Waldkirch - part 3

On the Saturday morning when visiting the Waldkirch International Orgelfest at the end of June, we visited a lovely little toy shop in one of the main streets. It was packed with glorious toys, mostly traditional, though some modern. Last time I saw a Kathe Kruse bath baby doll there and was very tempted. This time, they had one KK doll high up on a shelf, several Gotz and various other lovely dolls, however I resisted. We were more interested in finding toys for the dolls. The following picture story shows the miniature animals, miniature sailing boat and wooden game we found in the shop.  It also features 2 other souvenirs my younger girl collected over the weekend.  The shop owner was VERY interested in the doll carrier bag which Lorraine had made for Laura and took a photo of it, so I wouldn't be surprised if she commissions someone in Waldkirch to make some for her shop. She gave my younger daughter a small gift of the cuckoo clock fridge magnet and some loom bands to say 'thank you' for allowing her to take photos of Laura and Reuben in their travel bag (she did ask permission first).

Laura and Reuben were sharing the gifts
they had brought from Waldkirch with the others

Clemence the bear discovered the giraffe, who stared at him for a long time

Leo loved the polar bear

Laura proudly wore her Waldkirch Orgelfest badge
and loom band bangle
and showed off the cuckoo clock (fridge magnet)

Reuben and baby Mabel were having fun with the sailing boat

Florence and Miranda had a game with the coloured puzzle,
they took it in turns to add pieces

Miranda had the purple, Florence the green triangle

Nicholas James found a flamingo while Leo still clutched his polar bear

The puzzle was coming together nicely

"You can put in the last piece Miranda" said Florence

"Yay, we finished the puzzle" cried the girls

Laura decided to show off the miniature organ
she and Reuben were given in Waldkirch

She sat down and turned the handle on the side,
all the miniature animals turned towards the sound

all the dolls gathered to listen while Laura brought the sounds of Waldkirch to England

See also Part 1 and Part 2 of our trip to Waldkirch.

Waldkirch - part 2

Waldkirch orgelfest continued (see also part 1): On Sunday morning we visited the organ workshop of Achim Schnieder who makes incredible instruments - lovely street organs and musical boxes. We had a tour of his workshop and looked at the collection of strange automata type instruments built from scrap with a group of local school children as part of an education / engineering project.  The instruments were mainly for sound effects as part of a musical performance later that day, however visitors could try them out.  DollMum's younger daughter, Laura and Reuben tried out this pedal barrel operated guitar and drum playing combination (you pedalled and operated a lever to change the 'finger position' on the guitar which was strummed by a barrel pinned with brushes and could at the same time pull a cord to make the green drummer above hit the drum).

Laura, Reuben & DollMum's daughter try out the music machine

The guitar and drum machine

At the organ workshop of Jäger und Brommer Laura and Reuben encountered a small colourful street organ which a perspex case which made it possible to see how the organ works inside.

Colourful street organ (busker organ)

side view of the colourful street organ

There was an unclothed barrel organ monkey hanging from a shelf, showing how its body is constructed.

Barrel organ monkey at Jäger und Brommer

Some of the street organs were being demonstrated in the workshop.  This little street organ has dancing couples which turn with the music.

Reuben and Laura enjoy the dancing figures street organ

Watching and listening to a small street organ at Jäger und Brommer

Laura, Reuben and DollMum's daughter at Jäger und Brommer

Listening to the dancing figures street organ

In the rain we walked to the Eltzalmuseum of Organs, which is a museum at the heart of the town filled with the history of Waldkirch including a sizeable collection of instruments built in the town in the past 150 years. The museum was very busy, with regular tours, and especially so in the rain!  15 years ago this special organ was commissioned as a joint project built by all the organ builders in the town and launched at the 1999 Orgelfest - it was designed with children in mind and is called 'Altobella Furiosa', with the visual design by Otmar Alt.  It is a firm favourite in our family.  During the festival it is brought out of the museum (down a ramp on the main steps) to play outside however they also play it indoors (it is quite loud).  Laura and Reuben decided to pose in front of it (not playing at the time).  You can watch a video of Altobella Furiosa playing an amazing Blues Brothers arrangement at http://youtu.be/_UF_6oIwR1M.

Laura and Reuben with Altobella Furiosa

Laura and Reuben with Altobella Furiosa

They also posed with Altobella Furiosa's little companion street organ.

Laura and Reuben with the companion street organ

Laura and Reuben with the companion street organ

In the museum the public can play some of the instruments.  This Jäger and Brommer street organ has paper roll music and anyone can hand turn it to play it.

Watching the Jäger und Brommer street organ being turned in the museum

Watching the paper roll being rewound to be replayed

Laura and Reuben help DollMum's daughter turn the street organ

In the museum basement are several of the larger organs in the collection.  The Swiss Alpen horns were meant to be playing outside however it was very wet so they played indoors instead.

Swiss Alpen horns being played in the Elztal museum

Outside on the stage beside the museum was the newly built organ with a 'pop art' style facade designed by Otmar Alt.  This instrument had been demonstrated for the first time on the Friday evening, however it isn't yet complete and the stage was used by other performers throughout the weekend.  Organo Caribe are a German group who specialise in playing Caribbean style music with their little street organ, we have a CD of theirs which is a favourite for long car journeys.  See and hear a short video of Organo Caribe at http://youtu.be/JiCAlDVt2Pk.

Organo Caribe play outside the museum in the rain

Sadly all festivals come to an end and most organs on display stopped playing after 5:30 pm.  We returned to our hotel and had dinner with a group of visitors from the USA who always come to our hotel for their last night meal at the festival.  After dinner Laura and Reuben sneaked out to stand in the same spot where Peter and Matroshka had stood three years before.

Laura and Reuben pose outside Altersbach hotel

Laura and Reuben pose outside Altersbach hotel

The hotel owners have a street organ which they had used to welcome the American party.  In their display cabinet was a lovely little Bavarian doll, Reuben and Laura greeted her through the glass.

Reuben and Laura greet the little Bavarian girl in the display cabinet at Altersbach

The little Bavarian doll at Altersbach

On Monday we drove all the way back to the ferry.  It is a very long way (to Strasbourg then on the north French motorways).  We are always sad to leave the organ town of Waldkirch and the lovely people at the hotel.

Laura and Reuben wave goodbye to France

DollMum's younger daughter
drew this picture of Laura and Reuben on the ferry

Just in case you're wondering about their clothes, you may recognise Laura's outfit as the Autumn Swap pinafore set sent to me by Anne in Germany who has the Sasha Comoneo crew.  She knows the Black Forest well, so it was appropriate to bring this outfit with us.  Reuben's outfit is actually his Pinehurst school outfit without the blazer and with the addition of brightly coloured braces which I constructed on the Sunday morning from some ribbon I had brought with me.

Waldkirch - part 1

So where are Reuben and Laura going?  It looks like they are using the bag that Lorraine of Sewing for Sasha made for them:

Reuben and Laura in their special bag

This photo was taken on a ferry in the early hours of Friday as we crossed the channel to France.  During the remainder of the night and the early morning we drove across France and into Germany, arriving at Waldkirch in the Black Forest just before midday.  After a 2 hour afternoon sleep in our hotel in the Kandel pass we went down to the town to take in some of the International Orgelfest which is held every 3 years, then returned to the hotel for dinner.  Last time we went to the festival we took the two Australian Girl dolls and two of the Gotz dolls - see Meet Matroshka for their adventures.  This time it was Laura and Reuben's turn. 

Laura and Reuben enjoy the view down the
Altersbach valley from our dining table

On Saturday morning Laura and Reuben climbed into their bag again and came with us to the organ festival for the day.  In the park by the river we discovered this automata organ, with four figures 'playing' the music. The clarinet player's fingers really moved, the cellist bowed his double bass and the accordion players moved too, all the figures had eyes that blinked and moved.

The Swiss folk band organ

accordion player 

double bass player

this accordion player had a daisy flower in his mouth

The clarinet player with moving fingers

In Germany the small street organs are often used to tell elaborate stories with music.  The story pictures are on large banners with the story teller pointing to the pictures and singing with the organ grinder.  This group included three children as well.  We never understand the stories as they're all in German, however they're fun to watch as they're usually very dramatic and a bit sensationalist.

DollMum's daughter with Laura and Reuben on her lap (not visible)
watching the German organ story tellers

The Gruesome Murder Act! story in full flow

This street organ had an unusual figure in front of it (usually organs have automated figures mounted on the façade in front of the pipes - conducting the music or playing bells).  This figure wasn't automated.

Street organ with beggar figure

The carved wooden beggar

We visited one of the four organ building workshops in the town (Paul Fleck) where they had some music boxes on sale.  Laura really liked the miniature disc player.

Laura with the disc player music box

In the Markt Platz a very special Fair organ was playing and we sat down on the cobbles for a rest to listen.

Laura and Reuben rest in their bag while listening to the organ

Laura was tired and needed a cuddle

After a while Laura and Reuben became curious about this goddess and her attendants who presided over the music with such dignity and they loved the music.  The organ is one of only 2 Ruth organs ever made to this particular music scale (it is a Model 46 Ruth organ which belongs to a Swiss organ collector).  21 years ago this very same organ played on this spot at the festival for DollMum and her husband, it has not appeared at the festival since so it was a delight to see and hear it again.

Laura and Reuben approach the Model 46 Ruth fair organ

Laura and Reuben stand in front of the Model 46 Ruth fair organ

Back in their bag again (they swapped places)

Back at the park on the stage a Swiss yodelling choir was singing.  This year the festival had a real Swiss theme to it.

Swiss yodellers

One group who have attended the last 3 festivals are the street musicians from Chile.  They have 2 small street organs and 5 one man band musicians who spin and twirl to the music while banging their drums and clashing their cymbals - on this stage the sound was magnified even more than in the street!

Street organs and one man band musicians from Chile

We sat on the park bench for a rest while listening to the organs nearby.

Laura and Reuben rest in the park while DollMum's daughter draws

Near the stage was a large pile of saw dust surrounded by hay bales.  This was for the demonstration of Swiss haymakers - which turned out to be a special kind of wrestling.

Reuben and Laura watch the Swiss haymakers

We had a lovely meal with some Dutch friends in Markt Platz before the rain and thunder storms began, so returned to the hotel for the evening and more chatting.