MOOS Annual Organ Tour November 14th - 17th, 2009

Joined: 25 Sep 2006 Posts: 41

As the season draws to a close here in Blighty there's no better way to lay down a fine store of organ memories to survive the winter months than to take a trip on the annual Mechanical Organ Owners Society Organ Tour. You do not need to be a society member to join in on what will be another pipe-packed package of mechanical musical mellifluence!

On this tour we visit some of the very best of mechanical organ collections, including those to be found at Haarlem, Helmond and Utrecht, where we will enjoy listening to the superb instruments at length. You also have option, at no extra cost, of an extended visit to the Fair Organ Weekend of the De Voer family at Ulvenhout, near Breda. As always, travel is by luxury coach and en-suite hotel accommodation is provided with breakfast and evening meals included in the fare. The trip is not only a great way to see organs, it also provides a chance to meet up with old friends during the quieter part of the year and see something of the history and culture of the countries that we visit! Even if you come alone you will find yourself with instant friends, all sharing that wonderful passion for mechanical music!

The full itinerary is:

Saturday November 14th

We pick up at Andover (St Mary Bourne), Maidenhead, Redhill rail/bus interchange (rail connections available from all areas), and Dover Docks where we'll catch a lunchtime ferry before travelling on to the Brasserie Destiny in Deurne where we enjoy our evening dinner to the music of their Decap (Herentals) Dance Organ. It is then just a short journey to our old familiar hotel Novotel Antwerp North, where we will spend our first night.

Sunday November 15th

A superbly restored 59-keyless Fritz Wrede at Ulvenhout, one of at least ten organs to be enjoyed at this unique event.

We head for the Fair Organ Weekend of the De Voer family at Ulvenhout. This event, which is worth the trip alone, is dedicated to fairground organs of, mainly, German origin. Guest instruments will also be present in addition to those normally kept at Ulvenhout, so we can expect an occasion to remember. The KDV always have a well-stocked stall selling cd's, books, magazines and old classic vinyl LP's. Snacks and drinks will be on saleYou have the option of staying here all day which will provide plenty of time to hear all the instruments or....

as an alternative, you may stay on the coach for a much-requested visit to the awesome private collection of Wies Schwagten, in Tilburg. It is some years since we visited this collection and it includes some large and magnificent organs by Mortier and Decap; the best known of these being the 121-key Gebr Decap organ, De Splendid, after which the organ hall is named.

Later, we go to the unique 'Gaviolizaal' (Gavioli Hall) in Helmond. After some years of being closed to visitors, this collection has re-opened. Its centerpiece is the monumental 114-key Gaudin FrÃ¨res dance organ, formerly owned by the Bocken family. Another rare Gaudin organ is there, together with a classic Mortier dance organ, the beautiful street organ De Blauwe Trom and many other exhibits.

We will then return to Ulvenhout for a short stay before the re-combined group continues to the collection of Cris van Laarhoven at ThÃ© Dansant in Hilvarenbeek. In this palatial dancehall setting we will have dinner to the accompaniment of music from the great variety of organs, including rare instruments by Marenghi, Decap and Mortier. ThÃ© Dansant is also home to organ manufacturer Netherlands Boekorgel Centrum and we will visit their workshops located found in the basement of the building.

The rare and beautiful 59-key Marenghi at Hilvarenbeek.

On to Haarlem for our overnight stop at the Hotel Haarlem Zuid where we will spend the next two nights of the tour.

Monday November 16th

Today we will visit the Museum Van Speelkok tot Pierement in Utrecht, the national Dutch collection of mechanical instruments, which may be considered the most comprehensive of its kind in the world. Since our last visit, the collection has been enlarged through the acquisition of the organs of the Perlee family including the famous street organs The Arab and The Three Wigs.

The unique museum illustrates the entire history of mechanical music, with a huge variety of music boxes, automata, orchestrions and, of course, organs. The work of just about every significant manufacturer is represented with instruments by Gavioli, Gasparini, Gebr Bruder, Wilhem Bruder, Limonaire, Bursens, Hooghuys, Mortier, Decap, Carl Frei and others. As the museum is closed to the public on a Monday, we will have the freedom to enjoy listening to the instruments at length on our special tour.

The presentation of mechanical musical instruments at this world-class museum is a joy to behold.

After a break for dinner at the hotel, we will continue to the Kunkels Organ Museum in the historic city of Haarlem. Taking its name from the imposing Kunkels 112-key Marenghi which stands at one end of the hall, this is an outstanding collection of street and dance organs, including the street organs De Jupiter and De Grote Blauwe.

Tuesday November 17th

A morning trip to the workshop of the renowned organ builder Elbert Pluer, in Bussum. Rather than offering a standard range of instruments, Elbertâ€™s specialty is custom-building instruments, each one of which is unique in its own way. We will have the opportunity to see all stages of construction and it is hoped that we will be amongst the first to hear the new 86-key book/midi organ â€œDe 5 Prominentenâ€ which recently made its debut on the streets of Amsterdam to great acclaim. If organ building is your passion then you'll be able to pick up some top tips here.

The beautiful new Pluer organ de 5 Prominenten celebrates the contribution made to the Dutch street organ scene by Carl Frei, Gijs Perlee, Anton Pluer, Feite Pothumus and Romke de Waard

We return to England in the late evening and set down at all pick up points as on the outward journey.

Fare, per person: Â£325, sharing a twin room. Single room supplement: Â£70. Fare includes: all travel by executive coach, return ferry crossing, three nights hotel accommodation, breakfasts and evening meals, all entrances and arrangements. (Not included: Lunches or drinks)

For enquiries â€“ telephone Linda on 01980 660197 or 01980 621418.

Joined: 21 Nov 2005 Posts: 324 Location: Falmouth, Cornwall

I was going to miss out on the MOOS tour this year, as i've got a mortgage to pay, a car giving trouble blah blah etc, but the MOOS Tour is just something so affordable (for the value you get) that is it just crazy to miss out.

I think this has to be one of the best schedules produced for years visiting a great mix of places. However, its not just the organs that make a trip like this, its the social situation when a coach full of organ nutters are let loose share their passion together.

Every year we all meet new people and catch up with old friends. It really is truly a laugh a minute. The food, drink and accommodation is always of such high standard (with breakfasts and evening meals included in the price), so there is more on offer here than just a list of organs and locations.

No matter who you are, if you come on the MOOS Trip, you will have a great time, I thoroughly recommend it.

You can see my account of what I thought of the 2007 trip on the MOOS website. Just go to www.moos.org.uk and click onto â€˜Tripâ€™ on the tabs.

See you on the coach then.

James.

Joined: 16 Jan 2006 Posts: 26 Location: Hertfordshire

Just to add that our tour is proving to be extremely popular and anyone else thinking of coming along is advised to book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

I have also read much elsewhere on this forum concerning the appreciation of old arrangements that were very much intended for the instruments concerned. Having been on a pre-tour visit to the collection at Helmond last weekend, I can assure anyone seeking such music that they really will be in for a treat on this tour. In brief, the principal organs at Helmond, a Mortier and two Gaudins, were in the ownership of the Bocken family for many years as working dance organs and have a fantastic repertoire of original dance music which has been preserved with them. Here, perhaps more than anywhere else I know, you can really step back in time and hear very special music from another era that has a magic of its own.

Looking forward to seeing everyone.

Peter Craig (Tours and Industry Liason Officer, MOOS)

Joined: 19 Feb 2007 Posts: 45

I won't be joining you on your tour of the Netherlands, but as an employee of the Dansant museum I will meet up there, if nothing else pops up. I'll be wearing my iMOD badge if I can remember to pin it on, so say Hi if you see me!