SPUM: Organ history/trivia

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On October 24, 2021, the St. Paul's organ was dedicated, replacing the organ from the original church building from March 1979.

The building is from 1957 when the move was made from East High Street to the present location.

We see terms of musical praise using instruments Psalms 150, the last chapter of the Psalms.

Psalms 150:3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. [kjv]

αινειτε αυτον εν ηχω σαλπιγγος αινειτε αυτον εν ψαλτηριω και κιθαρα [lxx]

… bucinae … psalterio … cithara [v]

… trumpe… sautre … harpe. [wy]

150:4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. [kjv]

αινειτε αυτον εν τυμπανω και χορω αινειτε αυτον εν χορδαις και οργανω [lxx]

… tympano … choro … cordis … organo [v]

… tympane … queer… strenegis … orgun. [wy]

More: Music

Psalms 150:3

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KJV: Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.

Hebrew: הללוהו בתקע שופר הללוהו בנבל וכנור׃

Greek: αινειτε αυτον εν ηχω σαλπιγγος αινειτε αυτον εν ψαλτηριω και κιθαρα

Latin: laudate eum in clangore bucinae laudate eum in psalterio et cithara

Wycliffe: Herie ye hym in the soun of trumpe; herie ye hym in a sautre and harpe.

Psalms 150:4

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KJV: Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

Hebrew: הללוהו בתף ומחול הללוהו במנים ועוגב׃

Greek: αινειτε αυτον εν τυμπανω και χορω αινειτε αυτον εν χορδαις και οργανω

Latin: laudate eum in tympano et choro laudate eum in cordis et organo

Wycliffe: Herie ye hym in a tympane and queer; herie ye hym in strenegis and orgun.

An organ in a church has many parts that do work, much like the organs of the body do work.

The ancient Greek word "ὄργανον" ≈ "instrument, implement" and often meant a musical instrument.

Psalms 150:4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. [kjv]

αινειτε αυτον εν τυμπανω και χορω αινειτε αυτον εν χορδαις και οργανω [lxx]

… tympano … choro … cordis … organo [v]

… tympane … queer… strenegis … orgun. [wy]

More: An opus on the workings of work

Exodus 19:19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice. [kjv]

… השופר … [he]

… bucinae … [v]

The ancient Greek word "σάλπιγξ" ≈ "war trumpet" and appears to be pre-Greek in origin. The Latin word "bucina" ≈ "curved bugle" as in a war trumpet and comes from two Latin words and is the source of the English word "bugle".

The Latin word "bow" ≈ "cow" as in "bovine".
The Latin word "cano" ≈ "sing, play".

More: Horns and trumpets and tubas

The ancient Greek word "κιθαρα" ≈ "stringed instrument" is the source of the English word "guitar" through Spanish through Arabic through Latin through Greek. In the Bible, the word means a string instrument, which can be a harp, lyre or other instrument.

The ancient Greek word "λύρα" ≈ "lyre" and is the source of the English word "lyre". The word "harp" is of Germanic origin. The German word "Harfe" ≈ "harp". The English word "chord" is related to the "cords" as strings on the instrument.

The ancient Greek word appears to be related to the Proto-Hurro-Uratian word "*kinnar" for "lyre" or "harp".

More: Music

The English word "timpani", as in a drum, comes from the Latin word "tympanum" ≈ "drum" which comes from the ancient Greek word "τύμπανον" ≈ "drum" which comes from the ancient Greek word "τύπτω" ≈ "beat, strike".

Psalms 150:4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. [kjv]

αινειτε αυτον εν τυμπανω και χορω αινειτε αυτον εν χορδαις και οργανω [lxx]

… tympano … [v]

… tympane … [wy]

A cognate is the Latin word "stupeo" ≈ "stunned, dazed" which is related to the Latin word "stupidus" ≈ "struck senseless, amazed" and is the source of the English word "stupid".

What’s the best present to receive?

A broken drum, you just can’t beat it.

More: Music

The ancient Greek word "χορός" ≈ "dance" and is the source of the English word "chorus" which today is a vocal group rather than a dance group.

Psalms 150:4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. [kjv]

αινειτε αυτον εν τυμπανω και χορω αινειτε αυτον εν χορδαις και οργανω [lxx]

… choro … [v]

… queer… [wy]

The Middle English word "queer" ≈ "dance" was used much later, in the 1800's, to refer to sexual orientation. The connection to "dance" appears to be an earlier meaning of "off-center" and "turning" or "twisting" as such movements are associated with dancing.

In that sense, the word "queer" (from Germanic) is related to the word "torque" (from Latin) via the PIE (Proto Indo-European) root "*TERK" ≈ "turn, twist, wind".

The words "torment" and "torture" are related in that they derive from instrument for inflicting pain that involved turning and twisting.

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1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. [kjv]

βλεπομεν γαρ αρτι δι εσοπτρου εν αινιγματι τοτε δε προσωπον προς προσωπον αρτι γινωσκω εκ μερους τοτε δε επιγνωσομαι καθως και επεγνωσθην [gnt]

… speculum … enigmate … [v]

The ancient Greek word "αινείτε" ≈ "praise" is related to the ancient Greek word "αἴνιγμα" ≈ "riddle, taunt, dark saying" and is the source of the English word "enigma".

The word the KJV (King James Version) often translates as "darkly" has the idea of an "enigma" which is the original Greek word.

More: A dark and enigmatic praise

Many years ago, a pastor at the second service, at St. Paul's United Methodist, talked about his wife seeing (not hearing) something related to the organ in the sanctuary during the first service.

Who was the paster?
What did his wife see?