Royal Music Machines

National Museum From Musical Clock to Street Organ in

Utrecht, April 13 - July 30, 2006

On the occasion of its 50th anniversary the National Museum From Musical Clock to Street Organ in Utrecht presents 'Royal Music Machines'. Having acquired a large number of loans from other museums world-wide, the museum will host a spectacular collection of some of the most famous musical automata of the past 500 years.

In bygone ages behind palace doors, now open to the public

Over the centuries it was predominantly the crowned heads of Europe who could afford the acquisition music machines that crossed the border between art, music and technology. Unique pieces from collections of the Habsburgs, Romanovs, Bourbons, Esterházy's and the Oranjes will be on view during the exhibition.

Worldwide masterpieces, for once in Utrecht

Invaluable loans, from all over the world, of which some leave their premises for the first time are on show. La Musicienne, one of the most famous music machines ever, can now be seen for the first time in history. La Musicienne is an almost full-size mechanical lady of 233 years old. She plays a pipe organ with her own automated fingers. She breathes visibly (her chest moves) and her eyes follow the movement of her fingers on the keys. At the end of her performance she curtsies gracefully to her audience.

Royal toys

Royal houses and emperors wanted to display wealth and power in order to make a lasting impression on their guests and other royal families. As an ultimate proof of their good taste and status, they instructed instrument makers to construct the most exclusive automatons, often as presents for special guests or dear friends. Spectacular examples from the Renaissance are the ship automata that moved along the table as a showpiece during royal banquets. Only three of these royal toys are left, one of which is the solid silver and fire-gilt ship automaton that was in all probability made for Emperor Rudolf II of Habsburg.

On board there is a colorful group of crew-members, and under the canopy, the Emperor himself is seated. Once the spring-mechanisms are wound, the ship will sail forward, rolling on its invisible eccentric wheels. Trumpeters play a flourish to the rhythmic accompaniment of a drummer and a kettle-drum player. Finally a wheel-lock mechanism is activated and a cannon loaded with gunpowder fires a deafening blast.

Catharina the Great

It took a serf of the Empress 16 years to make an ingenious carriage before presenting it to his mistress Catharina the Great. Catharina decided to add the gift to the imperial collection and gave the serf, in exchange for the piece of art, his freedom. The carriage is equipped with a hodometer and an automatic organ that could be switched on during a ride to entertain the passengers. The musical cylinder of the carriage contains a wide variety of the popular melodies of that day. Moreover, new cylinders could be made to keep up with the latest musical trends.

Two presents for good luck

In the 18th century in the Far East it was believed that giving presents in pairs would bring good luck, whereas giving one present would be bad luck. Automata such as these elephants of over 8 feet tall were produced predominantly for the royal houses of the Near and Far East. Here it is not only the quality of the music mechanisms and the delicacy of the 150 water cascades but first and foremost the sheer size of the bronze patinated and fire-gilt bodies of the elephants.

The most musical museum in Holland!

The National Museum from Musical Clock to Street Organ is housed in a mediaeval parish church in the historic city center of Utrecht. The museum contains an important collection of automatic musical instruments (i.e. carillon clocks, musical boxes, pianolas, belly organs, orchestrions, full-size street, fairground and dance-hall organs) which are presented live during guided tours every hour.

Location, opening hours, guided tours and children

National Museum from Musical Clock to Street Organ,

Steenweg 6,

3511 JP Utrecht

www.museumspeelklok.nl

Tue - Sun 10 am - 5 pm. Thu 10 am - 9 pm.

Non-stop guided tours with live demonstrations of the instruments in Dutch and English.

Special activities for children.