What is a "draaiorgel"?
Draaiorgels are mechanical musical
instruments. There is no player behind the keyboard, but the instruments are played by a
moving music pattern. This can exist of a turning pinned barrel or disc, or a cardboard or
paper strip with holes in it. In all cases the music has to be converted by an arranger
into a musical pattern. Mechanical musical instruments are therefore played by the man
behind the drawing-board!
Mechanical musical instruments
Not all mechanical musical
instruments are draaiorgels. In the course of the past centuries most musical
instruments have been built in a self-playing form: carillons, pianos, harmoniums,
accordions, harps, harpsichords, church- and cinema organs, violins (!), trumpets, etc.
etc. |
|
| The flourishing period
of mechanical musical instruments is between about 1850 and 1920. After the rise of
gramophone and radio they were gradually crowded out. Still many enthusiasts are left, who
are interested in the extraordinary interesting technical, musical and historical aspects
of mechanical music. |
The KDV is a Dutch society
for the preservation of fair organs, street-organs, dance hall organs, orchestrions and
other automatic musical instruments; their history and development, and their present
situation.
This site is to inform you about the past and present of mechanical
music in the Netherlands and Europe. You will find information about museums and organ
events in Europe, membership of the KDV, news, and products. |
