Organ Update 23- Dec 2005
UPDATE Compiled by Boz Oram
boz@historyinharmony.com
www.historyinharmony.com
Welcome to Update Number 23 – and a big and hearty welcome to all of members on the Update. I also thank you for your continued support and please keep passing this update around – New people are welcome and all you have to do is email me at boz@historyinharmony.com and I’ll do the rest.
Apologies for the length of this Update, but I thought that I’d do a good and full one just in case I don’t get the opportunity of putting another one together before Christmas.
If this is the case, then please accept Linda’s and my good wishes for Christmas and the New Year.
Sheffield University Orton and Spooner records.
Speaking to a great friend of mine, Stuart Legg who builds what can only be described as 1” scale full sized fairground architecture tells me that he has passed on some original 0rton and Spooner drawings to the Sheffield University for easy access to the rest of us. Firstly I must thank the University for holding these what can only be described as priceless pieces of our heritage for everyone to use, but to all of the people who have also donated these artefacts in the first place. I have included their website for you to go and look for yourselves http://www.shef.ac.uk/nfa/. The website is excellent and there are plenty of photographs and all sorts to look at.
North West Group FOPS
The North West Group newsletter of the Fair Organ Preservation Society is on the lookout for a new editor; Stuart Marti-Bowler has felt that after 15 years of editing and producing this excellent magazine, the time has come to stand down and let someone else take the reigns. As an ex-editor I also know that the need for a vibrant newsletter keeping all members informed and together, is a must. If there are any NWG budding editors out there, then please contact: North West Group Newsletter, 30 Queens Road, Urmston, Manchester M41 9HA.
Who would go out in the Winter Time – Part One?
Had a situation occur the other day. I was going to the opening of the Christmas Lights in Trowbridge on the Saturday (yes there are a few places left in the UK that celebrate Christmas without offending non Christ groups) with the fairground organ Sharahazad and the old Thames Trader lorry. I thought that an overnight stop would be sensible as the top speed is rather slow and I didn’t want to get up too early in the morning. That night the temperature dropped to a lowest we have seen for quite a while (-8C) and I think that due to the lack of it usual mileage this year, there was condensate in the fuel line. As a consequence I suffered the indignity of not being able to get the engine running and go to the event; then having to try and get the engine running and back home to base. Well it didn’t work – I broke the fuel lift pump and therefore couldn’t get fuel into the injector pump and thence into the engine. Fortunately there are a whole host of very helpful people out there who will help others out in distress – on this occasion Robert and Trevor Bullen who turned up on the Sunday like International Rescue and save the day with the mighty low-loader.
What it has made me realise is that there are many other people out there who also do limited mileage like myself and will most likely suffer the same condensation problem. May I make the suggestion that you clean out your fuel filters and possibly put lighter oil into the engine to make the turning over of the crankshaft a bit easier? For what should have been a few hours of supposed pleasure, turned out to be a total excess of days trying to fix a rather simple problem.
Which brings me on to the next situation.
Getting people to sort out your problems is getting more and more difficult. Simple enough things such as tyre purchase, valve grinding, large size sparking plugs, and a whole host of simple things are now difficult to find. Is there a directory out there that lets you know where to go for any elusive part? Well if there is, then I really don’t know of it so could someone please let me know of it. The days of getting something for free or minimal cost are long gone, however there a still a few places to go to, to get help. In fact I have a prime example of steam cylinders being sent over to the UK from the US for work to be carried out as this company have specialised in this kind of work. The barriers of trade have had to come down due to the lack of skilled people throughout the world.
What would be good is a free database that is easily accessible by everyone, that would help keep our hobbies alive especially as we all ought to be working together. Please let me know - maybe we could start something up ourselves – how does that sound?
Who would go out in Winter – Part Two.
After the freezing fuel episode, I fixed the problem and then set off to West Wycombe just east of Croydon – South East London. The day started with torrential rain and gales. I should have said there and then “who would take a Rembrandt out on a day like this and subject it to unnecessary hardship?” Well the need to not let anyone down overtook any form of reason and I finally set off to the great metropolis. The engine was running beautifully with its new pump and I was getting up hills and doing a great turn of speed (almost 1½ miles an hour faster than usual) until I got to the London Orbital M25. Well folks, if you’ve got old-fashioned springing, then beware of the 4-Lane Cart Track, and that isn’t go-carts either. The road is shocking with holes that you just can’t miss – quite disgusting when a few hours proper work would sort out the whole problem. Finally after more miles that I care to mention, the exhaust pipe fractured and I ended up with a very throaty sounding engine. The predator Police Force that patrols the motorways fortunately wasn’t around so I was able to find an inoquious lay-by and do a temporary job fixing the pipe without interference from Plod. I then carried on through even more awful roads in Coulsden, which seems to have taken over three years to completely do nothing. Finally through Croydon and the West Wycombe and park the lorry. Opening up the front, I had to tie down the tilt on the organ on one side to a car and the other to a fairground sidestall. I was thinking at this moment, “I should have taken my advice from earlier and just not gone” It then started heavy showers…… Fortunately for me, a whole group of people who I have met over a period of five years turned up and thanked me for playing and the more daring of the Public did their usual dancing in front of the organ. In fact the number of people in front of it was enormous again! This was until the rain literally poured down as though someone had emptied a bucket. Finally it was time to return back to home base. I did so well getting out onto the main drag towards the M25. In fact I was doing so well that I overshot the motorway and ended up at Gatwick airport. I had made a conscious decision to not fill up with fuel to drain the tank later, however this detour might alter the situation in the fuel tank! Finally got onto the home straight and the M3 motorway. I got as far a Basingstoke and smelt the familiar bittersweet taste of diesel. Yes in my haste to get the engine running two weeks previously, I had undone the injector pipes to bleed them, but of course this was in the cold and therefore easily fractured when tightening up. This time I had broken one of them so here I was just a few miles from base, struggling back on just three cylinders. Everything is now in the shed and I haven’t bothered to touch it. Methinks I’ve had enough of taking my Rembrandt around for peanuts.
Diesel Services
After the freezing up of the diesel episode in the Ford lorry, I went to Rayner Diesel Services who are based in Newbury, Berkshire who have totally specialised in diesel engines of ALL types and have a diesel diagnostic centre that has over 24 years, grown into one of the most up-to-date diesel repair departments. Address is Rayner Diesel Services. Unit 2, Sterling Industrial Estate, Kings Road, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 5RQ. Tel 01635 46323. Fax 01635 35205 (both 5 figure numbers) email RaynerDiesel@aol.com and website doesn’t work at this moment so will wait for some guidance when it is available. The team there are very helpful and as true engineers, also have a good wit.
Street Festivals
Funnily enough, there are people out there who really want to show the General Public their hobby, but increasingly the shows that they go to tend to attract the same people year after year and as a consequence, the figures tend to go down. Sometime this can be traced to a simple situation of people not knowing that the show is being staged or ore often, no signs to show where it is. Now the mechanical organ fraternity has been doing something for quite a number of years and that is to have street festivals in town centres. Everyone seems to benefit by the Councils taking an interest and promoting the festival, the shopkeeper’s takings are up and more importantly the public at large see our bits and pieces free of charge and are happy to enjoy these fascinating events. The Continent of Europe rarely has a show out of town and there are places in the UK that also have shows in town – a fine example being the town of Hungerford in Berkshire having its Victorian evening on the 9th December. Of course it depends totally upon whether you live near to a town that has a forward moving Chamber of Commerce and Council, but on listening to exhibitors this seems to be a very good way forward. Funnily enough, this one of only two show I know of. The other being Newcastle under Lyme, where Malcolm Reeder has taken my place on the 10th in the centre of town during the day with his excellent Gavioli Fair organ.
Trip out to Germany for Carousel Lovers
I really must tell you about this excellent tour! Sorry Brian for not doing it sooner.
The tour locations have been put together by Brain and Jean Steptoe, well-known members of the National Carousel Association, based in the US, however more widely known in the UK for Brian’s excellent hardback books on fairground architecture and their associated equipment, plus their presence at Carter’s Fair. The tour is a good chance to visit some of Germany’s superb carousels, but is also the opportunity of relaxing and generally enjoying the country at the same time. Flying (or by train) to Frankfurt for June 2, which is a Friday. Talks by Suzanne Fredebeul, Essen’s Erich Knokke and his major collection of fair equipment. Schaustellermuseum, Kornelimünster and the Jahrmarkt, plus Munich and a whole host more. Believe you me; I was fascinated by the fact that the tour will be seeing possibly the oldest carousel in the world from c1780 plus another rare machine from c1805! Plenty of other carousels in the tour, but if you want to know more, then please email Brian at bsteptoe@compuserve.com and he will furnish you with more information.
Harris’s Gallopers Burnt
From the World’s Fair www.worldsfair.co.uk and Roger Mills and Peter Hammond we learn that the famous Southdown Gallopers had a suspected arson attack during the late hours of Friday 17th November at the Feast of St Edmond the King. The ride had been built up and sheeted down in readiness for the weekend’s pre Christmas run-up to good shopping and festivities in the West Sussex town of Petworth. Passers raised the alarm by who luckily spotted flames underneath the historic riding machine and four fire pumps were seconded to extinguish the flames that took about 25 minutes of hard work. It is clearly too early to assess the damage, however Robert Harris said, “the centre is pretty well burnt out. There is damage to the paintwork with some of the horses being scorched with the swifts and quarterings suffering from the burn damage. The full extent of the damage is not known – at the moment it’s anybody’s guess.” The Petworth Society Chairman, Peter Jerome explained “we are inviting people to make donations towards helping restore the Gallopers and the Petworth Town Band has already planned a fund-raising concert and all of the entertainers who were performing at the fair have donated their fees to give the campaign a start” People who wish to contribute to the Petworth Society Appeal should send their donations to: A Henderson. 62 Sheepdown Drive, Petworth, West Sussex GU28 0BX, marking their envelope “Fair”
The Harris Family are from the old stock of Fairground proprietors whose Galloper was the first heavy load that our 4nhp Savage Electric Light Engine of 1891 first powered at Tinker’s Park after a major overhaul. Harris Brothers Fair is just a lovely family that really don’t deserve the nastiness of our modern world. It also just shows you that what might have been around yesterday might not be in future.
Sussex Organ goes to Bournemouth
Dr Andrew Leach, well known in the mechanical organ world as a restorer in his own right as well as the other half of Leach and Overington that built the remarkable Concert Organ (amongst others) was spotted by your scribe nestling and intertwined into a German Christmas Market. Unfortunately the press releases that had been published displayed the wrong date, however the instrument was creating quite a stir. A model 79, 48 keyless Bruder Sohne has only been out in public just three times in Andrew’s ownership since rebuilding, the first being in Waldkirch Germany, and back in its birthplace. In fact it was here that it suffered from the excessive heat, which split the wind-chest and almost became unrepairable. Fortunately due to the tenacity of Andrew, the instrument is back out entertaining and sounds absolutely fantastic. Some very good music arrangements are already on the instrument, however Andrew tells me that he is getting many different patterns to cut for his instrument so watch out for this organ as it is well-worth listening to.
Bournemouth is possibly one of the most awkward places to get into as the roads are designed for horse and carriage I think, however, once inside, there is a plethora of shops and (amazingly enough) department stores, and shops! Do you remember them instead of just banks, building societies and job centres? Well interdispersed within these shops is the German Market, which has bits and bobs from Germany as well as a good old-fashioned mobile German Keller serving beer and all sorts of Germanic strudel stuff.
Who would go out in Winter – Part Two (and a half).
The Victorian Fair held in Hungerford will be taking place this year on the 9th December, which is the Friday night. Mechanical organs are to be there as well as a number of steam engines of all sizes. Star of the show though will be the ex Wharton Burrell, Earl Beatty which had its unveiling at the St Agnes Rally in Cornwall earlier this year. The engine has been thoroughly overhauled in the ownership of Robert Coles and is a credit to the engineers and painters who have spent so much time (and money) getting this well-known engine back onto the public stage again after some 50 years of being a pile of bits.
Licence for performing
I have a query that I think ought to be aired publicly. I was watching a programme on the television the other night, which was pointing out the fors and againsts for 24 hour drinking, saying that our population will run riot through the land. The simple answer to that is wait and see. The archaic licensing laws came into force in the UK during the Great War. If I remember rightly, it was due to the fact the people who were working in the various war effort factories were turning up a bit worse for wear after a session in the Pub. Not really too good if you were making explosive equipment, but I would have thought that company policy would have taken care of that without Government intervention. However that is not what I am asking. As a side issue, it seems that Live Music, now needs a separate licence on top of licences already in place. It seems that the innocuous Punch and Judy has to have a licence that costs in the region of £200 each time the show opens and bearing in mind that it is only donation that helps these performers cover their costs, then this will be too prohibitive. It also seems that live music in public places are also subjected to the same Draconian rules as well which means that a small pub will not be able to afford to book live entertainment and this also attacks the travelling Showman and Circus with their performers. I do know that there is a Henry VIII precedent that has never been repealed and therefore travelling musicians and performers should not be hindered, however I cannot recall the exact details, but please, if there is someone out there who has a better understanding of what is happening, then maybe we (or even I) can do something about it. We have been subjected to so many rules and regulations that in many cases have not been passed by Law, that I wonder whether this is another farce. I know that the Tourism in the UK has its moments and that our Royalty has been travelling around the world continually promoting this country, however you will be wasting your time Prince Charles, if we can’t even perform in our own country.
Case 150hp lives!
From Beth Vanarsdall out in the USA and Mike Dyson, editor of Steam Traction Engine www.kelsey.co.uk email mike.dyson@kelsey.co.uk
Something that caught my eye was in Steam Traction Engine, a new publication dedicated to “what it says on the tin” Steam Traction Engines! I have always been interested in the Case 150hp engine for some reason and the last article I read (somewhere) said that there were no survivors at all. This to me is just therefore fascinating that something so large still exists, albeit just in boiler form. Mind you, if the boiler sells for £10,714 (I'm guessing that is the exchange rate - what was it in $) then most likely the new owner will be able to afford to rebuild the engine back into a traction engine, but with better gearing by the looks of it. It'll be an interesting project. I for one am looking forward to seeing the finished article and would like to see if any of the magazines will feature the rebuild. If they do, please let me know.
It was set to be the steam sale of the year and so it turned out with large crowds featuring at Hickory Oaks Farm, Davis Junction Illinois on Saturday 1st October reports Beth Vanarsdall. Over 400 lots were on offer from the estate of the late George Hedtke and turned out to be a bumper day for auctioneers Merv and Craig Hilpipre. In the lots on offer there were the remnants of the last remaining Case 150hp road locomotive number 14666 of 1904, one of the nine made by Case between 1904-1907. Unfortunately they were too big and nearly all were returned to the works and converted to skid portable (methinks that is a steam donkey engine, found mainly in the logging areas*) units to work in the timber industry. The experts say that they suffered from lightweight gearing and the wrong ratio. The rear wheels were 8 feet in diameter.
Many records were set for the engines on offer, but most will need a considerable amount of work before they steam on good pressure again. A new record for price on the Case 110hp going for £92,262 going to Texas and the Case steam roller going for £21,428, also going to Texas."
Prices:
"1911 Case 110hp 24956 traction engine £92,262
1928 Case 80hp 331466 traction engine £32,143
1914 Case 65hp 33262 traction engine £45.000
1923 Case 50hp 35529 traction engine £26,786
1923 Case 40hp 35633 10 ton roller £26,786
1910 Case 18hp 23033 portable engine £23033
1904 Case 150hp 14666 traction boiler £10,714"
I must admit that the exchange rate gives such a strange figure and brings up a vision of a buyer looking through his loose coins to find that elusive £ coin so that he doesn’t end up with a whole load of loose change in his pocket!
* Back in the last century, I remember going into the forested hills and mountains of Canada and coming across a couple of Steam Donkeys. In this particular case they were vertical boilered machines that had an engine and winch. They basically let the wire out up the hill, secured it to a tree and then winched themselves, to then repeat the process again until it was in the required position. To get it back down again was a lot more dangerous and therefore it was more sensible to go and get another one and start the process again, which is why there are a few steam donkeys still in the hills languishing away until someone has the mad-capped idea of finding one and bringing it back to civilisation again downwards.
New Website
The steam world has the Steam Apprentice Club that is dedicated to our younger members who have a small interest in steam engines as a whole. This group has been going for many years and without it there just wouldn’t be the amount of young steam people about taking our hobby forward. John Durling, the chairman and I have spoken about this at great depth as to how we can go forward into the future with other groups. The unfortunate fact is that they are geared up purely for steam, however a new light under the bushel has appeared for the mechanical organ. A new interactive site is for your perusal and is being run by people better than I will ever be when it comes to these fangled computers! Nick Williams and James Dundon have bitten the bullet and decided to operate www.fairgroundorgan.com/forum As I said, it is interactive, which means that you can just sign up and talk stuff (for want of a better word) and I hope that they also get as good attendance from you as well. It is not easy to run one of these things, but they seem to be on the ball. I also have to say that they have also given me my own area for these Updates to be published – the name that seems to be conjured up is “Boz’s Box”. Now whether that is just a domain name or maybe my final resting place remains to be seen! This to me is also the grea-*test*-('") opportunity of getting like-minded people from all around the world sharing information. The site has already taken off, and maybe there will also be the opportunity of getting youngsters coupled up with other organ owners and doing the same as the Steam Apprentice Club, which is keeping our hobby alive.
As a matter of interest, I just registered and found it dead easy! Now coming from me, that’s got to be easy!
From Björn Isebaert out there in Belgium
I had asked in an earlier edition of the Update about the gifted arranger Gustav Bruder and where I could find some of his arrangements?
Hi Boz,
Just another addition to the Gustav Bruder question: there are also a lot of Gustav Bruder-arrangements on the recently released CD of the 52er Bruder of the Fuchs Brothers in Switzerland.
And for the Shaharazad 100th birthday party: you're welcome in our new home - plenty of space.
Best wishes,
Björn
Many thanks for that Björn – you never know I may take you up on the offer
From Colin Tyson, editor of Old Glory www.oldglory.co.uk
Boz
Any use to your for newsletter? (Yes!)
Colin Tyson
PRESS RELEASE
Guest Organ at Amersham Open Days
Visitors to the Amersham Fair Organ Museum this coming season of winter open days are in for an extra treat. Richard Evans has lent his 49-key Marenghi organ to the collection as a "guest" instrument. This is a rare opportunity to see and hear an organ that has only been presented in public twice in the past 7 years.
Richard purchased the Marenghi from the Tussauds Group back in 1997 at the auction of their collection of fairground art at Wookey Hole, Somerset. The organ must hold something of a record as it never played on a British fair ground or been presented at a steam engine rally. Imported in 1962 by the late Mr W J Barlow of Cleobury Mortimer, Salop, it is believed to have been arrived in this country in the company of two other organs. After less than a year, it was sold to Tom Fisher of Hull who, in turn, did not keep it long before selling it to Madame Tussauds. After a very thorough rebuild by Chiappa Ltd, Tussauds featured the organ at their London waxworks exhibition before moving it in 1974 to Wookey Hole caves where it joined the famous Lady Bangor’s Fairground Collection now sadly dispersed. Readers will no doubt remember the organ in its later days at Wookey standing at the end of the main hall surrounded by other exhibits. There it played constantly almost every day for over 20 years up until about a year or so before the collection was sold, its music lending a real live fairground atmosphere to The Fairground by Night exhibition.
Richard Evans, who is something of a Marenghi fan being a regular member of the Anderton & Rowland Organ crew and a former helper with the 89-key Marenghi that was at Beaulieu, entrusted the restoration of his Marenghi to Tim Blyth of Kingsbridge, Devon. The organ was found to be worn out on purchase and Tim has carried out a complete overhaul of the instrument, including the reinstatement of the organ's feeders that fortunately remained inside the bottom of the case after a blower was fitted. Meanwhile, Vicky Postlethwaite of Salisbury, Wilts, has undertaken the complete restoration of the organ's magnificent facade, which has included the painting in oils of new central cartouche on the lower front of the organ to replace the original that was missing.
Small Marenghi's are a rarity these days. This is the only 49-key one in the UK and there are only 2 others known to exist in the world, one in the Netherlands and the other in Japan. There is also a slightly larger 59-key Marenghi in the Netherlands and there are 5 smaller Marenghi's surviving in the UK that were all converted to the standard Gavioli 46-scale during their working life on the English fairground. A more recent addition to their number is the little Marenghi of Robert Wichall that still plays on its original 47-key scale. This is different from the 49-scale of the ex-Wookey Marenghi, although there is only 2 keys difference in the width of the books.
Richard Evan's Marenghi is gaining a reputation as a "little giant", being able to hold its own with instruments considerably larger than itself due to its unusual combination of powerful trombones, bass cellos, violins and piccolos. He is currently in the process of building-up a new library of music for the organ from Kevin Meayers (London) and Jory Bennett (Gloucester) who are specially hand-arranging music to show the instrument to its full potential. It is hoped that he will soon have enough books to make a CD recording of the organ in the very near future.
The coming season of open days will also be an opportunity to hear the resident 89-key sleighbell Marenghi now that its 30-year overhaul is underway with the resident organ building team of Kevin Meayers and Paul Davies. Once the centrepiece of Anderton & Rowland's four abreast gallopers, the organ was restored as long ago as 1972 for Ted Reed by the late Victor Chiappa and his staff at Eyre Street Hill, London. The instrument, which was fortunately attending the Great Dorset Steam Fair at the time of the disastrous fire in 1991, was due to have an overhaul some while ago but has had to soldier on a bit longer while other more urgent projects took priority at Amersham. The organ is being overhauled in stages so that it will not be completely out of commission on any of the open days. Listeners will, it is hoped, be able to appreciate the improvement in performance as work progresses.
The dates for this season’s open days are as follows;
11th December 2005.
15th January 2006.
19th February 2006.
26th March 2006.
23rd April 2006.
Contact:
The Secretary, Amersham Fair Organ Museum,
Unit 1, 28 Plantation Road, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, HP66HJ.
Tel: 01494-433948/Fax: 01442-234924.
Many thanks for that Colin and congratulations to both you and Juliette on you recent marriage. Good luck and we all hope that you both have a lovely life together.
From Dr Andrew Leach, recent addition to the Update
Who would go out in Winter – Part Three.
Hi Boz.
Thanks for the email and I will look forward to reading all the news!
Just back from a frozen Horsham town centre with the concert organ;
must be mad!
.........where's my whisky..........
regards
Andrew
Sorry Andrew, but I couldn’t resist putting this into the Update, just to show other people what we subject ourselves to during the winter months. At least with a steam engine, you can huddle up to the firebox and warm up there!
New Licensing Laws. UK
If you sell alcohol, put on regulated entertainment, such as live music, theatre or cinema, or sell hot food or drink after 11pm, you need a new licence – even if you already have one.
The 6 August deadline for automatically preserving your existing licence conditions has now passed. You must apply for a new licence NOW if you want to continue trading. Some businesses will need a licence for the first time.
The application process will take time. You must have your new licence by 24 November 2005, when all existing permissions will cease to have effect and the new law will come into force. If you leave it too late, you risk closure or prosecution.
If you are not sure whether you need a licence, or for help in getting started, call the Licensing Act information line: 020 7072 7447 (Mon – Fri, 8:30 – 5:30pm, calls charged at standard rates).
Further information about the Act can be accessed via the Licensing Act 2003 section of this website. Application forms and guidance for applicants are also available separately.
Licence for performing UK
I have a query that I think ought to be aired publicly after the previous title. I was watching a programme on the television the other night, which was pointing out the fors and againsts for 24 hour drinking with this new licensing, saying that our population will run riot through the land. The simple answer to that is wait and see, but so far nothing different has happened to the normal lads and lasses enjoying themselves, with a couple of groups going over the top (if the newspapers are to be believed). The archaic licensing laws came into force in the UK during the Great War and if I remember rightly, it was due to the fact the people who were working in the various war effort factories were turning up a bit worse for wear after a session in the Pub. Not really too good if you were making explosive equipment, but I would have thought that company policy would have taken care of that without Government intervention. However that is not what I am asking. As a side issue, it seems that Live Music, now needs a separate licence on top of licences already in place. It seems that the innocuous Punch and Judy has to have a licence that costs in the region of £200 each time the show opens and bearing in mind that it is only donation that helps these performers cover their costs, then this will be too prohibitive. It also seems that live music in public places are also subjected to the same Draconian rules as well which means that a small pub will not be able to afford to book live entertainment and this also attacks the travelling Showman and Circus with their performers. I do know that there is a Henry VIII precedent that has never been repealed and therefore travelling musicians and performers should not be hindered, however I cannot recall the exact details, but please, if there is someone out there who has a better understanding of what is happening, then maybe we (or even I) can do something about it. We have been subjected to so many rules and regulations that in many cases have not been passed by Law, that I wonder whether this is another farce. I know that the Tourism in the UK has its moments and that our Royalty has been travelling around the world promoting this country, however you are wasting your time Prince Charles, if we can’t even perform in our own country.
From Peter Griffiths who has supplied me with a clean joke (once!)
One winter morning a couple is listening to the radio over breakfast. They hear the announcer say, "We are going to have eight to10 inches of snow today. You must park your car on the even-numbered side of the street, so the snowploughs can get through." Norman's wife goes out and moves her car.
A week later while they are eating breakfast again, the radio announcer says, "We are expecting 10 to 12 inches of snow today. You must park your car on the odd-numbered side of the street, so the snowploughs can get through." Norman's wife goes out and moves her car again.
The next week they are again having breakfast, when the radio announcer says, "We are expecting 12 to 14 inches of snow today. You must park..." Then the electric power goes out. Norman's wife is very upset, and with a worried look on her face she says, "Honey, I don't know what to do. Which side of the street do I need to park on so the snowploughs can get through?" With the love and understanding in his voice that all men who are married exhibit, Norman says, "Why don't you just leave it in the garage this time, honey?"
Peter peter@griffithsorgans.co.uk
website at www.griffithsorgans.co.uk
Thanks for that Peter – must have been difficult finding that one!
THE INTERNATIONAL Festival OF MECHANICAL MUSIC, Iaşi, RomAnia
From Lenuta Chirita, Director of the International Music Festival in Iaşi
http://home.dntis.ro/~palatis/uk/index.htm is the website (all in English) and a paper written by Mrs Lenuta Chirita at http://mmd.foxtail.com/Pictures/waterorg.html
The International Festival of Mechanical Music, held in Iasi, the old cultural centre of Romania, took place on 16-18 September 2005 and this year's edition was a two-folded event, as the occasion was also used to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the "Ştefan Procopiu” Science and Technique Museum. The foundation of the museum goes back to 1955 and the collection of musical automata was initiated in 1958, which resulted in the permanent museum exhibition entitled « Sound Recording and Playback ».
Each of the three days of the Festival had a very tight programme. Thus, Friday, 16 September 2005, was mainly reserved to the specialists in the field, was followed by the inauguration of two exhibitions. The Science and Technique Museum at its 50th Anniversary pointed out by documents and photographs showing the evolution of the Museum since its foundation up to the present days. The former museum specialists now retired; as well friends of the museum were invited and awarded diplomas of excellence issued on the purpose. It is with the same occasion that the first number of the Bulletin of the Science and Technique Museum was published, while for the future bi-yearly issues are planned.
The other exhibition, The Fascination of Mechanical Music was prepared with the contribution of several other museums in Romania: the History Museum of Alba Iulia, the Clock Museum of Ploieşti, ”The House of Mureşan People” Museum in Braşov, the History Museum in Zalău, Muzeul, the History Museum in Vaslui. Thus, apart the music automata in the museum collection, the public could admire the music icons and clocks from Zalău, the Berliner gramophone of Alba Iulia, the lovely music box of the Literature Museum in Iaşi, the music clocks from Ploieşti as well as music items made available by Mr. Henri Noubel of the Czeck Republic.
Throughout the three days of the Festival, mechanical music was heard throughout the Palace of Culture, the outstanding edifice in neogothic style which hosts the Science and Technique Museum. The exhibited music automata played during these days, to the delight of the visitors. Please check out the website – it is fascinating Ed
An important moment of this first day of the event was the workshop ”The History of Mechanical Music and Conservation-Restoration Problems” which enjoyed the participation of museum specialists, conservators and collectors from Romania and abroad. Thus, a novelty was the collection of the Museum of the Country of the Criş Rivers in Oradea presented by Roland Hochhauser as well as the one of the Technical Museum of Brno, presented by Petr Nekuža. Problems raised by the conservation and restoration of music automata were analysed by the renowned specialist Dr. Helmut Kowar, of the Science Academy in Wien. The workshop was moderated by Prof. Univ. Dr. Horia Nicolai Teodorescu, of the Technical University of Iaşi, member of the Romanian Academy.
Below are the titles of the presented papers :
Henri Noubel, University of Toulouse - How to Safeguard Small Mechanisms with Pin-cylinders in the Czech Republic.
Ronald Hochhauser, Museum of the Country of Criş Rivers in Oradea - Music Instrumente in the Collection of thhe Museum of the Country of Criş Rivers in Oradea;
Ingrid Bahamat, Departmental History Museum of Galaţi – Swiss Music Boxes. Reference Points in the Activity of the « Frères Mermod » Company;
Dumitru Nedelea, ”N.I.Simache” Clock Museum of Ploieşti – From the History of Famous Horloges – the Horloge of Bastille;
Mariana Păvăloiu, Museum of the Romanian Navy Academy, in Constanţa and Ruxandra Dreptu, National Art Museum of Romania, in Bucharest – The Language of Music, the Language of Painting;
Ghena Pricop, Museum of Brăila – Music Boxes in the Collections of the Museum of Brăila;
Helmut Kowar, Science Academy of Wien, Austria - Musical automata as a Historical Source of Musical Performance: the Problems of Autheticity, Restoration and Preservation;
Petr Nekuža, Technical Museum of Brno, Czeck Republic - The exhibition the Salon of Mechanical Music in the Tehnical Museum in Brno;
Elena Musca, Departmental History Museum in Zalău – Clocks and Clock Makers Travellers through Sălaj;
Moşneagu Marian, Museum of Romanian Navy in Constanţa – Nautic Sounds in the Romanian Harbour Environment;
Mioara Zamfir, “Dimitrie Leonida” Technical Museum in Bucharest, Exceptional Donations within ” Dimitrie Leonida” Technical Museum;
Elena Ilie and Gabriela Cloşcă, Museum of Brăila – The World of Music Trading during the First Half of the 19th Century;
Cristina Celia Iacob, ”Ştefan Procopiu” Science and Technique Museum in Iaşi - The Conservation of Recording Supports for the Music Automata;
Ion Cristea, Cultural Heritage Restoration-Conservation Centre in Iaşi – The Restoration of Some Music Automata;
Camelia Cristofor, ”Ştefan Procopiu” Science and Technique Museum in Iaşi - Emil Berliner – the Inventor of the Gramophone;
Elisabeta Savu, ”N.I.Simache” Clock Museum of Ploieşti, Music Instrumente in the Collection of the Museum of the Clock Museum Ploiesti;
The Festival of Mechanical Music enjoyed an intensive promotion campaign in the local media. The public television broadcast live a programme dedicated to the event, in which took part Mr. Helmut Kowar and the French street organ players Crevecoeur (Pascale Brouline and Patrice Giraud) and Mac Adam Noz (Jean Yves Corlay and Olivier Buchoux) as well as the only Romanian organ maker, Vasile Cocoloş. The programme of the first day ended with a chamber music concert entitled “Autumnal Sunset” sustained by the pupils of “Octav Băncilă”National Art Highschool in Iaşi. The quality of the performance was a very high one and it was rewarded with long applauses by the numerous public.
Tramway
The day of Saturday 17th September 2005 started with a journey throughout the city of Iaşi in the epoch tramway made by AEG Germany in 1900 and restored recently in Iaşi. This trip was followed by a show of the street organ players on Lăpuşneanu Street, one of the old streets of the city, where we were welcome by a renowned antiques collector, Mr. Dumitru Grumăzescu. There were pleasant moments spent in the atmosphere of the epoch, with the music of the street organ players in the open. In the afternoon, there took place the Street Show, in the open, in front of the Palace of Culture. In the opening of the show, there played the Fanfar of the Children's Palace, followed by the recital of the artists with the Barbarie (hand-turned) organs.
The four guests from France brought with them the so picturesque tradition of street players. Their repertory included French songs from 1814 to the present, with pieces of valse, polka, tango, jazz, rock, which delighted the public who rewarded the artists with longlasting applauses and also by singing together with them. Vasile Cocoloş, the only Romanian maker of street organs, was also present on stage and played at his organ. The hours dedicated to the mechanical music were followed by a performance by « The Mask » Theatre in Bucharest, prepared on purpose for the Festival. Their play, entitled « Fior d’amor”, a story about the world of the 1930s, was a show of living statues where (mechanical) music and movement were the main features.
On Sunday, 18 September 2005, the exhibitions in the Palace of Culture were opened to the public, while the participants in the Festival took part into a sightseeing trip in the area. With the occasion, the following sites were visited: the Castle of Ruginoasa, former residence of Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza (the one who united Moldavia to Wallachia in 1859), the Fortress of Neamţ (one of the most defensive fortresses during the reign of Stephen the Great, the most famous Prince of Moldavia, and actually all along the Middle Ages), as well as to Sihăstria and Agapia Monasteries (quite well known pilgrimage places). Lunch was served in the strict monastic tradition, at Sihăstria Monastery.
The evening ended in the Palace of Culture, where we found it hard to say good bye and with the promise that we will meet again at the next Festival in 2007.
For the year 2007, there are already some plans that we hope will become reality. We plan to establish the date of the 2007-year edition in accordance with the Festival in Longiano, Italy.
Thank you for the Update that you send to us. Maybe you can introduce some info about our Festival.
Looking forward to receiving your news.
Kind regards,
Lenuta
Firstly, thank you and Coralia for such a full write up. My own personal thought is that you really have a fantastic museum, so much so that all who are interested in mechanical, as well as excellent music ought to come to Romania. The thought of organising a tour to Romania in 2007 pleases me, as I want to try and get as many people to see the country as well as enjoy your collection.
From Dave Roberts, organiser of the Road Run taking place near Stotfold Bedfordshire on the 29th December. The day is raising money for the Marie Curie Cancer Care and will start at 10am from Saunders Yard at Arlesey Road, Stotfold to Letchworth to then return back to Stotfold Football Club house. For further details, please contact Dave on 07710 802077 or email mbi-tech@tiscali.co.uk.
Subject: Big philosophical questions to plague you throughout the day
Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?"
Who was the first person to say, "See that chicken there... I'm gonna eat the next thing that comes outta it's backside."
Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?
If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?
Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the car pool lane?
If quizzes are quizzical, what are -*test*-('")s?
If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, then what is baby oil made from?
If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?
Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride; he sticks his head out the window?
Thanks for that Dave!
Meeting Call for engine owners.
Members and non-members are invited to the next National Traction Engine Trust’s engine owner’s meeting, being held on Sunday 5th February from 10.30am at the village hall Willoughby near Rugby, Northants. All persons are welcome to the meeting whether owners or enthusiasts. Further enquiries from Bob Siddall telephone 01636 821991 or email RGSiddall@aol.com
Nuremberg Rail Museum Fire
I have received further information about the fire in Nuremberg Museum. Even though the fire was devastating and has destroyed many different types of locomotive, this part of the collection was actually housed in the Round House, which is situated on the other side of town to the museum. Therefore even though the result was disastrous, the actual collection that the Public see is of course still open to the Public and we will be visiting it during the Museums and Sinsheim Tour that will be going out in January 12th 16th 2006. Bookings are taking place. As per usual people from outside the UK are also welcome as we will pick you up from the Airport and transfer you to the hotel.
Sinsheim Model Engineering Exhibition News Update.
It appears that there might be moves to move the excellent Model Engineering Exhibition from Sinsheim to Stuttgart in the year 2008. As the tour operator that has taken many groups to this outstanding exhibition on a regular basis, the whole reason from our point of view is that the best selection of museum collections are within a sensible radius of the show. It is as simple as that and it means that we can enjoy Germany’s superb collections with the minimum of fuss.
The distances to Stuttgart are much greater from the UK and consequently would make the journey longer for what appears to be a less interesting tour. Unfortunately, around Stuttgart, there just isn’t enough to occupy the many people who are happy to see a model-engineering exhibition, but are interested in seeing other excellent collections in Germany. We as a company feel that to move the show to Stuttgart would be detrimental to the whole point of going to this show. If you feel that this move would be a good idea, then read no further, however if you are of the thought that it would be damaging to future tours, then the name and address to write to is: Herr WITTHUR, Messe Sinsheim, Neulandstrasse 30, D-74889 SINSHEIM, Germany.
From a number of people who are concerned with this possible move, including many people from Germany itself, could you please pass this on to any or all of the various other UK or world based organisations we have seen there over the years and also individuals who have supported your tours to the event over the past few years.
Another one from Dave Roberts
ROMANCE MATHEMATICS
Smart man + smart woman = romance
Smart man + dumb woman = affair
Dumb man + smart woman = marriage
Dumb man + dumb woman = pregnancy
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OFFICE ARITHMETIC
Smart boss + smart employee = profit
Smart boss + dumb employee = production
Dumb boss + smart employee = promotion
Dumb boss + dumb employee = overtime
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GENERAL EQUATIONS & STATISTICS
A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.
As an engineer as well as a computer boffin, if you have problems with programs, then Dave is your man.
Finally from me
The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds, and the pessimist fears this is true.
That’s it for the time being. Grateful thanks for those individuals who have kept me informed with what’s going on in the world and thanks for putting it into words to keep the rest of us informed. As per usual, all of the websites have been -*test*-('")ed to see whether they work. As you might be aware, all you have to do is double click onto the website and the hyperlink will take you through to your chosen destination. Good luck and if you have any real gems then pass them on.
If you have any interesting news, please can you supply me with it - all subjects are welcome to be discussed. If you feel that your subject isn’t being covered fully, then please let me know and/or please send in an article to cover it.
If you want to use the general material, please do, but please mention History in Harmony as the source and give the web address www.historyinharmony.com please contact me on article use to ask permission from author.
As ever, should you wish to not be included on this update, then please let me know at boz@historyinharmony.com and I’ll remove you forthwith from the address on my mailing list. Conversely, if you know of any other people who would enjoy this email, then please get them to contact me at the same address.
COURTESY NOTICE
Views expressed are not necessarily those of the Update Compiler. It may be on occasions, necessary to edit material. In such cases utmost care will be taken to ensure that alterations or omissions do not alter the context of the subject or create a misleading or false representation. As a matter of courtesy, the author(s) will be consulted about major alterations.
With kind wishes
Boz Oram
The email address for all correspondence is boz@historyinharmony.com
For all tours tours@historyinharmony.com
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Published on iMOD with kind permission of Boz Oram.
