MMD > Archives > November 1996 > 1996.11.10 > 03Prev  Next


Re: Street Organs and Draaiorgels
By Ingmar Krause

In Digest 96.11.09 Robbie Rhodes wrote:

> Jan, can you tell us more about the differences between the English
> Fairground Organ, the Draaiorgel of Holland, the Drehorgel of Germany,
> and the Military Band Organ such as Wurlitzer sold in America?

I'm not Jan, but may I explain as well? :)

The difference between the English Fairground Organ and the Draaiorgel of Holland is the name :), for many organs played in England come from Holland. I can't tell what specifies the English Fairground Organs; perhaps some of our English friends can tell us.

The Dutch Draaiorgels mostly are very sweet in sound, especially with their "Bourdon"-Register. Also they mostly have a wood block and a registerable Tremolo. Well, the whole percussion is (mostly) divided: Bass-Drum (/Triangle), Cymbal, Snare-Drum (2 sticks)/ Wood block (2 sticks), "Belden" (figures playing little bells). They are run by cardboard-books.

The "Drehorgel" is misplaced in this list -- better would be to ask: What is the difference to the German Jahrmarktsorgel.

The German Jahrmarktsorgeln are the organs typically built at Waldkirch/ Black Forest: Gebr.Bruder, Ruth & Sohn -- they are ...hmm... _loud_ :) -- for they had to attract people to the different show-booths, merry-go- rounds, ect. Percussion: Bass-Drum with Cymbal, Snare-Drum (2 Sticks); bells played by figures aren't to be found in these too often, but many have a Xylophone-Register. They are run by either cardboard-books or paper-rolls. In the beginning they built smaller organs with pin- barrel-steering. [cylinder control]

> What is the draaiorgel tradition of the Netherlands? How does this
> tradition relate to the organbuilders of Belgium and the Black Forest
> of Germany? (I am thinking especially about the master, Carl Frei.)

Buy Carl Frei's Biographie :) What do you want? Should I wrote a doctoral thesis for you?!? :)

> Best regards,
> Robbie Rhodes

greetings by(e) InK [Ingmar Krause]

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ERlanger drehORGEL-Trio, Familie Krause, erorgelt@balloon.franken.de
ErlangenFrankoniaBavariaGermanyEuropeNorthernhemisphereEarthMilkywayAll<

(Message sent Sun 10 Nov 1996, 19:07:36 GMT, from time zone GMT.)

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