Details
Image(s)
TitleStreet Organ 'the Zeventiger'
Creator Joseph Bursens
PlaceAntwerp (Belgium)
Year ca. 1918 ca. 1910 ca. 1893
Object number0754
Object categorymechanical instruments with organ pipes
Object namestreet organ, organ with book
DescriptionOriginally, this organ was built by Gasparini in Paris. Due to changing tastes after the war, the Belgian Josef Bursens, who then owned the organ, turned it into an organ with typical Belgian timbre. Only the case remained from the Gasparini original. The action, pipes and façade were completely changed. The last modification was made by Henk Möhlman in the 1950s, who added a bourdon stop.
Accompanying textsThe Belgian sound was characterized by a completely different registration and a much more balanced use of vocal and countermelody stops relative to each other. The organ also had swell shutters to add some dynamics.
After being modified by Bursens, the organ was initially delivered to Louis Holvoet in Rotterdam. Later it was resold to Henk Möhlmann. During World War I, many organ manufacturers from France and Germany went bankrupt. After the war, Dutch organ rental firms were therefore forced to look for new manufacturers, which they found in Belgium. Although the war had been damaging for Belgian makers too, the manufacturing process there had started up again quite soon afterwards. The organs built at that time had new sounds that appealed to the Dutch. In the Antwerp borough of Hoboken, street organs were made by Josef Bursens' factory. This organ is one of the finest and largest made by his firm. The organ is also called "the Zeventiger", referring to the 70 keys in its keyframe.
After being modified by Bursens, the organ was initially delivered to Louis Holvoet in Rotterdam. Later it was resold to Henk Möhlmann. During World War I, many organ manufacturers from France and Germany went bankrupt. After the war, Dutch organ rental firms were therefore forced to look for new manufacturers, which they found in Belgium. Although the war had been damaging for Belgian makers too, the manufacturing process there had started up again quite soon afterwards. The organs built at that time had new sounds that appealed to the Dutch. In the Antwerp borough of Hoboken, street organs were made by Josef Bursens' factory. This organ is one of the finest and largest made by his firm. The organ is also called "the Zeventiger", referring to the 70 keys in its keyframe.
Dimensions
height: 300 cm
width: 350 cm
depth: 170 cm
width: 350 cm
depth: 170 cm
Digital references