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Re: Modern Street Organs (96.11.04)
By Bjorn Isebaert

To Lloyd Burton:

There are modern street organ manufacturers, but as far as I know, they
are to be found in Europe, especially in Belgium and the Netherlands.
In Belgium you have of course the "Gebroeders Decap" who produce now
52-key street organs with organ books; Albert Decap also produces
similar organs.  In the Netherlands there is especially Jan van Eyk and
son, who have built several organs, but all playing by means of organ
books. In England, you have of course several organ builders, but - I
speak for myself of course - I don't like these organs at all, since
they're not at all well tuned and the music is terrible. But to give
you some names: Dean, McCarthy, Page and Howard (these last ones are
able to produce organs with a real Gavioli sound). Most of these
English organ builders can deliver their organs playing by organ books
or computerized systems (such as the Odeon disc system, or playing by
tapes (in fact, at The Great Dorset Steam Fair, I saw a Decap organ
playing by means of tapes and by means of books). On request, the
organs can be delivered with a roll-playing mechanism of course.

So, I hope I helped you al little bit. If you want some more
information, you can still contact me on Bjorn.Isebaert@rug.ac.be.
I will do what I can.



(Message sent Tue, 5 Nov 1996 09:38:02 +0100 (MET) , from time zone +0100.)

Key Words in Subject:  96.11.04, Modern, Organs, Street