Debain’s Harmonium
The popularity of the harmonium reached its peak in the 19th and
20th century in the Western world and was widely used in smaller
churches. Harmoniums were also widely used in the colonies of
European powers since they were easier to transport than pianos
and pipe organs. A wide variety of harmoniums were constructed
during this period including varieties that used pedals or electrical
pumps for the air flow. The largest producer of harmoniums was
a company by the name of Estey which ceased its production in
the mid 1950’s while some companies in Italy continued
production till 1970’s.
However, the harmonium had arrived in India through
missionaries in the nineteenth century. The portability of the
instrument made it quite popular in the country. However, two
factors forced a change in the structure of the harmonium in
India.
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