Hello Bjorn!  I've read with much interest your postings re: Louis
Hooghuys, Grammont organs and the Becquart Carousel Organ #1 in
particular.  (Are you sure it's spelled "Becquart"?  I once saw
Schollaert books which said "Bequart"?)

I have a couple of items which may interest you and Mr. Marc Hooghuys,
namely a couple of pictures of this wonderful organ, taken by Mr. Derek
Londrigan of Manchester, England.  He's the only person I know who has
heard this organ in person and, like yourself (and myself!), considers it
the finest sounding Fairground Organ ever built.  Mr. Londrigan also has
several of the old LP's of this organ and, somewhere, I have copies of
tapes he made some years ago for Mr. Jerry Doring.

I've scanned the two black and white photos I have, which were taken at a
time unknown to me, but show the organ close-up on its organ truck in the
'sheds', or winter quarters, of the Familie Becquart enterprise.  No pipe
work is visible, but they are nice images showing the magnificent facade.

If you (or anyone on the list) would like to have these images I'd be
happy to email them to you; they're in JPEG format.  (I sure hope Mr.
Londrigan doesn't mind, and I've 'watermarked' the images with a notice
that they are copyrighted by him.)

It is my understanding that Louis Hooghuys, Grammont built several organs
for the Becquart family over the years, of various 'sizes'.  I've even
heard they ordered a new organ every year!  Can you imagine!

Regarding your wondering about the lack of awareness of the wonderful
Noteur, August Schollaert:  I would ascribe that to the fact there are
very few accessible Louis Hooghuys organs here in the U.S., even fewer of
the larger 72-key size.  (Actually, I hope I'm wrong, but I don't know of
*any* 72-key Hooghuys Fairground Organs here??)

Few people here have heard how magnificent they are, unless they've
traveled abroad, and fewer still have had the opportunity to listen to
the wonderful (masterful) arrangements done by Mr. Schollaert and the
other Noteurs, including Mr. Romain Hooghuys.  There are a few of us who
have been fortunate enough to have had some contact with these fantastic
organs; it's a pity they're not more widely known and appreciated.

I have copied to MIDI an Aug. Schollaert book from a 66-key Hooghuys
which must have been arranged for the Becquarts because it contains a
very long (and very wonderful!) waltz medley called "Bequart Waltzes",
which runs about 8 minutes.  This is part of a 50-meter book for the same
66er, all arranged by Mr. Schollaert.  This book is, sadly, an 'orphan'
because there is no 66-key Hooghuys to play it.

The tunes are (please forgive me if I've misspelled any of these --
they were hard to read)

  1. "Kort En Goed Polka"
  2. "West India March"
  3. "Bequart waltz medley" (titles not specified on the book)
  4. "Versailles March"
  5. "Blaze Away March"

These are all great arrangements and make full use of the legendary
lightning-fast Hooghuys valve system with all notes over about
quarter-length broken up into very fast staccato.  Drives some people
nuts, but I love the effect!

While I'm here, I'd like to type-out three Noteurs 'stamps' which I've
come across.  These are rubber-stamps which are stamped the length of
organ books to identify the maker.  If anyone knows of corrections in
spelling to these I'd sure like to hear from them; some were very
difficult to make out.  A translation would be nice also.   :)

            AUG. SCHOLLAERT -
               GHYSBRECHT
   Aalst - Nestor de Tierestraat 6 - Alost    << probably Aalst also?
      VERZORGD WERK, TRAVAIL SOIGNE

Note: the first 'e' in Tierestraat is an accented e.

              D.ALPHONSE
                NOTEUR
      36, Rue des Quatre - Vents
         Molenseek, Bruxelles

              L.CALLAERT
         NOTEUR -- COMPONIST
       Nieuwstraat, 5, Terhagen

Thank you again for your contributions!  I'd like to hear *everything*
regarding Hooghuys organs, and I'm sure Jody would make as much space
available as you need .. uh .. right, Jody?  :)

Could you please ask Mr. Marc Hooghuys if he retains any of the documents
from the Louis Hooghuys factory?  I'd sure like to find a copy of their
pipe scales, or anything else relating to these magnificent instruments!!

With gratitude,

Ron Yost
musik@tcsn.net
Paso Robles, CA, U.S.A.

 [ This is _history_, Ron and Bjorn !  We are pleased to record it and
 [ disseminate it in MMD.  :)   -- Robbie