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The Frein harmonique is a speech modifying device in the form of a metal bar placed in front of the mouth of a narrow-scaled pipe; it stabilizes the tone, arresting the tendency for such pipes to fly off the fundamental and sound an upper partial. lt is held by an adjustable spring fixed below the mouth. The device was patented by Gavioli in 1876 and it is particularly associated with pipework made for fairground organs. Willis introduced a version of it at Glasgow in 1878, but the rather more stable roller-bridge, invented by Sauer, c.1878 and introduced to Britain by Lewis, superseded it and became the normal method of this type of speech control in mainstream organ-building. Wedgwood stated that the Frein Harmonique was invented by Charles Lemaire and brought out by Gavioli. 1. This apparently was not so. The invention is claimed by John Abbey (i.e. the son or grandson of John Abbey, the English organ builder who moved to Paris c.1827 and whose family firm flourished through to 1935). John Abbey wrote to James Wedgewood with the following information, a copy of which was made available by M. Dominique Chailley of Jacou, France, from the original in his private collection. Versailles le 24 Août 1906 Frein harmonique lnventé en 1875 par J. Abbey. Appliqué pour la 1re fois á la 1re octave (From Tenor C.) á la voix Céleste, orgue du Raincy. Ensuite en 1876, orgue de Gd. Montrouge, Viole de Gambe et Voix celeste. l En 1877, orgue de Ste. Georges, Paris. Deux Violes de Gambe 8 et la voix Céleste. 1877 - Orgue de Ste.- Martin, Amiens. Viole de Gambe 8; Violoncello 8; Voix Celeste. 1878 - Exposition Universelle, Paris - Viole de Gamba 8; voix Céleste. Dans son rapport official, Gustave (Chougure?) dit 'Application aux jeux de fonds d'un 'régulateur' en métal grâce angule on fait articuler instantanement les jeux de mince taille (Gambes, voix célestes, etc.) + En 1876, Charles Lemaire était employé chez moi, c'est lá qu'il eut connaisance du système. Il m'écrivait en 1877: 'Gavioli a pris un brevet pour Ia France et l'Etanger pour l a 'bavette' (sic) que l'on met aux Gambes. C'est exactement pareil à ce que vous m'avez montré. Elle ne diffère qu'au lieu d'être en étain, elle est en cuivre et á vis. |