Text by Sandra Soderlund, drawings by Catherine Fischer. New York: American Guild of Organists, 1994. 24 pp., $12.00. Available from AGO Headquarters, 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1260, New York, NY 10115; (212) 870-2310; fax (212) 870-2163.
Organists may wish to give one or more of these booklets as gifts to organ students and others who show interest in the design and construction of the pipe organ. They also may want to keep one for themselves! Even the most experienced musician will surely learn something from this whimsical and educational booklet.
The cartoon-like illustrations that take up about half of the space in this booklet are both amusing and informative. The glossary at the back includes about a hundred terms—those who spend a bit of time with this resource will begin to develop a good working vocabulary of terms associated with the organ, including consoles and couplers, pedals and pistons, ranks and reeds