Reed organ in South Africa

[Jan Viljoen]

I posted the accordion thread here, but folk music in all kinds of variations are so popular in South Africa, that I think it appropriate to post something about reed organs as well.
Mouth organs will follow after August.

The reed organ plays an important role in South African music, so much so, that The Boeremusiekgilde (Music Guild) decided to hold a festival in 1994 in honour of the instrument that played such a vital part in the Afrikaner history through three important wars.
Another bigger one was held last year, but my fotos did not come out well. I will follow up.

Some good organs were transported with great effort to the venue, but because of the high collars, they had to be played with the organists' backs to the camera.
Man playing concertina died about a month ago.
Here are some pictures of this event.

Then followed a picture of my two organs, which I can't play. My daughter can though

The big mirrored one is a Estey Organ with 11 stops and vamps built in 1939 in Vermont.
The small portable one with a knee vamp is also more than 60 years old, and can be seen here in a folk music competition where I played mandolin ala Bill Monroe. We came third.

Thank you B0b for this forum and the USA for designing and building instruments that influence folks and history all over the world.









Let the games begin!!

[Brett Day]

The little Rondo organ is a type of organ where you play the keys with one hand and operate bellows with the other. That type of organ was popular in India, I think. They called it a harmonium or somethin' like that. They say that type of organ has a sound similar to an accordion

[Jan Viljoen]

Hi Brett,

No, the smaller organ is just a handy miniature of the real Mccoy.
It has no stops, just a knee vamp.
It is easily transportable on a bakkie (pickup) and miced. Much lighter than a double neck psg.

I bought this one in '75 at a secondhand shop, and when I opened it, I found old missionary papers in it. They fell through the back lid. Was probably used in some missionary in Africa. Still works well with its own little chair and a nice sound.

In the top foto we call the far left and right ones harmoniums in English. It is just a way to identify the different models.
The small one we call in Afrikaans a 'serfyntjie', dont know the English name.

I know the Indian organs are hand operated sitting on the floor.



Thanks.

[Brett Day]

I've got a reed organ in my house now. Not sure what year it was built, but it's still beautiful after all these years.

[Jan Viljoen]

Nice Brett, do you play keys as well?

Go for it, it gives insight in chords.

[Brett Day]

I used to play keyboards before steel. Because of my cerebral palsy in the left hand, I wasn't getting the sound I was looking for. I found the sound I was looking for with the steel guitar. I love piano, organ, keyboards, but I couldn't get a good country sound by playing with just the right hand. Sometimes I might sit at my Roland electric piano and try to play, but for some reason, I'm more used to the steel guitar-it's my main instrument. Keyboards were my main instrument from 1995 to 1999. I was playing by ear on keyboards with one hand

[Jan Viljoen]

Ok, at least you had the experience of keys.

Mind you, although I have some instruments, the pedal steel is the biggest challenge.

Sail on !!