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How does a Wurlitzer band organ work?
Air blown through pipes, each tuned to create a different musical tone, creates the sound. Blowers located under the ranks, or sets of pipes, force air into them when valves are opened as the organist plays the keys and stops (tabs the organist flips up or down to activate different ranks of pipes).
How does calliope work?
A calliope (see below for pronunciation) is a musical instrument that produces sound by sending a gas, originally steam or, more recently, compressed air, through large whistles—originally locomotive whistles. A calliope is typically very loud. Even some small calliopes are audible for miles.
How does an organ grinder work?
The organ grinder would pick up an organ in a small storefront shop, or, livery and then walk or take the streetcar to his chosen neighborhood. After moving from block to block throughout the day, he would return the organ to the livery and pay a portion of the take to the owner.
How would you play a barrel organ?
When the instrument is played (by turning the crank), offsets on the crank shaft cause bellows to open and close to produce pressurized air. A reservoir/regulator maintains a constant pressure. A worm gear on the crank shaft causes the barrel to rotate slowly and its pins and staples lift the fronts of the keys.
Why did the organ grinder close?
Kitchen equipment was mysteriously being sold out the back door to cover debts to the “bad guys” and there were frequent cash shortages. Bills and taxes weren’t being paid and ultimately, the Denver Organ Grinder was forced to close and its assets were sold at a sheriff’s tax auction.
Is a hurdy gurdy the same as an organ grinder?
The term hurdy-gurdy is sometimes mistakenly applied to a small, portable barrel organ that was frequently played by organ grinders and buskers (street musicians), but the two terms should not be confused.
What is a carousel organ?
A fairground organ is a pneumatic musical organ covering the wind and percussive sections of an orchestra. Designed for use in a commercial public fairground setting to provide loud music to accompany fairground rides and attractions, mostly used on merry-go-rounds.
How many organs are in the Grand Carousel?
The Grand Carousel is accompanied by three organs. The largest was manufactured in 1888 by Frati and Company in Berlin, Germany. It was originally a barrel organ, playing a large pinned cylinder like a music box. In the 1920’s it was converted to play the more versatile paper roll system, using 61 key Artizan rolls.
What happened to the Wurlitzer carousel organ?
On May 13, 1929, Wurlitzer shipped a style 105 band organ, serial number 4170, to Spillman Engineering Company in North Tonawanda, NY. This was to complete a three abreast carousel sold to Camden Park in Huntington, WV. The carousel and organ remained there until February 8, 1992, when it was auctioned off in Tampa, FL.
How does a carousel work?
Carousels rotate on a stationary center pole and are powered by electric motors. The electric motor spins a small pulley, which drives a drive belt and a larger pulley.
When was the first carousel organ made?
The smaller organ on the outside of the carousel was built in 1910 by the German firm Gebruder Bruder, style 107, and was sold in the USA by the Berni Organ Company of New York. It still plays the original folding cardboard music, available only in Europe.