (40 chords) |
Koralion (30 chords) |
| 1 | c-e-g-c1 | c-e-g-c1 | c-e-g-c1 | c-e-g-c1 |
| 1o | d-f-a-d1 | - | d-f-a-d1 | D-f-a-d1 |
| 1x | d-fis-a-d1 | - | f-c1-a1-c2 | A-e-a-cis1 |
| 2 | G-g-b-d1 | G-g-b-d1 | G-g-b-d1 | G-g-b-d1 |
| 2o | A-a-c1-e1 | - | e-g-b-e1 | E-g-b-e1 |
| 2x | A-a-cis1-e1 | d-fis-a-d1 | d-fis-a-d1 | d-fis-a-d1 |
| 3 | c-g-c1-e1 | c-g-c1-e1 | c-g-c1-e1 | c-g-c1-e2 |
| 3o | e-gis-b-e1 | - | d-a-d1-f1 | G-b-d1-f1 |
| 3x | F-a-c1-f1 | A-a-cis1-e1 | A-a-cis1-e1 | A-a-cis1-e1 |
| 4 | G-b-d1-f1 | g-b-d1-f1 | g-b-d1-f1 | f-a-c1-f1 |
| 4o | d-a-d1-f1 | f-a-c1-f1 | f-a-c1-f1 | d-a-d1-f1 |
| 4x | d-a-d1-fis1 | d-a-d1-fis1 | d-a-d1-fis1 | d-a-d1-fis1 |
| 5 | c-c1-e1-g1 | c-c1-e1-g1 | c-c1-e1-g1 | c-c1-e1-g1 |
| 5o | e-b-e1-gis1 | e-b-e1-gis1 | e-b-e1-gis1 | G-b-d1-g1 |
| 5x | G-b-d1-g1 | g-b-d1-g1 | G-b-d1-g1 | B-b-d1-fis1 |
| 6 | f-c1-f1-a1 | f-c1-f1-a1 | f-c1-f1-a1 | f-c1-f1-a1 |
| 6o | D-d1-f1-a1 | a-c1-e1-a1 | a-c1-e1-a1 | e-b-e1-g1 |
| 6x | A-c1-d1-a1 | d-fis-d1-a1 | d-d1-fis1-a1 | e-b-e1-gis1 |
| 7 | g-d1-g1-b1 | g-d1-g1-b1 | g-d1-g1-b1 | G-g-d-b1 |
| 7o | c-c1-e1-bes1 | c-c1-e1-bes1 | c-c1-e1-bes1 | g-bes-d1-g1 |
| 7x | d-fis-d1-a1 | e-gis-e1-b1 | e-gis-e1-b1 | d-fis-d1-a1 |
| 8 | c-e1-g1-c2 | c-c1-e1-c2 | c-g-e1-c2 | c-G-e1-c2 |
| 8o | A-a-e1-c2 | d-d1-fis1-c2 | d-d1-fis1-c2 | A-c1-e1-a1 |
| 8x | e-gis-e-b1 | a-e1-a1-cis2 | A-e-a1-cis2 | Bes-f-d1-bes1 |
| 9 | g-b-g1-d2 | g-b-g1-d2 | g-b-g1-d2 | g-b-g1-d2 |
| 9o | f-a-f1-c2 | a-e1-a1-c2 | a-e1-a1-c2 | e-g-e1-b1 |
| 9x | d-fis1-a1-c2 | D1-fis1-a1-d2 | d-a-fis1-d2 | e-gis-e1-b1 |
| 10 | c-c1-g1-e2 | c-c1-g1-e2 | c-c1-g1-e2 | c-c1-g1-e2 |
| 10o | d-a-f1-d2 | - | B-b-d1-fis1 | A-a-e1-c2 |
| 10x | a-e1-a1-cis2 | a-cis1-a1-e2 | a-cis1-a1-e2 | A-a-e1-cis2 |
| 11 | g-b-g1-f2 | g-b-g1-f2 | g-b-b1-f2 | f-c1-a1-f2 |
| 11o | e-b-gis1-d2 | - | e-b-e1-g1 | d-a-f1-d2 |
| 11x | d-fis1-a1-d2 | a-d1-a1-fis2 | d-d1-a1-fis2 | d-a-fis1-d2 |
| 12 | f-c1-a1-f2 | g-d1-b1-g2 | g-d1-b1-g2 | - |
| 12o | a-c1-a1-e2 | - | g-b-d1-g1 | - |
| 12x | a-cis1-a1-e2 | - | BES-f-d1-bes1 | - |
| 13 | g-d1-b1-g2 | - | f-c1-a1-f2 | - |
| 13o | C1-e1-c2-g2 | - | e-g-e1-b1 | - |
| 13x | a-d1-a1-fis2 | - | d-a-f1-d2 | - |
| 14 | - | - | d-d1-a1-f2 | - |
Music available for Liebmannista and Harmonista
A large number of books were published with music in special notation for the
Liebmannista. These books are almost all song accompaniments and song books.
Several books were also available for the Harmonista. In the catalog of Brüning &
Bongardt a list of almost 500 titles of songs and songbooks appears.
Some suppliers of Harmonistas, for instance Emil Müller, supplied a songbook together
with the Harmonista, with a large number of songs listed in traditional music notation and
Harmonista codes.
Some books were also published for the Koralion. There have some been published by the
Dutch company Joh. de Heer, and some by Brüning & Bongardt from Barmen, Germany.
Conclusion
The Harmonista device did not become very popular. One of the reasons was the
decline of the reed organ business. The musical value of the Harmonista and Liebmannista
is very low.
However, as advertisements proclaim, the Harmonista can be very useful when there is no
organist available to accompany the congregation.
Last update to this page has been made on October 27, 2007
