Issue 4 – Winter 2017
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
A C Pilmer Automatic Music Ltd. Issue Four Winter 2017 G RACE N OTES INSIDE THIS ISSUE: ECDJ INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Waldkirch Festival 2017 2 40More years Gavioli in business! artwork 2 MarenghiIn Brief bandmaster 2 35-key Limonaire organs 3 Launch of Newsletter 2 Gavioli in road accident 3 32 key Prinsen organs 3 Errata 3 In Brief 3 Gavioli organ changes 4 hands ECDK As the Festive Season is now upon us and the New Year rapidly approaches, we would like to thank our friends and customers everywhere for your business over the past twelve months and look forward to your continued custom in the New Year. If 2018 is the year that you decide to try out our services for the first time, you can be assured that your enquiry will be given our careful attention. If you are a recent subscriber, and this is the first edition of Grace Notes that you have received, we hope that you will find something of interest amongst its pages and that you may even be inspired to drop us a line via the Contact Page on our website with your own thoughts on any of the sub- jects raised. May we extend our Season’s Greetings to everyone and hope that 2018 brings you peace, health and happiness. M O D E L 3 6 R U T H O R G A N I N U S A Well-known American collectors, Dick and Cheryl Hack, recently hosted their annual MBSI Chapter Meeting where their Ruth organ was played for visi- tors. The organ has been a long-term project for Dick, with pipework being sent to us for repair and voicing fol- lowing on from a visit last year. This year’s visit from Russell Wattam (pictured) saw the organ tuned from the ground up and further repairs carried out in time for the meeting. To see and hear the progress to date, click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX0ETAvaJZc&s ns=em Page 2 Issue Four S UCCESSFUL F ESTIVAL I N W ALDKIRCH As mentioned in a previous edition mired and music enjoyed, with of Grace Notes, the Waldkirch refreshments available nearby. A Organ Festival took place again wide range of displays, lectures this year in June, with exception- and special performances were ally warm and sunny weather held throughout the festival pe- throughout. It was good to meet riod. Don’t forget the next festi- many friends and customers from val date: Friday 19th to Sunday several countries, including Austra- 21st June 2020. Auf wiederseh’n! lia, New Zealand, the United States, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and Belgium. There was also a large contingent of visitors from the United Kingdom. On display were a very good rep- resentation of historic German 1. Head of a column showing painted decoration street organs, both barrel and roll- operated, as well as an impressive street organ display from the Netherlands. This included the 90 A prominent feature of the town is the church of key Carl Frei organ “The Amster- St. Margaret where, for many years, Gustav dam Harmonica” which had been Bruder served as organist. overhauled and tuned for the occasion by its owner, Elbert The recently-restored 89-key Pluer, and the “Lekkerkerker”, “Lange Gavioli” was presented Carl Frei’s favourite 90-key organ. by the National Museum from The “Marenghi van Nuberg” and Utrecht. Various organ busi- the “Brandweer”, a 56-key nesses in the town opened their The bandmaster of the Weber Capelle or- Limonaire were the other two doors to visitors each day, where chestrion proudly greets visitors to the Elztalmu- Dutch street organs present. work-in-progress could be ad- seum M O R E O RIGINAL G AVIOLI A RT WO R K 2. Part of lower drum stand panel We were pleased to learn that USA. The decoration shown is the with watercolour paints, were several of our readers found the factory original. sent out to customers for their feature on original Gavioli art- We have never seen a photograph approval. This created much more work, which was published in of a Gavioli organ façade executed work than producing a ‘standard’ Grace Notes No. 2, of some inter- in this ‘rounded’ Gothic style and organ front and this increase in est. would be interested to know if customisation has been cited by Following on from this, here are any of our readers have either. some writers as being a contribut- some detail photographs of a Sadly, the rest of the front was ing factor in the demise of the number of elements in our pos- destroyed a long time ago, but the firm. session from the façade of a late organ itself fortunately survives, The firm’s designers (who regret- Gavioli organ (see panel to the albeit in an incomplete state. tably are unknown by name to us left). They originate from a 94- As did most organ firms in the today) must have been familiar key organ which, for many years, past, Gavioli & Co. was prepared with a range of architectural was one of the many attractions to build fronts to special designs styles, as the Gavioli catalogue at Rivere Beach, an amusement on demand, and pen and ink offers fronts executed in art nou- park located in Massachusetts, drawings, sometimes enhanced veau , Louis XIV, Renaissance, etc. I N B R I E F 3. & 4. Details of the painted decoration Congratulations to the enthusias- Another of our services was to sell the juke box at the hammer tic couple from Melbourne, West- recently put to the test when we price, but advised that the sale ern Australia, who visited us during were approached by a customer could be further discussed in the summer and purchased the who was interested in bidding at private. This situation was relayed handily-sized 46-key Andrew White- auction for an item, but would be to our customer who authorised head fair organ which was on offer out of the country on the day the an increase in the bid amount, and on our website. Before it leaves, for sale was due to take place. We after some negotiation, we were the Antipodes some minor cosmetic were pleased to visit the auction finally able to secure the purchase work will be undertaken, such as house on the morning of the sale and with money to spare. Anx- additional gilded detail on the band- on his behalf and inspected the lot ious to see his acquisition, the master’s jacket. The instrument, in question, a desirable 1940s new owner asked us to arrange together with its varied library of Wurlitzer ‘Peacock’ juke box. collection from the auction rooms music books, will soon be carefully After giving a condition report by and deliver it to his home a few packed and crated for its long jour- telephone, a maximum bid figure days later. In a similar vein, some ney “down under”. We are sure was agreed, and when the lot years ago we purchased a fine that all our readers will join with us came under the hammer a few Hupfeld Phonoliszt-Violina from an in wishing the proud new owners hours later, we were the highest auction in France on behalf of a much fun and happiness with their bidders. However, the auction- client residing in the USA. new acquisition! eer announced that he was unable Grace Notes Page 3 F E A T U RE D O R G A N S C A L E T H E 3 5 - K E Y L IMONAIRE O R G A N The famous Parisian firm of one for its size, and this, no doubt, one or two ranks of violins and Limonaire Frères produced large contributed to its commercial suc- others had violins and pan flutes. numbers of smaller-scaled instru- cess. It has six bass notes, C, D, E, F, For economy, a smaller version ments which served an impor- G and A, which continue on into the was available without percussion tant niche in the market. Their accompaniment division with b, c, d, or pediment and with painted 35-key organs were widely used e, f and f#. If necessary, the b ac- instead of carved decoration. in children's roundabouts, and in companiment can even stand in as a Some fronts were open; some the UK some were even used on bass note. The basses usually com- closed. A larger 38-key model adult cakewalk rides¹. Whenever prise of two stopped pipes per note, with automatic registers control- organs had to be moved into sounding an octave apart; the higher ling flutes and violins was also position from a truck or trailer, octave continues on to form the produced, which are very effec- the light weight of the 35-key accompaniment which has just one tive. The scale later formed the Limonaire series made them pipe per note. The melody section basis for larger J azzbandophone ideal for this purpose. has 19 notes from g to f, a very instruments that the firm built. The percussion instruments, useful compass, missing out both g We have a repertoire of new consisting of a bass drum and and d sharps. The melody pipework arrangements of familiar tunes cymbal at one side, and a snare could be varied to suit the cus- for this scale available, and we drum at the other, were tomer’s wishes. A point of interest will be pleased to send out a list mounted on detachable consoles in these organs is the snare drum of titles on request.