Harmonium

Foot-pumped harmonium

A harmonium is a keyboard instrument similar to an organ. It blows air through sets of free reeds, producing musical notes. The harmonium sounds like an accordion.

There are two sorts of harmonium. In a foot-pumped harmonium, the player pumps a foot pedal which operates a bellows that sends the air to the reeds.

Hand-pumped harmonium

A hand-pumped harmonium has a hand bellows that blows the air. It is used in music of India, Pakistan, Nepal and Afghanistan.

References

• Western free reed instruments
• The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Harmonium. ISBN 1-56159-229-3