American organ

American organ (Fr.: orgue américain; Ger.: amerikanische Orgel), free-reed keyboard instr. working on suction wind, i.e., wind drawn inward through the reeds by means of suction bellows. This feature distinguishes it from the harmonium, which works on pressure wind. Otherwise the 2 are identical. The principle of suction bellows is said to have been invented by a workman employed by Jacob Alexandre of Paris. The workman immigrated to the U.S., where harmoniums with suction wind were…