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MMD > Archives > August 1999 > 1999.08.06 > 05Prev  Next


Blesing Robot Band and MMD in Europe
By Darrell Clarke

Hello all,

I have recently returned from 3 wonderful months travelling in Europe
and would like to share some MM experiences with other members.

The first visit was to the "Musikautomaten-Museum" in Seewen in the
northwest of Switzerland, close to Basel.  This museum has a good
selection of music boxes (surprisingly uncommon in Switzerland) as
well as player pianos, organs, orchestrions and a Hupfeld Phonoliszt.
The tour description was in German but other languages might be
available by arrangement.  My wife loved an automaton music box with
a jolly gent pouring a drink (real liquid!) then smiling and rolling
his eyes before emptying the lifted beaker.

Next was a folk museum in Triberg in the heart of the "Black Forest"
which had a great display of clocks as well as orchestrions and clever
musical automata. No tour was offered but most of the instruments were
coin operated and would play at a cost of 1 or 2 DM. The operating
displays included a magnificent, huge 1885 Gewerbeverein barrel
orchestrion and a "Blesing Robot Band" which had an accordian player,
drummer and lady singer in a Black Forest setting.  A separate player
piano accompanied the trio but was in a different part of the room!

After a very scenic drive winding through the Black Forest, we arrived
at Waldkirch where Wolfgang Brommer (MMD) treated us to a personal tour
of the organ museum and the Jaeger-Brommer organ works.  The museum has
a very good collection of organs from early drehorgels to large dance
organs with automata.  Wolfgang was a wonderful host, sparing us his
valuable time from preparations for the "Orgel Fest" a few days later
(which we had to miss, unfortunately).

By this time, I had used up my "museum credits" and had to wait until
we got to the UK before "discovering" the "Rye Treasury of Mechanical
Music" in Sussex where I heard my first pedal/electric grand.  The tour
included music boxes, early barrel organs, player pianos and a Mills
Violano.  Next MM stop was "Keith Harding's World of Mechanical Music"
in the beautiful Cotswolds.  This museum had a good selection of music
boxes as well as an 18c English barrel organ, an Orchestrelle player
organ and a red Welte Steinway.

The final visit was the Musical Museum, Brentford near London, with a
guided tour lasting nearly 3 hours -- still covering only a fraction
of the extensive collection!  More pedal/electric players, including
an ex-royalty Steinway Duo-Art and everything from singing birds to a
Wurlitzer theatre organ. A very entertaining afternoon!

Lastly, thanks to the generosity of MMDers Julian Dyer, Ian McLaughlin
and Dan Wilson,  I must mention two visits to UK private "collections",
where my "ears were opened" to some sparkling performances through
enthusiastic footwork and deft fingering on some fine pedal grands.
A highlight was Denis Hall and Rex Lawson performing a splendid
impromptu "two pianola" duet of Pineapple Poll (Sullivan/Mackerras),
betraying much dedicated practice and pianola skill.  The player piano
as serious musical instrument is alive and well in England!

Cheers,
Darrell Clarke
Clarke's Corner, Adelaide
South Australia


(Message sent Fri 6 Aug 1999, 05:16:33 GMT, from time zone GMT+0930.)

Key Words in Subject:  Band, Blesing, Europe, MMD, Robot

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