Portative organ
A small, portable organ of the Middle Ages.
What it means
The portative organ is a small, portable organ of the Middle Ages and early Renaissance. The player carries it on a strap in front of the body. With the right hand he plays the keys, with the left he works the small bellows. The pipes stand in one or two rows in a case and are usually single-rank, without stops.
Musical use
The portative was widespread in the 14th and 15th centuries, in sacred and secular music alike, and is depicted in numerous paintings and sculptures. It accompanied singing, played with other instruments and played dances. Its sound is bright and delicate; the compass is only a little more than two octaves.
The portative should be distinguished from the positive organ, which is also small but is not carried, standing on a table or the floor and played with a helper at the bellows, and from the regal, a small organ with reed pipes.
Performance practice
If you play a portative, you need a steady hand on the bellows so that the wind stays even. Play in single lines and with fine, distinct articulation; the instrument sounds bright and carries even at low volume.