Harmonium

Harmonium

A Harmonium, also called a “melodeon”, “read organ” or “pump organ”, is a keyboard instrument that is a lot like an organ. It makes sound by blowing air through reeds, which are tuned to different pitches to make musical notes.

In a foot-pumped harmonium, the player presses two pedals with his or her feet, one at a time. This type was invented in 1842 by Alexandre debain of Paris.

In a hand-pumped harmonium, the player pushes and pulls a handle back and forth with one hand, which is joined to the bellows that blows the air. Because of this, he or she can only use one hand to play the keys as the other has to keep pumping the bellows. Some players can pump encough air with one hand, and then play the keys with both hands, when neccessary.

The hand-pumped harmonium was created by Dwakranath Ghose se that the instrument could be played while the player was sitting down on the floor.