Barrelworks
December 12, 2021 5:37 PM Subscribe
Dutch flugelhornist and barrel organist Reinier Sijpkens accompanies himself on Philip Glass's Etudes 1 and 2 .
Other activities: serenading honeybees to Glenn Miller, alphenhorning Amazing Grace and Auld Lang Syne in the snow, performing a medley while steering a boat pulled on ice by skaters.
Previously on Metafilter.
Other activities: serenading honeybees to Glenn Miller, alphenhorning Amazing Grace and Auld Lang Syne in the snow, performing a medley while steering a boat pulled on ice by skaters.
Previously on Metafilter.
DIVINE
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:10 PM on December 12, 2021
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:10 PM on December 12, 2021
I wish he did another video just talking about the interesting-looking flugelhorns (at least 2) that I saw in that one.
posted by Greg_Ace at 7:23 PM on December 12, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Greg_Ace at 7:23 PM on December 12, 2021 [1 favorite]
This is lovely.
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 7:31 PM on December 12, 2021
posted by They sucked his brains out! at 7:31 PM on December 12, 2021
I'm curious how you transcribe music for a barrel organ. Surely you don't just BUY a barrel organ roll for Glass Etudes...
posted by hippybear at 8:15 PM on December 12, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by hippybear at 8:15 PM on December 12, 2021 [1 favorite]
*Christmas intensifies*
posted by firstdaffodils at 10:07 PM on December 12, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by firstdaffodils at 10:07 PM on December 12, 2021 [2 favorites]
Actually, Hippybear, ALL music is first published in barrel organ format as a consequence of music publishing regulations in Germany and the Low Counties dating back to the 16th century. These barrel organ rolls are then stored in the respective National Library in much the same way the British Library receives a copy of every new book published in the U.K.
posted by fallingbadgers at 12:36 AM on December 13, 2021 [7 favorites]
posted by fallingbadgers at 12:36 AM on December 13, 2021 [7 favorites]
fallingbadgers, that sounds absurd enough that I assume you are joking.
The text of the video mentions an 'organ book tool', which is used to punch the music, note by note.
posted by eye of newt at 1:11 AM on December 13, 2021 [2 favorites]
The text of the video mentions an 'organ book tool', which is used to punch the music, note by note.
posted by eye of newt at 1:11 AM on December 13, 2021 [2 favorites]
Saddened that the MusikReinheitsgebot regulations have such a low profile these days.
posted by fallingbadgers at 2:50 AM on December 13, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by fallingbadgers at 2:50 AM on December 13, 2021 [4 favorites]
My kopje koffie runneth over. All that's missing is a plate of poffertjes. Check out the Draaiorgelmuseum
posted by BobTheScientist at 4:47 AM on December 13, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by BobTheScientist at 4:47 AM on December 13, 2021 [1 favorite]
When some time has passed since the last time I've heard Etudes #2, the first few bars always give me goosebumps. Wonderful stuff.
posted by HannoverFist at 7:20 AM on December 13, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by HannoverFist at 7:20 AM on December 13, 2021 [2 favorites]
Some small, happy tears. I know the barrel organ notes under the second half of this from Uakti’s performance of Aguas de Amazonia - Amazon River, which is one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful things ever to be made by human beings.
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 1:49 PM on December 13, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 1:49 PM on December 13, 2021 [2 favorites]
Another recently previously is cortex's post a fluegelhorn is probably not a fluegelhorn, and vice versa.
That one kept me looking at various brass pages for about a solid week, including Greg Monk's History of the Flugelhorn and a track or two from Frank Fezishin's Music for Flugelhorn (mentioned in Monk's article and rather hard to find any more).
Most fascinating of all, however, was the page by Joe Wolfe (University of New South Wales) on the acoustics of brass instruments, which answers a few basic questions such as, where the overtone series of brass instruments comes from (probably not where you think it did, if you have ever had any thoughts about it whatsoever). If only I'd known all those things back in the day when I actually played a brass instrument.
cortex wasn't quite prescient enough to also offer anything regarding barrel organs, but to remedy that deficiency I would offer this history of the Dutch Barrel Organ in the Netherlands.
posted by flug at 6:46 PM on December 13, 2021 [1 favorite]
That one kept me looking at various brass pages for about a solid week, including Greg Monk's History of the Flugelhorn and a track or two from Frank Fezishin's Music for Flugelhorn (mentioned in Monk's article and rather hard to find any more).
Most fascinating of all, however, was the page by Joe Wolfe (University of New South Wales) on the acoustics of brass instruments, which answers a few basic questions such as, where the overtone series of brass instruments comes from (probably not where you think it did, if you have ever had any thoughts about it whatsoever). If only I'd known all those things back in the day when I actually played a brass instrument.
cortex wasn't quite prescient enough to also offer anything regarding barrel organs, but to remedy that deficiency I would offer this history of the Dutch Barrel Organ in the Netherlands.
posted by flug at 6:46 PM on December 13, 2021 [1 favorite]
Twenty years ago, I lived near Prinsengracht in Amsterdam. Biking the little oukes to school. One 4 year old on the front seat, a 6 year old on the back. Making that glorious turn crossing Raadhuisstraat, passing the Westertoren, Anne Frank house. Sometimes Reinier was just there, in his little boat, cranking out some Bach, just for the fun of it, at 8.30 in the morning. When we stopped and listened, he drove our boat in our direction and finished the piece just for us. Good times!
posted by ouke at 11:20 PM on December 13, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by ouke at 11:20 PM on December 13, 2021 [5 favorites]
This is great!!
(Although now I want a barrel organ that I don't have room for . . . )
posted by soundguy99 at 6:18 AM on December 14, 2021 [1 favorite]
(Although now I want a barrel organ that I don't have room for . . . )
posted by soundguy99 at 6:18 AM on December 14, 2021 [1 favorite]
Wow, that was awesome and a reminder that While I still manage to think of Philip Glass and the other Minimalists as the new kids, the truth is they're respected elder states-people, and the choice of older style instrumentation serves to highlight this point, along with the reminder that people were utilizing tech in interesting ways "back in the day." That barrel organ makes me pine for an album of Early Tangerine Dream and Cluster covers recorded on it. Someone should get started on this.
posted by evilDoug at 8:37 AM on December 14, 2021 [1 favorite]
cortex wasn't quite prescient enough to also offer anything regarding barrel organs
cortex could buy a barrel organ and then use his laser cutter to create music cards for it. He could probably figure out a way to translate notation into organ card punches so he could automate the process.
I mean, if he gets bored with his current hobbies.
posted by hippybear at 7:39 PM on December 15, 2021
cortex could buy a barrel organ and then use his laser cutter to create music cards for it. He could probably figure out a way to translate notation into organ card punches so he could automate the process.
I mean, if he gets bored with his current hobbies.
posted by hippybear at 7:39 PM on December 15, 2021
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posted by brachiopod at 6:10 PM on December 12, 2021 [1 favorite]