Tom Meijer
Belgium and the South of the Netherlands have always been the domain of the dance hall organs. From the end of the 19th century hundreds of cafe organs have played there, of all sorts and with very different scales. All these organs had to be supplied with music books. The music markers who provided these books had to deliver music to which people could dance properly in the first place. In the coming issues of HP I will dedicate a series of articles to music from Belgium, and to the people who made it.
On old pictures of Belgian dance halls from the beginning of the 20th century big organs are portrayed. These organs, often placed on a high platform, had beautifully carved prosceniums with paintings by professional artists. On the fronts we can read the names of the great factories who built these organs.
Dance halls in Antwerp had intriguing names like Alcazar, Keizershof, Victoria, Olympia, Neptune Palace and Thalia. Gent too was a centre of dance halls before 1914. Leonard Grymonprez wrote about that time in HP 1956 (p.14): "The biggest organs had a high and dominant position on the platforms of luminous, wonderful big halls, and their polkas, mazurkas, marches and waltzes invited to dance. On Saturday afternoon, when the work was finished, one could hear everywhere: see you in the Reseda, the White Globe, the New Hall, the Renaissance -popular dance palaces of the time. It seems to be a dream, when our thoughts go back to the heaving couples, spinning around over the gleaming floor and to the masses of people, laughing and blushing, humming along with the beautiful waltz melodies..."
On pictures the halls are empty in most instances; sometimes a small group is posing, or or we can see a single couple of dancers in action. Still thousands of people must have sought entertainment in these dance palaces after work, in the evenings or week-ends. I have often asked myself to what kind of music these people must have been dancing. Unfortunately we cannot know this, because no books for dancing survive from before WWI. I assume that French polkas, waltzes, mazurkas etc. were played in that time. Many melodies that we can find in repertoire lists of French companies like Limonaire and Gasparini may have sounded from the Belgian dance organs as well.
In the Utrecht museum are four hand-written scores from abt. 1904 for the 76 key Mortier scale, from Ludovic Gavioli. Hans Brink marked one of these for the 101 key Mortier organ in the museum. This mazurka "Rose Fleurie" gives an impression of how dance organ music must have sounded in the beginning of the 20th century. In the dance halls and the better cafe’s they also played light classical repertoire. Several thick books with well-known overtures like Poet and Peasant, and opera selections as Faust, Cavalleria Rusticana and Mignon have survived. Most Belgian books, however, did not exceed 16 feet of length.
Before WWI most dance books were delivered directly by the organ factories. The names of the music markers were not of importance; most of them were employed by these firms. Their names grew more known after 1920 when more of them started their own business. We know more of the music from that time bacause several music books have been left from this period. Music marked in the twenties can still be heard in the Helmond organ museum.
Between 1900 and 1930 the arrangements were rather simple. Disrespectfully said, all these markings sound rather alike. They resemble the music heard from old 78 rpm recordings of the street organs from that period. From 1930 on the music markers started developing their own style. These changes coincide with renewal of the amusement orchestras of the era. Many music markers were playing in such orchestras and were well informed about the latest developments. On the dance hall organs too the quiet dances were replaced by more dynamic music.
Of course not all Belgian dance music books were of top quality. Much of the work had to be done in haste because the hits had to be with the organs as soon as possible. Due to the increased competition the music markers had to present extraordinary things. On the other hand they had to deal with the demands of the time and the public. We can now conclude that most of them knew very well how to deal with the possibilities of the dance organs.
The music that we can listen to these days is only a small fraction of what was made. Dance music books were pre-emenently utensils. Most organ owners did not keep their outmoded cartons because new music could be purchased fast and at a low cost. Much has been lost that way and still some people look upon this old dance music with disdain. Personally I have always liked to play these music books and to listen to the merry tunes to which people used to dance in the past. The best music markers often surprised me with their musical ideas and it always picked up my mood. I have absolutely nothing against adding new hits or standard repertoire to old dance hall organs, but I think that old organs will keep a better future value when the original repertoire can still be heard on them. I would like to carry my point that present-day organ owners -whether home or abroad- should keep the original dance music in good order.
In these series three major questions will be in the centre: the typical character of Belgian music, which music was played by the Belgian organs in several periods of time, and who were the music markers. I would like to express my thanks on beforehand to Jack Jacobs and Maarten van der Vlugt, both connoisseurs of Belgian dance music, for their valuable tips and directions. In this episode we will start to look at the music books of the Mortier firm. After that a portrait will follow of one of my favorite music markers: Marcel Bartier.
Original book music from Mortier nearly always has a label with the firm's logo. Inside the first page a big stamp is printed in which the amount of keys is written in ink, and the number of the song. The numbers always match with the songs, even when the song is arranged for different scales.
I have made a list of original Mortier music books. Alhough it is far from complete this list gives a reasonable image of the music delivered by the factory during the years. The earliest number I found is 1851, an unknown polka for Mr. Weima's 80 key Mortier. The highest known number is 6967, the polka Flick Flack in an arrangement by Eugène Peersman, who left the factory in 1949. According to the list, between 200 and 300 titles were issued every year, so it seems that the Mortier firm started numbering after the firm had turned into a limited liability company in 1919. It would be interesting to know if books with earlier numbers do exist.
In the twenties most books were without any title. The music -mainly French of origin- was simply depicted as a dance: polka, scottisch, valse, mazurka, step, one-step or fox-trot. Only in a few instances titles are mentioned, by which books can be slightly dated . The oldest book with a known title is Dis moi (nr. 1953). Another known title is Mon homme (my man, nr. 2189). Both songs were popular in 1923.
Nr. 2373 is the Socialist March, also played on a 1925 record of the Dutch street organ Tubantia. After 1925 we can find more known titles: The Sheikh of Araby (2867), Klokke Roeland (Belgian folk song, nr. 2886), Zaza, I want to love you (3122), Mother, I cannot do without you (Dutch tear-jerker, nr. 3243), Valentine (3745) and The proud heart of a tramp (another tear-jerker, 3889). We arrive in 1929 with 4374 (Constantinople); other popular titles in that year were Ice Cream (4392) and I kiss your Hand, Madame (4455).
Apart from the short books with dance music the Mortier firm also delivered a more ageless repertoire. The light classical music may hav been in use as background or pause music by dance organs and (later) orchestrions. It is striking that these longer music books were often not numbered. I found only a few with numbers: Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana (3348), Thais (4146) and the Estudiantina waltz (5141). Some thick piles of carton carry more titles (punched one after another, so the music was not glued together). Inside the cover all book numbers were written down neatly.
From the early thirties titles were always mentioned. The numbering reached the 5400 in 1936 with songs like No money and no worries (Kein Geld und keine Sorgen, 5453) and Cigar Band (5541). From 1937 are Abandoned (5589), Umpah Orchestra (5590), Fisher girl (5675), Chapel in the Moonlight (5725), Manus, draw up (5737), Jamboree (5778), Sag' beim Abschied leise Servus (5843) and the tango Violetta (5880).
Hits from 1938 were: The Seventh Heaven (5902), Lambeth Walk (5945), J'attendrai (5953) and The Song Of The Street (5976). Four songs from 1938 have been issued on a CD recently: Credo d'Amour (5977), Si c'est une Blague (5981), Oncle Ferdinand (6002) and Le Grand Vaurien (6004). In 1939 we find The Chestnut tree (6027), Penny Serenade (6030), Do you call that nothing, Mary (6040), The Umbrella Man (6060), Bel Ami (6074) and the Donkey Serenade (6092). The approaching WW II can be noticed in a title like Letter from a Soldier's wife (6124).
In the twilight of the war I only found Star of Rio (6204) -clearly arranged by Peersman, so it was made in 1941- and Music Box (6228). About 300 titles must have been issued during the Second World War, but untill now I did not find any title with a number between 6228 and 6500.
The first title from after the war is Don't fence me in (6511). From this number all arrangements were made by Peersman, who made his best music markings around 1947, like Louise, don't bite your nails (6527), Do you know what a kiss is (6562), Five minutes more (6642), Si si si signorita (6647), Marjoleintje (6650) and Richard, Open the Door (6670). Peersman remained with Mortier till December 1949. Among his last arrangements are The most beautiful Waltz of Love(6754), La Marchina (6793), Quanta la Gusta (6823) and Flick Flack (6967). After 1949 Lois Somers remained as a music marker, but I don't know any of his music books with an official Mortier label.
Bartier has been one of the most productive and talented music markers for Belgian dance hall organs and orchestrions. He combined his work as a music marker with his profession as a violin player in varous orchestra's. Leonard Grymonprez wrote a short article in HP april 1980, based on a correspondence with Bartiers widow. I will summarize this article below, with new additional data.
As a youth Marcel Bartier did some music marking for Mortier organs owned by his father, who had an organ renting business in Leuven. His favorite instrument was the violin. He studied on the Brussels Conservatory and ended his studies with a first prize. When he was 18 years old he became 1st violin player with the "French Theatre" in Antwerp. Because he only had to play in the evenings and weekends he found time to make book music for his father in the daytime. These books bear the address 15 Rue Ed van Even, Leuven (street names in those days were often in French, even in Flanders). According to Grymonprez Bartier would have worked for Mortier before 1920; there is, however no proof for that.
In the early twenties Bartier married Maria Verbinnen. In 1923 he signed a contract as a violin player in the orchestra of the S.S. Belgenland, that made its maiden trip that year. It was an exciting three-month trip, cruising the Mediterranian for over three months with his wife. After the trip the married couple moved to Paris and according to Grymonprez Bartier worked there for Limonaire-Gasparini till the big fire occurred in the factory. After that he played in the orchestra of the "Rochelle", a famous Parisian night club. In those days he studied composition on the Paris Conservatoire and he graduated in 1925. On his business card, however, he does not mention the Limonaire-Gasparini firm! He only mentiones having worked for Marenghi-Gaudin between 1919 and 1930. After 1929 little work was to be found in Paris, due to both the economic crisis and the rising popularity of sound-film and gramophone. The Bartier family then moved to Belgium again, where dance organs had kept their popularity. On advice of Mr. Lakin, an English customer of Marenghi, Marcel started his own business in Leuven under condition to work exclusively for English customers. According to Grymonprez the business was so successful that he needed two punching machines and two ladies to punch the music. This job cannot have lasted very long however, for the Lakin firm soon changed to juke-boxes and Bartier was jobless again. To his luck he was asked by the Mortier firm to join them. On february 12th 1932 Bartier got into service with Mortier. According to the personnel files he lived in Deurne (Netherlands) for a few years and moved to Antwerp thereafter.
Bartier stayed with Mortier till march 13, 1941. In this second year of the war he became violin player again, now with a dance orchestra in Colmar (France). After the war it turned out that many old clients had not forgotten Bartier. They kept asking for new organ books. He decided to start his own business again, in Brussels. Meanwhile they took over a pub with a Mortier orchestrion. In the fourties one could often see Marcel Bartier riding his "Indian" motorbike, carrying new music books to his clients. He kept working throughout the fifties till he was struck with disease and had to end his business. He died in the night of 2 till 3 November 1965 in Schaarbeek near Brussels.
Most arrangements by Bartier that one can hear now are made after WW II. These books bore a label with his name on it. Most markings are well-made arrangements of popular dance music from that era. Bartier had a rather modern and, for the time, daring style. He always tried new and special effects. His markings were not, for that matter, loved by everyone, some pub owners in Antwerp preferred the more exuberant style of Peersman.
Typical for the Bartier style are the decorative rhytmic chords played on the Piston register. Around 1950 he startes with full chords on the Jazz flute and Vibraton registers, thus imitating a Hammond organ. This effect can clearly be heard in the "Sweet Boogie" on the CD of Duerincks Mortier (issue KDV). The earliest Bartier arrangement known to me is a book for 52 key Gasparini from the twenties. His typical style cannot be heard in this number; only his playing of the melody on the accompaniment ranks with accompaniment of the high violin pipes is striking.
Bartier also arranged many semi-classical pieces, overtures and opera selections, but he remains in our memory as arranger of swinging dance music, with tangos and fox-swing as specialities. Listen to his fascinating Kiss tango and the lively Scotch fox-swing on the CD already mentioned. Grymonprez mentioned as special notations Harry James' Trumpet Blues, the selection of Gershwin music and the Glenn Miller souvenirs (nearly 150 feet long). His most famous arrangement he made in 1949: the 12th Street Rag, for Mr. van den Bosch' 105 key organ. As far as I know, Bartier did not compose himself.
Marcel Bartier arranged kilometers of organ music for all kinds of organs and musical scales. Probably most of this music is lost now. Not everything he made deserves an A plus, but his music is part of the top of Belgian music marking. Much of what he made is still worth listening to and his work has been a source of inspiration for several modern music markers.
Mortier invoice.
Original invoice of the Mortier firm. The bill is dated 30-6-1929 and it was for the deliverance of 32 organ books for an orchestrion (nr. 145) with a total lenght of 785.15 metres. Most of the repertoire is classical, with better or lesser-known titles. Among the titles are several hits of the time like "Ice Cream" and "I want to be happy". The length of the books is remarkable; books for dancing seldom exceeded 5 metres. Maybe they are medleys with only the first title mentioned. (collection Ghysels, Brussels).