| Street organs and carillons are to the Dutch | | | | of carillonneurs pound the keys during |
| what bagpipes means to the Scots, and they | | | | occasional concerts. These live |
| bring out the same mixed feelings. The | | | | interpretations of the works of classical and |
| elaborate street organs meaning barrel organs | | | | modern composers are often played with a |
| developed from hand-held barrel organs that | | | | surprising amount of feeling if one considers |
| were once popular throughout Europe but have | | | | the natural limitations of the instrument. |
| now all but disappeared. Though they are | | | | |
| almost extinct now, one of the factors that | | | | Street-organs are linked to the Netherlands |
| ensured their survival in the Netherlands was | | | | like the tulips, the wooden shoes, and the |
| a leasing system established in Amsterdam in | | | | giant water-works. Almost every tourist in a |
| 1875: grinders leased their organs from | | | | Dutch city can meet one of these |
| owners who looked after maintenance and | | | | characteristic Dutch instruments playing in |
| tuning, which ensured reason able standards | | | | the streets. |
| upheld by strict licensing laws. Even today, | | | | |
| grinders are assigned limited hours in | | | | Nevertheless, the chance of such a meeting |
| particular areas of the city so they are | | | | has decreased dramatically over the years. In |
| evenly distributed, and they can spend five | | | | the twenties and thirties of the 20th century |
| minutes on the same spot before having to | | | | a multitude of the present amount of street |
| move on. | | | | organs was playing in the streets of our |
| | | | country. In the city of Amsterdam alone more |
| The collection includes anything from Tulips | | | | than 30 of these instruments were crossing |
| from Amsterdam and The Blue Danube to weird | | | | the town every day. |
| renditions of the latest hits. Fluctuations | | | | |
| in temperature and humidity still play havoc | | | | Music by self-playing organs was not just |
| with tuning; sometimes result in a cat's-wail | | | | audible in the streets. At the village and |
| outcome. A street organ at full tilt is a | | | | town fairs all the music was made by |
| pretty impressive bit of machinery. They used | | | | fairground organs, with a distinctive |
| to be operated by hand but now little | | | | different sound; nearly every attraction, big |
| generator motors do the hard work. | | | | or small, possessed such an organ. Apart from |
| | | | that, many dance-halls, public houses, hotels |
| The Dutch fascination with mechanical | | | | etcetera had automatic musical instruments |
| instruments extends to the out-of-tune | | | | within their walls. Those who did not have a |
| carillons that adorn many public buildings, | | | | dance hall organ or orchestra hired one for |
| especially church towers. They're usually | | | | the duration of the fair. |
| operated by machines, though a select group | | | | |