Details
Image(s)
TitleStreet Organ 'The Arab'
Creator Pierre Verbeeck, Gijsbert Perlee
PlaceAntwerp (Belgium), Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Year ca. 1925 1948
Object number1122
Object categorymechanical instruments with organ pipes
Object namestreet organ, organ with book
DescriptionThis book-reading organ has 75 keys, multiple registers and more musical parts than is normally the case (for example, parts for both melody and countermelody). This makes the musical possibilities greater.
Accompanying textsBecause of the Arab's serene and versatile sound character, much music was arranged for the organ, particularly between 1952 and 1977. Mr. Romke de Waard, judge and co-founder of this museum, was a gifted music arranger and arranged dozens of pieces of music for this organ. Many works by other arrangers are also available. The repertoire includes music from Bach to more modern pop musicians such as Cmon & Kipsky.
The 'Arabier' organ - like the 'Drie Pruiken' (cat. 1126) - also has a 'double dating' within the museum: the original year of construction (1925) and the time of the last major modifications (1948), which produced the organ as we know it today. The organ was built in 1925 by Pierre Verbeeck, an organ builder in Antwerp. The façade was very similar to that of Decap organs of the time, and the same painted scene can be found on several other organs, as Verbeeck and Decap had the same façade supplier. These paintings are an example of exoticism, which was very popular in Europe at the time: they glamorize the "far" East, but they also perpetuate stereotypes and are therefore problematic. After being purchased, the 'Arabier' played in Amsterdam as early as 1926 with license holder Herman Tokkie. In 1933 the organ was expanded with an accordion and played in Hoorn, Enkhuizen, Den Helder and IJmuiden. The Perlee firm bought the organ in 1935 and installed, among other things, a bourdon stop. This was added because it was a popular sound, stayed in tune, and offered many possibilities for the music arranger. The accordion proved unsatisfactory on the street and quickly went out of tune, and was therefore removed. All this indicates that adaptations to organs were driven not only by new technical possibilities but also by prevailing tastes at that time. The organ was then used in Amsterdam and from about 1938 to 1942 in Utrecht, on a horse-drawn cart. In 1942 the German occupying forces banned all entertainment and thus also barrel organs: the 'Arabier' disappeared from the street scene for the time being. In 1948, the organ underwent a major restoration. It was rebuilt to the state in which we know the organ today. In 2008, the organ came into the possession of the museum and the front was restored. Even today, the organ is much in demand for performances and is therefore temporarily "disappeared" from the permanent displays on a regular basis.
The 'Arabier' organ - like the 'Drie Pruiken' (cat. 1126) - also has a 'double dating' within the museum: the original year of construction (1925) and the time of the last major modifications (1948), which produced the organ as we know it today. The organ was built in 1925 by Pierre Verbeeck, an organ builder in Antwerp. The façade was very similar to that of Decap organs of the time, and the same painted scene can be found on several other organs, as Verbeeck and Decap had the same façade supplier. These paintings are an example of exoticism, which was very popular in Europe at the time: they glamorize the "far" East, but they also perpetuate stereotypes and are therefore problematic. After being purchased, the 'Arabier' played in Amsterdam as early as 1926 with license holder Herman Tokkie. In 1933 the organ was expanded with an accordion and played in Hoorn, Enkhuizen, Den Helder and IJmuiden. The Perlee firm bought the organ in 1935 and installed, among other things, a bourdon stop. This was added because it was a popular sound, stayed in tune, and offered many possibilities for the music arranger. The accordion proved unsatisfactory on the street and quickly went out of tune, and was therefore removed. All this indicates that adaptations to organs were driven not only by new technical possibilities but also by prevailing tastes at that time. The organ was then used in Amsterdam and from about 1938 to 1942 in Utrecht, on a horse-drawn cart. In 1942 the German occupying forces banned all entertainment and thus also barrel organs: the 'Arabier' disappeared from the street scene for the time being. In 1948, the organ underwent a major restoration. It was rebuilt to the state in which we know the organ today. In 2008, the organ came into the possession of the museum and the front was restored. Even today, the organ is much in demand for performances and is therefore temporarily "disappeared" from the permanent displays on a regular basis.
Dimensions
geheel, excl. kar height: 283 cm
geheel, excl. kar width: 418 cm
geheel, excl. kar depth: 150 cm
kar/aanhangwagen height: 77 cm
kar/aanhangwagen length: 440 cm
kar/aanhangwagen width: 180 cm
geheel, excl. kar width: 418 cm
geheel, excl. kar depth: 150 cm
kar/aanhangwagen height: 77 cm
kar/aanhangwagen length: 440 cm
kar/aanhangwagen width: 180 cm
Digital references