Organs: Strike Up the Band

music
ambience: European Band Organ

We’re listening to the strains of a band organ, an instrument which has set the scene in U.S. amusement parks since the 1800’s. I’m Jim Metzner, and this is the Pulse of the Planet. If you can imagine crossing a self-playing instrument — like a player piano — with a reedy one like an accordion, you’ve got a pretty good picture of a band organ. Terry Haugawaut is the President of the Carrousel Organ Association, a group of aficionados of both large antique carousel concert organs as well as smaller newer versions.

“If you look at the, the huge concert organs they could play any classical piece that you could throw at em, I mean they were incredible. Unfortunately there’s very few of the big organs left and if they are still available they’re very very expensive. The small organs that are here today, you can’t really do all the music. There’s some pieces you could not write for these organs because it doesn’t have enough notes in this particular scale on that organ to make it work right.”

“The rolls royce of carousel organs is an Andreas Ruth, made in Volkhurst Germany. They were capable of voicing pipes and doing things that other people couldn’t do and they are incredible organs. They’ll bring tears to your eyes, they’re that good. They’re excellent. There’s six of them left in the world and I’m fortunate enough to own one of them.”

To hear about our new Pulse of the Planet CD, please visit our website at pulseplanet.com. .Pulse of the Planet is presented with support provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities. I’m Jim Metzner.

music

Organs: Strike Up the Band

The music from an Andreas Ruth band organ can make a grown man cry.
Air Date:10/07/2004
Scientist:
Transcript:


music
ambience: European Band Organ

We're listening to the strains of a band organ, an instrument which has set the scene in U.S. amusement parks since the 1800's. I'm Jim Metzner, and this is the Pulse of the Planet. If you can imagine crossing a self-playing instrument -- like a player piano -- with a reedy one like an accordion, you've got a pretty good picture of a band organ. Terry Haugawaut is the President of the Carrousel Organ Association, a group of aficionados of both large antique carousel concert organs as well as smaller newer versions.

"If you look at the, the huge concert organs they could play any classical piece that you could throw at em, I mean they were incredible. Unfortunately there's very few of the big organs left and if they are still available they’re very very expensive. The small organs that are here today, you can't really do all the music. There's some pieces you could not write for these organs because it doesn’t have enough notes in this particular scale on that organ to make it work right."

"The rolls royce of carousel organs is an Andreas Ruth, made in Volkhurst Germany. They were capable of voicing pipes and doing things that other people couldn’t do and they are incredible organs. They’ll bring tears to your eyes, they’re that good. They’re excellent. There's six of them left in the world and I’m fortunate enough to own one of them."

To hear about our new Pulse of the Planet CD, please visit our website at pulseplanet.com. .Pulse of the Planet is presented with support provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities. I'm Jim Metzner.

music