Hello there!  As promised, I will finally introduce myself.  (Jody asked
me for this some weeks ago.)

I am an 20-year-old student from Kruishoutem, a small place in Belgium.
I'm studying Latin and Greek at the University of Ghent.  For several
years, I've been busy with mechanical music (MM), especially with Belgian
dance organs.  My favorites are Hooghuys organs, because of their unique
sound.

In Belgium there are about 8 Hooghuys organs left, for example, the
100-key "Condor" and the 57-key "De Witte Merel".  That's the reason why
I wrote a little book about the Hooghuys family some years ago.  It was a
writing project concerning our leisure, and of course, the booklet was
written in Dutch.

I am also a member of the "Kring van Draaiorgelvrienden" (KDV) of the
Netherlands, which also does a very good job in Belgium, since the
government here doesn't do much about supporting owners of mechanical
music instruments.

As some know, Belgium had its own organ museum once, and it was situated
at Bruges.  Some years ago (in 1989 I believe), the entire collection was
sold to a Swiss owner, although some instruments did go to Japan.

I am really impassioned with MM, and usually I get up and go to sleep
with organ music.  I have about 100 records, 40 cassettes and 25 CD's of
MM (including music boxes and reproducing pianos).  Since I am still
young and can't afford to buy an organ myself, I have to rely on these
recordings, although I try to visit as many owners and festivals as
possible.

Fortunately, I have a very good friend, Marc Hooghuys, who is the last
descendant of the Hooghuys family being busy with organs.  Another friend
of mine is Jan van Dinteren.  Actually, I have to say that only the elder
people are still useful to people like me, since they know a lot about
the time during which organs and other MM were still very popular.  In
fact, I don't even know if there are MM-lovers which are my age.  Can
anyone let me know ?

Actually, I don't know if there are a lot of members of the KDV outside
Europe.  The periodical of this society, "Het Pierement", often brings
some interesting information (of course, mostly about Dutch organs).  So,
If there are, let me know, since I'm curious to know what they think of
Belgian organs and the KDV !

For those who want to write me, my complete address is:

  Bjorn Isebaert
  Fonteinstraat 32
  9772 Kruishoutem
  Belgium
  Tel: 09/383.59.43
  E-mail: bjorn.isebaert@rug.ac.be

So, I hope I did my job well. I just want to wish everyone a Merry
Christmas and a happy New Year !

Greetings, Bjorn.

 [ Editor's note:
 [
 [ Bjorn, I think you are a "natural writer"!  Please tell us more about
 [ the mechanical music in Belgium.  Do you think that it will survive,
 [ without the government support as in the Netherlands?
 [
 [ Robbie Rhodes