Organ Update 4
UPDATE Compiled by Boz Oram boz@historyinharmony.com www.historyinharmony.com Thank you for (some!) of your responses………! Fortunately, they are really good fun to read, but without offending too many of you, I’ll keep most of them under my belt! But, thank you anyway and the more the merrier! With regard to NL#3, question asked about other winter venues, I’ve had one in from Jeremy Brice Thanks for the Organ Updates and keep up the good work! For anyone in the Kent area (or further afield for that matter) there is still the possibility of hearing organs on New Year's Day. Preston-based Michael List-Brain will be holding his winter open weekend on the 1st and 2nd of January 2005. Organs in his collection include the 89 key Verbeeck 'concert' organ (ex- Wilkies (New Brighton), the rare 89 key Remond Duwyn dance organ and a 112 key Mortier which has just received attention from David Burville. There is also likely to be a medium-sized Bruder* in attendance, which has also been restored by David for an American customer. I have to just make mention of this instrument as I heard a tape recording of it down at the Dorset Steam Fair and it sounds truly amazing – definitely one to go and see especially as it will most likely go to its American owners in due course. Regarding the collection of Michael’s, it is a worthy place to go to as it also has a varied selection of stationary engines as well as repatriated traction engines and goodness only knows what else from all over the world, plus a working beam engine to boot. Food and beverages are served – remember to take some warm clothing though. Further information can be found at www.prestonservices.co.uk ***************************************************** From Raymond Bale in Bude, which if my memory serves me correctly is down there in Cornwall “As a non organ owner and definitely non technical l was glad to hear anything about organs and the idea for your up dates is brilliant. Best of luck with them” Thanks for that Raymond. Regarding the Hungerford Christmas Event. It is on Friday 10th December 2004. Best wishes Terry Darby Joint Organiser Continuing on from Terry – the event has been going for quite a number of years now and takes over the whole high street, with a night-time carnival procession of all the festive goings on as well as Showman’s Engines, traction engines, models, dancing girls and a whole host of eaty type foods such as chestnuts, brothy soup and plenty of warming houses such as pubs, takeaways etc. Furthermore, there is a reasonably sized fairground as well as plenty of organs playing to an enormous public. If I remember the smallest is about 30 keyless right up to the largest, and virtually most types in-between. Remember it is an evening event; however the town is situated on the Kennet and Avon canal so is a good place to go and sightsee if you wish. Takes a hat and mittens and I also believe that they sometimes have a firework show. The best firework show being a couple of years ago in the thick fog with the whoosh of the rockets going into the air, a bang and a ghostly glow somewhere in the sky and plenty of cheering from everyone. ****************************************** One comment has taken place which is can people be anonymous? To which the answer is of course “yes” IT’S JOKE TIME FOLKS I’m sorry to those who know me of old, but I’ve been asked to supply you with a few jokes – not my choice, but as I can’t tell them aloud to you, then you’ll have to read them yourselves………. Snappy Answer #1 A flight attendant was stationed at the departure gate to check tickets. As a man approached, she extended her hand for the ticket, and opened his trench coat and flashed her. Without missing a beat she said, "Sir, I need to see your ticket, not your stub." Snappy Answer #2 A lady was picking through the frozen turkeys at the grocery store, but couldn't find one big enough for her family. She asked a stock boy, "Do these turkeys get any bigger?" The stock boy replied, "No ma'am, they're dead." Snappy Answer #3 The cop got out of his car and the kid who was stopped for speeding pulled down his window. “I've been waiting for you all day," the cop said. “The kid replied, "Yeah, well I got here as fast as I could." When the cop finally stopped laughing, he sent the kid on his way without a ticket. Snappy Answer #4 A truck driver was driving along on the freeway. A sign comes up that reads "low bridge ahead." Before he knows it the bridge is right ahead of him and he gets stuck under the bridge. Cars are backed up for miles. Finally, a police car comes up. The cop gets out of his car and walks around to the truck driver, puts his hands on his hips and says, "Got stuck, heh?" The truck driver says, "No, I was delivering this bridge and ran out of gas." ***************************** From Michael Clark Thanks for the new communication idea. Think it is a great idea to keep us up to date. Which of course is what I will need to keep this email up to date – information and the more of it the better as I can’t give you knowledge that only YOU know about? Tell me about it and you've then just shared it with other people. ********************************* A while ago, there was talk in the Press about the true English Historic Travelling Fairground Organ. If there are any remarks about this interesting and now somewhat rare occurrence, please let me know. Also, there are many people from all over the world on this roundup. If you have any news associated or not, please let the rest of us know what is going on elsewhere on our Planet. Dates for your Diary so far Thank you to all who helped me here including FOPS, John Page, Herman Meddler and KDV Jeremy Brice MOOS and finally Terry Darby. NOTES (1) = The Teddy Reed mechanical organ collection covers a fantastic selection of traditional British style Fairground Organs, a Continental Fairground organ plus dance organ and street organ and a host of related artefacts. The collection is housed in a purpose built construction that is delightfully warm and has plenty of comfortable seats. All organ lovers are welcome to enjoy the music as well as good eats and beverages. (2) = Any ideas here as we could give the MBSI a good welcome in the British Isles 2004 events so far 3rd Dec 2004 West Wickham, near to East Croydon –Victorian evening 1 organ 10th Dec Hungerford Victorian Evening – at least 5 organs +steam vehicles and fair 12th Dec 2004. Teddy Reed Open Day Plantation Road, Amersham, Bucks UK (1) December 26th Maastricht town centre with 15 organs. Further info Jan Hoefnagels 2005 events so far 1/2 January Preston Services Open Day, Preston near Canterbury UK www.prestonservices.co.uk (see Jeremy's write up) 2 Jan North Newington UK. The English Travelling Fairground Organ 2 Jan Winkel Netherlands 10.00 – 18.00hrs New Year’s ceremony and concert. 16th Jan. Teddy Reed Open Day (1) 13th Feb 05. Teddy Reed Open Day (1) 5th March Netherlands KDV 51st AGM info at secr@draaiorgel.org 6th March Netherlands Breugel Genoveastraat 24 10.00 – 18.00hrs rbabv@hetnet.nl 13th March Teddy Reed Open Day (1) 20th March UK Thursford Collection nr Fakenham Norfolk 10.00 – 16.30 Founders Day Info Austin Burgess 20th March Bingen am Rhein Germany. Collectors/Meeting 17th April. Teddy Reeds Open Day (1) 15/23rd June Germany/Switzerland/France History in Harmony www.historyinharmony.com 17/19th June Stadt Waldkirch Orgel Fest. Elztalmuseum Kirchplatz 14, D-79183 Waldkirch Germany 17/20TH June Waldkirch Organ Festival Short Tour tours@historyinharmony.com 24/29 August Guildford MBSI/MBSIGB UK convention (2) Dates can be liable to be changed at the last moment so please check before venturing out into the big wide world of mechanical music! Also, apologies for the mess that this section might get into as I took it off a word document and sometimes it didn't fit! *********************************** It’s always the way, you remember something at the last minute. This year has been a year of celebrations such as the Kring van Draaiorgelvrienden (KDV), the National Traction Engine Trust (NTET), the Road Roller Association (RRA), not to mention the others who have had celebrations previously and I would like to wish them all continued success because without them all forging ahead, then the movement will disappear, however there is one celebration that in the UK is most likely the most important and it seems to have been totally forgotten……………. The Great Steam Fair of 1964 at White Waltham. Held on John Smith’s country estate at Shottesbrooke Park, I felt it warranted just a short mention as this was the show that made it all possible for every other show to survive. This place and event was the first truly organised show in the preservation movement’s life, where old fashioned fairground rides were coaxed out of retirement, steam engines similarly and the travelling organ (not necessarily English) were exhibiting and playing music to phenomenal crowds. It not only brought the past to a brand new generation, but it also managed to promote the whole movement in the national newspapers which secured its life for the next thirty years. Fortunately, not too much of our heritage has been scrapped since that time, and it is up to our generation to continue with our future. So this is my small vote of thanks to John Smith and all of those far-sighted people who partook, either exhibiting or visiting this truly remarkable show in the summer of 1964. Lest we Forget Our sincerest thoughts go to family and friends of Fred Dibnah who died recently. Famous in the UK as being a steeplejack, steam engineer, raconteur and TV statesman, but also as a person who got the whole of the preservation movement, to a whole gathering of interested people To those overseas, Fred was a celebrity in the true sense of the word and brought engineering, mechanical music, old buildings and our very fragile heritage to the masses. In fact we spent an afternoon once, extolling the virtues of mechanical music and how it could be used educationally in such a positive way for other generations. Unfortunately, we never got that idea to fruition, but maybe one day the seed will grow……………… who knows? Anyone out there in Media World interested? Finally, a big “Thank You” to all at the Kunkelstiching Haarlem for both Linda and my certificates for proficiency at my Show Style hand-turning of Carillon and for Linda being patient and letting a grown man make a fool of himself! We really appreciated that and just made it all worthwhile. ********************************* As a ps to that trip, and a bit of punched card brought back for Rob Noyce - when you read this, I have about 150 metres of music for you (plus a hernia), can you come and pick it up please! In fact the music is by the excellent arranger Albert Decap and is really excellent. Good choices in the titles as well. I was also asked to give website addresses: Please help me here as I need some feedback on this. That’s it so far – please could you supply me with any information as this email is as much yours as mine to enjoy – if you want to be anonymous, that’s fine - other subjects outside of the remit of mechanical music are also welcome. If you want to use any of this material, please do but please mention History in Harmony as the source and give the email address boz.oram@andover52.fsnet.co.uk As ever, should you wish to not be on this update, then please let me know at boz.oram@andover52.fsnet.co.uk and I’ll remove you. Conversely, if you know of any other people who would benefit or enjoy this, please get them to contact me at the same address. I am keeping previous emails, so they can be back-dated to the new recipients if they wish. With kind wishes Boz Oram tours@historyinharmony.com www.historyinharmony.com tel +UK (0) 8700 113994 fax +UK (O) 1980 621900 Published on iMOD with kind permission of Boz Oram.
UPDATE Compiled by Boz Oram boz@historyinharmony.com www.historyinharmony.com Thank you for (some!) of your responses………! Fortunately, they are really good fun to read, but without offending too many of you, I’ll keep most of them under my belt! But, thank you anyway and the more the merrier! With regard to NL#3, question asked about other winter venues, I’ve had one in from Jeremy Brice Thanks for the Organ Updates and keep up the good work! For anyone in the Kent area (or further afield for that matter) there is still the possibility of hearing organs on New Year's Day. Preston-based Michael List-Brain will be holding his winter open weekend on the 1st and 2nd of January 2005. Organs in his collection include the 89 key Verbeeck 'concert' organ (ex- Wilkies (New Brighton), the rare 89 key Remond Duwyn dance organ and a 112 key Mortier which has just received attention from David Burville. There is also likely to be a medium-sized Bruder* in attendance, which has also been restored by David for an American customer. I have to just make mention of this instrument as I heard a tape recording of it down at the Dorset Steam Fair and it sounds truly amazing – definitely one to go and see especially as it will most likely go to its American owners in due course. Regarding the collection of Michael’s, it is a worthy place to go to as it also has a varied selection of stationary engines as well as repatriated traction engines and goodness only knows what else from all over the world, plus a working beam engine to boot. Food and beverages are served – remember to take some warm clothing though. Further information can be found at www.prestonservices.co.uk ***************************************************** From Raymond Bale in Bude, which if my memory serves me correctly is down there in Cornwall “As a non organ owner and definitely non technical l was glad to hear anything about organs and the idea for your up dates is brilliant. Best of luck with them” Thanks for that Raymond. Regarding the Hungerford Christmas Event. It is on Friday 10th December 2004. Best wishes Terry Darby Joint Organiser Continuing on from Terry – the event has been going for quite a number of years now and takes over the whole high street, with a night-time carnival procession of all the festive goings on as well as Showman’s Engines, traction engines, models, dancing girls and a whole host of eaty type foods such as chestnuts, brothy soup and plenty of warming houses such as pubs, takeaways etc. Furthermore, there is a reasonably sized fairground as well as plenty of organs playing to an enormous public. If I remember the smallest is about 30 keyless right up to the largest, and virtually most types in-between. Remember it is an evening event; however the town is situated on the Kennet and Avon canal so is a good place to go and sightsee if you wish. Takes a hat and mittens and I also believe that they sometimes have a firework show. The best firework show being a couple of years ago in the thick fog with the whoosh of the rockets going into the air, a bang and a ghostly glow somewhere in the sky and plenty of cheering from everyone. ****************************************** One comment has taken place which is can people be anonymous? To which the answer is of course “yes” IT’S JOKE TIME FOLKS I’m sorry to those who know me of old, but I’ve been asked to supply you with a few jokes – not my choice, but as I can’t tell them aloud to you, then you’ll have to read them yourselves………. Snappy Answer #1 A flight attendant was stationed at the departure gate to check tickets. As a man approached, she extended her hand for the ticket, and opened his trench coat and flashed her. Without missing a beat she said, "Sir, I need to see your ticket, not your stub." Snappy Answer #2 A lady was picking through the frozen turkeys at the grocery store, but couldn't find one big enough for her family. She asked a stock boy, "Do these turkeys get any bigger?" The stock boy replied, "No ma'am, they're dead." Snappy Answer #3 The cop got out of his car and the kid who was stopped for speeding pulled down his window. “I've been waiting for you all day," the cop said. “The kid replied, "Yeah, well I got here as fast as I could." When the cop finally stopped laughing, he sent the kid on his way without a ticket. Snappy Answer #4 A truck driver was driving along on the freeway. A sign comes up that reads "low bridge ahead." Before he knows it the bridge is right ahead of him and he gets stuck under the bridge. Cars are backed up for miles. Finally, a police car comes up. The cop gets out of his car and walks around to the truck driver, puts his hands on his hips and says, "Got stuck, heh?" The truck driver says, "No, I was delivering this bridge and ran out of gas." ***************************** From Michael Clark Thanks for the new communication idea. Think it is a great idea to keep us up to date. Which of course is what I will need to keep this email up to date – information and the more of it the better as I can’t give you knowledge that only YOU know about? Tell me about it and you've then just shared it with other people. ********************************* A while ago, there was talk in the Press about the true English Historic Travelling Fairground Organ. If there are any remarks about this interesting and now somewhat rare occurrence, please let me know. Also, there are many people from all over the world on this roundup. If you have any news associated or not, please let the rest of us know what is going on elsewhere on our Planet. Dates for your Diary so far Thank you to all who helped me here including FOPS, John Page, Herman Meddler and KDV Jeremy Brice MOOS and finally Terry Darby. NOTES (1) = The Teddy Reed mechanical organ collection covers a fantastic selection of traditional British style Fairground Organs, a Continental Fairground organ plus dance organ and street organ and a host of related artefacts. The collection is housed in a purpose built construction that is delightfully warm and has plenty of comfortable seats. All organ lovers are welcome to enjoy the music as well as good eats and beverages. (2) = Any ideas here as we could give the MBSI a good welcome in the British Isles 2004 events so far 3rd Dec 2004 West Wickham, near to East Croydon –Victorian evening 1 organ 10th Dec Hungerford Victorian Evening – at least 5 organs +steam vehicles and fair 12th Dec 2004. Teddy Reed Open Day Plantation Road, Amersham, Bucks UK (1) December 26th Maastricht town centre with 15 organs. Further info Jan Hoefnagels 2005 events so far 1/2 January Preston Services Open Day, Preston near Canterbury UK www.prestonservices.co.uk (see Jeremy's write up) 2 Jan North Newington UK. The English Travelling Fairground Organ 2 Jan Winkel Netherlands 10.00 – 18.00hrs New Year’s ceremony and concert. 16th Jan. Teddy Reed Open Day (1) 13th Feb 05. Teddy Reed Open Day (1) 5th March Netherlands KDV 51st AGM info at secr@draaiorgel.org 6th March Netherlands Breugel Genoveastraat 24 10.00 – 18.00hrs rbabv@hetnet.nl 13th March Teddy Reed Open Day (1) 20th March UK Thursford Collection nr Fakenham Norfolk 10.00 – 16.30 Founders Day Info Austin Burgess 20th March Bingen am Rhein Germany. Collectors/Meeting 17th April. Teddy Reeds Open Day (1) 15/23rd June Germany/Switzerland/France History in Harmony www.historyinharmony.com 17/19th June Stadt Waldkirch Orgel Fest. Elztalmuseum Kirchplatz 14, D-79183 Waldkirch Germany 17/20TH June Waldkirch Organ Festival Short Tour tours@historyinharmony.com 24/29 August Guildford MBSI/MBSIGB UK convention (2) Dates can be liable to be changed at the last moment so please check before venturing out into the big wide world of mechanical music! Also, apologies for the mess that this section might get into as I took it off a word document and sometimes it didn't fit! *********************************** It’s always the way, you remember something at the last minute. This year has been a year of celebrations such as the Kring van Draaiorgelvrienden (KDV), the National Traction Engine Trust (NTET), the Road Roller Association (RRA), not to mention the others who have had celebrations previously and I would like to wish them all continued success because without them all forging ahead, then the movement will disappear, however there is one celebration that in the UK is most likely the most important and it seems to have been totally forgotten……………. The Great Steam Fair of 1964 at White Waltham. Held on John Smith’s country estate at Shottesbrooke Park, I felt it warranted just a short mention as this was the show that made it all possible for every other show to survive. This place and event was the first truly organised show in the preservation movement’s life, where old fashioned fairground rides were coaxed out of retirement, steam engines similarly and the travelling organ (not necessarily English) were exhibiting and playing music to phenomenal crowds. It not only brought the past to a brand new generation, but it also managed to promote the whole movement in the national newspapers which secured its life for the next thirty years. Fortunately, not too much of our heritage has been scrapped since that time, and it is up to our generation to continue with our future. So this is my small vote of thanks to John Smith and all of those far-sighted people who partook, either exhibiting or visiting this truly remarkable show in the summer of 1964. Lest we Forget Our sincerest thoughts go to family and friends of Fred Dibnah who died recently. Famous in the UK as being a steeplejack, steam engineer, raconteur and TV statesman, but also as a person who got the whole of the preservation movement, to a whole gathering of interested people To those overseas, Fred was a celebrity in the true sense of the word and brought engineering, mechanical music, old buildings and our very fragile heritage to the masses. In fact we spent an afternoon once, extolling the virtues of mechanical music and how it could be used educationally in such a positive way for other generations. Unfortunately, we never got that idea to fruition, but maybe one day the seed will grow……………… who knows? Anyone out there in Media World interested? Finally, a big “Thank You” to all at the Kunkelstiching Haarlem for both Linda and my certificates for proficiency at my Show Style hand-turning of Carillon and for Linda being patient and letting a grown man make a fool of himself! We really appreciated that and just made it all worthwhile. ********************************* As a ps to that trip, and a bit of punched card brought back for Rob Noyce - when you read this, I have about 150 metres of music for you (plus a hernia), can you come and pick it up please! In fact the music is by the excellent arranger Albert Decap and is really excellent. Good choices in the titles as well. I was also asked to give website addresses: Please help me here as I need some feedback on this. That’s it so far – please could you supply me with any information as this email is as much yours as mine to enjoy – if you want to be anonymous, that’s fine - other subjects outside of the remit of mechanical music are also welcome. If you want to use any of this material, please do but please mention History in Harmony as the source and give the email address boz.oram@andover52.fsnet.co.uk As ever, should you wish to not be on this update, then please let me know at boz.oram@andover52.fsnet.co.uk and I’ll remove you. Conversely, if you know of any other people who would benefit or enjoy this, please get them to contact me at the same address. I am keeping previous emails, so they can be back-dated to the new recipients if they wish. With kind wishes Boz Oram tours@historyinharmony.com www.historyinharmony.com tel +UK (0) 8700 113994 fax +UK (O) 1980 621900 Published on iMOD with kind permission of Boz Oram.