Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info
MMD > Archives > November 2001 > 2001.11.26 > 02Prev  Next


Haarlem Organ Hall "Stichting Het Kunkelsorgel"
By Philip Jamison

I just returned today from Holland after visiting the Orgelhall
in Haarlem last Sunday.  It was full of enthusiastic organ friends.

Haarlem is a very pretty Dutch city with several interesting
museums, including the "Teylers", the oldest in The Netherlands,
and "The Frans Halsmuseum".  I've visited the organ hall, "Stichting
Het Kunkelsorgel" twice before over the past 10 years.

This is not a "museum", as mentioned before.  It's housed in a
deteriorating industrial building not far from the center of town.
The crowd sits at tables in the middle of a large room rather like
a German beer hall.  Elderly ladies sell beer, sodas and great Dutch
fare like ertensoep (a thick pea porridge with sausages) and waffles.
It seems nearly everyone smokes, and by early afternoon the room
assumes dreamlike misty ambience.  The dream for the organ lover is
that every organ (around 10) plays beautifully and each in their turn.
The clientele are mostly Dutch people with a smattering of foreigners
like me.

Each week, a "guest" organ arrives, and this visitor gets the spotlight
and the most play.  Last Saturday, it was "De Pluto", a very nice
street organ in fine voice.  The recently restored Marenghi/Frei
"Kunkelsorgel" is a treat to hear.

This is the best place to hear street and dance organs.  You can sit
and listen all day, take photographs, buy recordings and souvenirs,
and try out your Dutch.  People sing, laugh and sway to the music, all
for free.  All this is not widely-known, even to the Dutch, but it is
one of the reasons I love this country.

Philip Jamison
West Chester, Pennsylvania

 [ Visit http://www.draaiorgelmuseum.org/  -- Robbie


Key Words in Subject:  Haarlem, Hall, Het, Kunkelsorgel, Organ, Stichting

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page