What is a harmonium?
Q: What is a harmonium?
A: A harmonium is a keyboard instrument that produces sound by blowing air through reeds, which are tuned to different pitches to make musical notes.
Q: How does a foot-pumped harmonium work?
A: In a foot-pumped harmonium, the player presses two pedals with his or her feet, one at a time. This is joined to a mechanism which operates a bellows, sending air to the reeds. This allows both of the player's hands to be free for playing the keyboard.
Q: Who invented the foot-pumped harmonium?
A: The foot-pumped harmonium was invented in 1842 by Alexandre Debain of Paris, although similar instruments have been made in other places around the same time.
Q: How does a hand-pumped harmonium work?
A: 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 enough air with one hand and then play both hands on the keys when necessary.
Q: Who created the hand-pumped version of this instrument?
A: The hand-pumped version of this instrument was created by Dwarkanath Ghose so that it could be played while sitting down on floor.
Q: Where is this type of instrument used?
A: This type of instrument is used in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and other South Asian countries as an accompanying instrument in Hindustani classical music, Sufi Music, Bhajan and other devotional music Qawwali Natya Sangeet and various genres including accompaniment for Classical Kathak Dance and other entertainments.
Q: What were some similar instruments developed during this time period ? A: During this time period , Anton Haeckl constructed physharmonica ,a keyboard filled with free reeds . John Green also invented seraphine ,which produced music when air was blown over metallic reeds . These instruments are now museum pieces .
