The Swiss Museum of the Organ - an unexpected pleasure while touring Switzerland in August, 2007

Just outside the museum, which is to the left. When we arrived, we found two gentlemen attempting to load a one-manual portativ organ into the small red car next to the museum. Of course, we jumped in to help. (I don't *think* they were stealing it!) In fact, one of the gentlemen lead the tour that was scheduled for 45 minutes later.

Just inside the entrance, a beautiful reed organ. Interesting that it is *not* a harmonium (which would be the European equivalent of a North American reed organ).

This closeup reveals that it is an Estey, from Brattleboro, Vermont, USA. Would be fascinating to know how it found its way to Switzerland.

Hydraulis reproduction. The hydraulis is the oldest known musical instrument using pipes as a sound source, dating from the Roman Empire.

Demonstration tracker-action organ, with two manuals of one octave each. Upper manual controls the pipes above the keyboards, lower manual those below.

Detail of demonstration tracker organ.

Scale model of an organ, executed in chocolate.

Demonstration model of hand-pumped bellows.

Signage for previous bellows model. It mentions Notre-Dame de Rouen, 1386. Translations welcome.

Cut-away model of blower machinery.

Demonstration of hand-cranked blower - note the three feeder bellows (at floor level) controlled by the rotary crank, filling the wedge bellows.

Welte electric blower. I *think* the tour guide said it provided multiple pressures - hard to tell since all bellows appear to feed into a common channel - but then this demonstration exhibit was not providing wind to an organ. The design of the motor, pulley wheels, and belts is certainly elegant.

Artist's depiction of an organ being played in a bordello (so the tour guide explained it). I apologize for poor photo quality.

Display case of pipe building information.

Detail of display case of pipe building information, focused on examples of pipe metal composition, with various metal compositions. The left is pure lead (plomb) , increasing percentage of tin (etain), and the last two samples are planed and hammered, respectively (thanks to Brian Rehrig for the translations).

Three examples of reed boot construction.

Barrel organ - a mechanical music playing device - as the barrel turned, the pins in it controlled which pipes sounded, producing an early form of sequenced music.

Detail view of another barrel organ - if you click on the photo to get the highest resolution, the mechanical notation of the music is quite fascinating.

The length of this barrel organ playing mechanism indicates how many pipes were controlled by it. The amount of dust is a sad indication of how long it has not played.

Another view of the previous barrel notation.

Yet another barrel organ.

A one manual exercise in advanced wood-working.

Detail of wooden pipes from previous organ - note the detailed pipe tops, and the playful musical notes stamped or painted below the pipe mouths.

Reconstruction of a medieval portative.

Pedal piano - upright piano with pneumatic pedal board. I assume playing the pedals played the corresponding note on the piano - thus allowing an organist to practice on a piano - which would be much easier to find space for at home than an organ.

The console of largest organ at the museum features luminous stop controls.

Facade of previous organ.

Detail of left jamb.

Detail of right jamb, including builders' nameplates.