Plural of harmonium; small keyboard instruments that produce sound by pushing air through metal reeds, similar to accordions or pump organs.
From harmonium (coined in the 19th century, from harmony + Latin -ium suffix suggesting a device or place), referring to an instrument that produces harmonious tones. The instrument was invented in Europe in the 1800s as an affordable alternative to pipe organs.
Harmoniums are absolutely everywhere in Indian classical music, which is fascinating because the instrument was invented in Europe as a cheap organ substitute, but Indian musicians adopted it and made it central to their own musical traditions. What started as a 'lesser' European instrument became essential in a completely different musical culture.
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