I can tell you about some more of the instruments: the Moon of Manakoora, Godfather Machine, Pontalba Hearse, Miss Kitty's Boudoir, Red Room, Blue Danube, Carousel Room, and Circus Room were all probably created by restorer John Hovancak, who I understand is still the go-to guy for maintenance. The computer musical arrangements were done by the late David Kraehenbuehl, a modern classical music composer.
I went as a kid but one year I went with my Americorps crew. One music room brought tears to my eyes, I was an emotional teen, I'm trying to figure out which room it was. It made me a life long lover of classical music....as janky as the music was at times. I went many times after and brought my son years later. The house on the rock is an indescribable experience
Sure. I am a member of AMICA (the Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors' Association) and have been researching an article on the music machines at HOTR for about three years there. I actually visited the place in 2006 and took lots of pictures (though not behind-the-scenes). So far, information has come from posts to the Mechanical Music Digest website (now in their archives online), personal correspondence with Mr. Art Reblitz and others, and other reference books on the subject.
Miss Kitty's Boudoir was originally a Reproduco piano/organ with an added set of bells, new carvings, and a fake pipe top from an old reed organ. It played the normal Reproduco OS/NOS roll scale. Since then, it has had the guitar, banjo, bass, saxophone, and percussion added; the first four mime along with the synthesizer while the two drums bang a few beats late every time. The piano/organ itself and glock no longer actually play.
The person I would most like to talk to is Mr. John Hovancak who apparently built most of the "fantasy music machines" and has been closely involved with the musical collection at HOTR. From what I can tell he doesn't have internet and in fact may not be willing to divulge such information if he thinks it will "spoil the illusion". Luckily I have eyes and some knowledge and can usually tell if parts came from an old theatre organ or vintage automatic musical instrument.
I miss this place so much. ♡ I lived nearby until I was 20 and went many times, I brought my son when he was about 5. I moved to Oregon and now it's too far away :(
Regarding lighting, there are two reasons for it: 1. it is part of the artistic and aesthetic statement of the place and helps set proper mood, and 2. you're right! It is also to make it hard to photograph so the average visitor is less likely to spot the stuff that's fake! Try using a video camera with night-vision next time (and/or infared), like they do on Ghost Hunters. That should get around the lighting problem!
The string instruments (violins, guitars etc) in most of the ensembles pretend to play, but have small speakers behind them which is where the music actually comes from (synthesizers). The computer system (MIDI?) also controlls the percussion instruments via magnet valves which activate the pneumatics.
I'm also farily sure that the lights are dimmed for preservation. Bright lights are never good for items that are meant to last. And with so many items the HotR staff would find it difficult to preserve everything!
Nice video of the Link E coin piano AKA "Absinthe House Piano". The ridiculous "Pontalba Hearse" gets its say, as does "Ms. Kitty's Boudoir". Nice shots of the "Peacock" Mortier orchestrion, as well as the Blue Room and Blue Danube. Especially nice to see a close-up of the shaker chimes in action on the Blue Danube.
Finally, the Blue Room looks pretty much the same as before, but it originally had pipes from an old Philipps Paganini orchestrion hidden behind the violins providing the music. Since then, the Paganini parts have been removed (and sold to a collector who had the Paganini restored) and synthesizers and small speakers installed.
At least one original instrument there now runs off of MIDI (although it can play it's original music media also): that is the Gebruder Bruder fairground organ in the transportation building. The other large instruments, for the most part, are fakes and/or have a combination of new and original parts. Some, such as the Franz Joseph, Blue Room, and Mikado, were originally built by respected restorers Dave Ramey and Art Reblitz; the design and direction coming from Alex Jordan Jr.
If you want to see some unaltered original instruments of the kind that were modified at HOTR, the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, CA has an unaltered Link E coin piano, what the "Absinthe House Piano" originally looked like. An original unaltered Operators Reproduco piano/organ is part of the "Ya Gotta Know the Territory" exhibit at the Meredith Willson Museum in Mason City, IA. An original 84-key Mortier orchestrion is on display at San Sylmar/Nethercutt Collection in Sylmar, CA.
There are several good restorers in the United States and Europe. A person who works on automatic musical instruments, is respectful and knows what they are doing is called a restorer or a rebuilder. A person who DOESN'T know what they are doing and hacks them up is called a "non-mechanical-music-based wood-butcher". When a restorer does something they shouldn't, it is usually because the customer made them do it (like Alex did with some of these things) and they needed the money.
The Franz Josef originally had an accordion inside, and a much different instrument layout, with a band organ behind it making the music from Wurlitzer 150 rolls. Now it has a small theatre pipe organ behind it providing the music, plus the visible percussion and (non-visible) synthesizer which provides the clavichord sound. It plays a special custom roll scale using an O-roll frame and spacing, with music arranged by Art Reblitz. The large pinned cylinder "playing" it is a fake in all cases.
Only a few player stringed instruments there are real: The Hupfeld Phonoliszt-Violina (which really plays 3 violins and piano), the Mills Double Violano-Virtuoso (two violins and keyboardless piano), and the Encore Banjo (a solo banjo).
Most of the real instruments there have not been MIDIfied: that is, the aforementioned Hupfeld, Mills and Encore still run by rolls, as well as the Link E coin piano (0:00-0:41 in the video), plus the Seeburg KT orchestrion (currently being restored), Aeolian Orchestrion, and Cremona 2 coin piano. These all still run by rolls. The cylinder and disc instruments are mostly still original, but electrified (rather than the original weight or spring drive).
My article was about half-way done when we had a couple of big computer crashes, the most recent this past December. Luckily a lot of data was saved on CD-ROM from the previous crash, and still more is either still on the internet, or in books I have or in my head(!). Once I can get things back on track, I hope to have most of my article finished within a few months.
Mr. Dave Calendine is both a member of AMICA and ATOS (American Theatre Organ Society) and has been behind-the-scenes and may be able to help me with more pictures and information. Mr. Doug Henkle has started a nice webpage "House on the Rock Music Machines" where he has agreed to host my article when it is finished. Mr. Tim Trager has been a lot of help regarding what is there currently, what original instruments are restored and who restored them.
I see. No wonder the trumpets and trombones didn't move. Speaking of moving, ever hear of the Logos Foundation. They have a large robot band. Two of them, Korn a cornet, and Ob an Oboe, can move around like real cornet and oboe players.
@anglerfly But on the other hand there are at lest 20? 40? instruments here. So if half of them play, I guess that's OK. The Mikado believe it or not plays for real.
thanks for posting the video its been years and would love to go back there it a wonder to see the sights and see the changes that they do to the old house. did they also have the one called jenny if i remember right it was at the end of the streets of yesteryear.
You're thinking of paintings. A lot of the stuff at HOTR is re-faked and recent (30 years old give or take) and part of the reason for the lighting is to make it harder for the average person to tell this. However, it is still certainly a neat place with neat stuff.
Do you know if the machines are still run by mechanical parts or if they are now all computerized? If they are still mechanical, do you suppose that the reason they have not been recalibrated has anything to do with a lack of mechanical artists? Do you know if they have anyone there who posesses the skill necessary to artistically manipulate these things in a manner consistant with their creation?
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 89 | คู่เอก "ยอดไอคิว vs คิริลล์"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Z3vYkHJ_5Ig/mqdefault.jpg)
I can tell you about some more of the instruments: the Moon of Manakoora, Godfather Machine, Pontalba Hearse, Miss Kitty's Boudoir, Red Room, Blue Danube, Carousel Room, and Circus Room were all probably created by restorer John Hovancak, who I understand is still the go-to guy for maintenance. The computer musical arrangements were done by the late David Kraehenbuehl, a modern classical music composer.
I went as a kid but one year I went with my Americorps crew. One music room brought tears to my eyes, I was an emotional teen, I'm trying to figure out which room it was. It made me a life long lover of classical music....as janky as the music was at times. I went many times after and brought my son years later. The house on the rock is an indescribable experience
Sure. I am a member of AMICA (the Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors' Association) and have been researching an article on the music machines at HOTR for about three years there. I actually visited the place in 2006 and took lots of pictures (though not behind-the-scenes). So far, information has come from posts to the Mechanical Music Digest website (now in their archives online), personal correspondence with Mr. Art Reblitz and others, and other reference books on the subject.
11 years ago! I'd love to know how your research went!
Miss Kitty's Boudoir was originally a Reproduco piano/organ with an added set of bells, new carvings, and a fake pipe top from an old reed organ. It played the normal Reproduco OS/NOS roll scale. Since then, it has had the guitar, banjo, bass, saxophone, and percussion added; the first four mime along with the synthesizer while the two drums bang a few beats late every time. The piano/organ itself and glock no longer actually play.
The person I would most like to talk to is Mr. John Hovancak who apparently built most of the "fantasy music machines" and has been closely involved with the musical collection at HOTR. From what I can tell he doesn't have internet and in fact may not be willing to divulge such information if he thinks it will "spoil the illusion". Luckily I have eyes and some knowledge and can usually tell if parts came from an old theatre organ or vintage automatic musical instrument.
I miss this place so much. ♡ I lived nearby until I was 20 and went many times, I brought my son when he was about 5. I moved to Oregon and now it's too far away :(
Regarding lighting, there are two reasons for it: 1. it is part of the artistic and aesthetic statement of the place and helps set proper mood, and 2. you're right! It is also to make it hard to photograph so the average visitor is less likely to spot the stuff that's fake! Try using a video camera with night-vision next time (and/or infared), like they do on Ghost Hunters. That should get around the lighting problem!
It's so hard to do video or photos there. You just have to tell people about it and it's so difficult to explain!! You just have to be there
The string instruments (violins, guitars etc) in most of the ensembles pretend to play, but have small speakers behind them which is where the music actually comes from (synthesizers). The computer system (MIDI?) also controlls the percussion instruments via magnet valves which activate the pneumatics.
I'm also farily sure that the lights are dimmed for preservation. Bright lights are never good for items that are meant to last. And with so many items the HotR staff would find it difficult to preserve everything!
Nice video of the Link E coin piano AKA "Absinthe House Piano". The ridiculous "Pontalba Hearse" gets its say, as does "Ms. Kitty's Boudoir". Nice shots of the "Peacock" Mortier orchestrion, as well as the Blue Room and Blue Danube. Especially nice to see a close-up of the shaker chimes in action on the Blue Danube.
Finally, the Blue Room looks pretty much the same as before, but it originally had pipes from an old Philipps Paganini orchestrion hidden behind the violins providing the music. Since then, the Paganini parts have been removed (and sold to a collector who had the Paganini restored) and synthesizers and small speakers installed.
At least one original instrument there now runs off of MIDI (although it can play it's original music media also): that is the Gebruder Bruder fairground organ in the transportation building. The other large instruments, for the most part, are fakes and/or have a combination of new and original parts. Some, such as the Franz Joseph, Blue Room, and Mikado, were originally built by respected restorers Dave Ramey and Art Reblitz; the design and direction coming from Alex Jordan Jr.
If you want to see some unaltered original instruments of the kind that were modified at HOTR, the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, CA has an unaltered Link E coin piano, what the "Absinthe House Piano" originally looked like. An original unaltered Operators Reproduco piano/organ is part of the "Ya Gotta Know the Territory" exhibit at the Meredith Willson Museum in Mason City, IA. An original 84-key Mortier orchestrion is on display at San Sylmar/Nethercutt Collection in Sylmar, CA.
There are several good restorers in the United States and Europe. A person who works on automatic musical instruments, is respectful and knows what they are doing is called a restorer or a rebuilder. A person who DOESN'T know what they are doing and hacks them up is called a "non-mechanical-music-based wood-butcher". When a restorer does something they shouldn't, it is usually because the customer made them do it (like Alex did with some of these things) and they needed the money.
The Franz Josef originally had an accordion inside, and a much different instrument layout, with a band organ behind it making the music from Wurlitzer 150 rolls. Now it has a small theatre pipe organ behind it providing the music, plus the visible percussion and (non-visible) synthesizer which provides the clavichord sound. It plays a special custom roll scale using an O-roll frame and spacing, with music arranged by Art Reblitz. The large pinned cylinder "playing" it is a fake in all cases.
At least three of the instruments were different when they first appeared at HOTR in the 1970s than they are today.
Only a few player stringed instruments there are real:
The Hupfeld Phonoliszt-Violina (which really plays 3 violins and piano), the Mills Double Violano-Virtuoso (two violins and keyboardless piano), and the Encore Banjo (a solo banjo).
They changed this place a lot last time I was there. Sad, the original is always better and should never be changed. It's a piece of history
Most of the real instruments there have not been MIDIfied: that is, the aforementioned Hupfeld, Mills and Encore still run by rolls, as well as the Link E coin piano (0:00-0:41 in the video), plus the Seeburg KT orchestrion (currently being restored), Aeolian Orchestrion, and Cremona 2 coin piano. These all still run by rolls. The cylinder and disc instruments are mostly still original, but electrified (rather than the original weight or spring drive).
My article was about half-way done when we had a couple of big computer crashes, the most recent this past December. Luckily a lot of data was saved on CD-ROM from the previous crash, and still more is either still on the internet, or in books I have or in my head(!). Once I can get things back on track, I hope to have most of my article finished within a few months.
Mr. Dave Calendine is both a member of AMICA and ATOS (American Theatre Organ Society) and has been behind-the-scenes and may be able to help me with more pictures and information. Mr. Doug Henkle has started a nice webpage "House on the Rock Music Machines" where he has agreed to host my article when it is finished. Mr. Tim Trager has been a lot of help regarding what is there currently, what original instruments are restored and who restored them.
I see. No wonder the trumpets and trombones didn't move.
Speaking of moving, ever hear of the Logos Foundation. They have a large robot band. Two of them, Korn a cornet, and Ob an Oboe, can move around like real cornet and oboe players.
@anglerfly
But on the other hand there are at lest 20? 40? instruments here.
So if half of them play, I guess that's OK.
The Mikado believe it or not plays for real.
@anglerfly
It's not exactly midi, but a little more than half of the instruments play synthesized and only percussion play on the synthesized ones.
thanks for posting the video its been years and would love to go back there it a wonder to see the sights and see the changes that they do to the old house. did they also have the one called jenny if i remember right it was at the end of the streets of yesteryear.
You're thinking of paintings. A lot of the stuff at HOTR is re-faked and recent (30 years old give or take) and part of the reason for the lighting is to make it harder for the average person to tell this. However, it is still certainly a neat place with neat stuff.
The hearse that played when the saint go marching in didn't work when we were there :(
The Mikado has it's own. See my other videos.
Do you know if the machines are still run by mechanical parts or if they are now all computerized?
If they are still mechanical, do you suppose that the reason they have not been recalibrated has anything to do with a lack of mechanical artists? Do you know if they have anyone there who posesses the skill necessary to artistically manipulate these things in a manner consistant with their creation?
most of the time they are full if they don't work
@anglerfly
They don't use midi
These machines need restorations, bad.
You totally skipped over the best music room in the whole place, The Mikado.
Best room at THOTR.
Yikes.