Quintadena
Organ stop (stopped flue) in which the fifth sounds softly along with the fundamental.
What it means
The quintadena, also called quintaton, is an organ stop of the family of stopped flutes. Beside the fundamental the fifth above the octave (the third partial) is clearly audible. The stop therefore sounds colored, somewhat nasal and soft. The pipes are narrow-scaled and stopped at the top, usually at 16-foot or 8-foot pitch.
Musical use
The quintadena gives the organ sound color, especially in the blend with other flutes or the principals. It was widespread in many baroque organs, for instance as a 16-foot stop in the main division, enriching the sound with a slight overtone. As a solo it suits calm, melodic passages.
It should be distinguished from the simple gedackt, in which the third partial is weaker, and from the nazard, which sounds the fifth as a separate pipe.
Performance practice
As an organist you use the quintadena as a color stop. Combine it with other flutes or soft principals and take care that the fifth remains audible as a tint but does not cover the melody.