Regal

ca. 1600–1800

Not on view

The regal is a small pipe organ with a single rank of pipes. Inside each pipe is a thin brass tongue (or reed) that produced a loud, nasal sound when air is pushed through the pipe. Although the pipes function as resonators, because on a regal they are very short they do little to moderate the reeds' aggressive tone. Usually used as a continuo instrument, the regal's louder tone made it of use in larger groups of musicians than a more typical chamber organ. Composers occasionally specified it, as Monteverdid did in Orfeo, for his scenes of the underworld.　

Technical description: Five-fold bellows. Black sharps, light wood naturals. Three and one-sixth octaves, E to C. Black walnut case.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

References

Title: Regal
Date: ca. 1600–1800
Geography: Germany
Culture: German
Medium: Wood, leather
Dimensions: 103cm x 72cm x 27cm
Classification: Aerophone-Organ
Credit Line: The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
Object Number: 89.4.3517
Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments

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