Draaiorgels: hun geschiedenis en betekenis
by Romke de Waard; KDV publication (Alkmaar, 1996); 128 pages; 230 photographs; price £25.00 (plus £3 p&p). Available from the FOPS sales stand or FOPS Sales, 61 South Parade, Ossett, West Yorkshire, WF5 0EF (all cheques/POs should be made payable to 'FOPS'). ISBN 9060130626.
Dr Romke de Waard, the first president of the KDV, has written a beautifully illustrated book to celebrate the 40th anniversary of our sister society in the Netherlands. The title in translation reads 'Street organs: their history and significance' but it is explained in the English preface that the term 'Draaiorgel' is used here in its widest sense to mean a mechanical organ that plays its music from a pre-arranged programme. Hence the publication includes all manner of mechanical organs although the most prominently featured are book-playing street organs, fairground organs and dance organs. (The term 'Pierement', which is sometimes encountered, is 20th century in origin and refers specifically to a wheel-cranked book-playing street organ.)
Divided into five chapters, the book traces the development of the organ preservation movement in Holland from its post-war beginnings to the present day. For the benefit of English-speaking readers, useful summaries are provided in English at the end of each chapter. There are also English subtitles to the illustrations in the main text although these are sometimes of a slightly summarised nature.
Chapter one surveys the period leading up to the formation of the KDV in 1954 from the turn of the century when an increasing number of street organs were imported into or built in the Netherlands; as in England the first decade of the century saw a gradual change over from barrel to book-playing instruments. What a sound world must have existed in the Netherlands in those days with the importation of old French Gasparinis and Limonaire organs, as well as the newer products of Koenigsberg, De Vreese, Bursens and DeCap from Belgium and powerful fairground organs from Germany. Carl Frei's presence in Breda from the 1920s was also very influential. Inevitably, the fortunes of the 'draaiorgel' were dealt a serious blow by the Second World War and the departure of Frei, but after hostilities a small number of loyal fans banded together in Amsterdam to form the precursor of what has now become the national society 'Kring van Draaiorgelvrienden' (The circle of street organ friends).
Undoubtedly, the KDV's greatest achievement has been the successful promotion of a national museum 'Van Speelklok tot Pierement' (From Musical Clock to Street Organ) which was founded at Utrecht in 1958 - the same year the FOPS was founded - and which, since 1984, has been housed in the former Buurkerk where it was officially opened by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. Anyone who has visited this museum cannot fail to be impressed by their excellent standards of restoration and presentation. However, the museum's evolution has been a long process not without its setbacks. Chapter two of de Waard's book outlines the story of how a small exhibition of organs and other musical automata in 1956 led to the creation of a permanent museum which is the envy of the world. If only such an institution existed in England!
With the formation of a museum board under the chairmanship of de Waard, the National museum became a separate project in its own right. In chapter three the author outlines some of the other early initiatives which helped build up the Dutch preservation movement such as the adoption of 'town organs' and the formation of 'stichting': societies of organ friends at Haarlem, Assen and Helmond who established club houses in which to store and present their instruments bought for preservation. I was interested to note that, unlike in England, organs in the 1950s could still earn money playing in public; funds raised in this manner were ploughed back into the cause and thus further organs were purchased and restored. Another important aspect of the work of the KDV has been the protection of organs in danger of exportation (the Leon Warnies foundation was formed 30 years for this express purpose); it is stated that there have been no less than 15 clear cases of organs that would otherwise have perished or gone abroad although I note a number of 'farewell organs' are pictured in the book (the quaint term used for an organ that has been exported).
In chapter four entitled 'Developments in the past 40 years', some of the various strands of the post-war organ culture are examined in depth. While the popularity of dance organs went into a decline due to the electronics boom, the street organ industry was re-invigorated thanks to growing cultural awareness. The book contains an impressive photographic record of the work of the Perlee and Pluer families as well as Mohlmann, Gossling, van Minning and van Eyk. The book also states that hardly any present-day fairground attraction has retained its fairground organ. This seems a sorry state of affairs for in Britain we are lucky to have around 30 'working' organs on the fairs still, including several large Gaviolis, an 89-key Marenghi plus smaller organs by Gavioli, Bruder and Chiappa, not to mention organs (52-keyless or less) built by modern British builders. But, true, the situation today cannot be compared with former glories.
The final chapter explores more recent developments including the growth in concert opportunities for mechanical organs and the continuation of a vibrant Dutch music marking tradition thanks to the dedication of Marcel van Boxtel (b 1922), who studied with Carl Frei Snr, and Tom Meijer and Jan Kees de Ruijter who both admire the Frei tradition, as well as composer-arranger Cor Coenen, Dick Gillet and others.
Only one English-owned organ is included in the book: Richard Preston's 112-key Gavioli was guest organ at Utrecht on a tour of Holland in 1988. The 'Troubadour' Gavioli is also pictured, at Cleobury Mortimer, Salop, in the collection of the late WJ Barlow who stands alongside. Dr Haspels, director-curator of the national museum, who has provided the English summaries, ends on perhaps the most important subject of all for the future: the official listing of organs of historic and national importance. He states that, so far, five organs have been listed by the Dutch ministry of culture as protected 'inalienable objects'. This is a book which contains much to admire, read and think about.
© 1996 Jory Bennett
Originally published in edition 4 of The Key Frame 1996.