Hello everybody, it is nice to have the St. Albans Organ Museum
introduced to the MMD.
My first visit there was about 1972, when the founder, Charles Hart,
was still alive. He was a friend of Oscar Grymonprez from Belgium.
A lot of very interesting instruments, organs, orchestrions, music
boxes, etc., went through their hands to collectors all over the world.
For his own private museum he kept a few of the best. After his death
a group of volunteers, many of them working there from the start,
changed it into a charitable trust and it is one of the most friendly
and educating museums I have seen.
The instruments are all in good condition, thanks to many unpaid
hours of work, there is an extensive repertoire with the organs of
old and new music. There is a souvenir shop with recent cassette and
CD recordings of all instruments, special theatre organ concerts (very
special: two organs played simultaneously by two organists!) and of
course a nice cup of tea for every visitor!
If you are in England, don't miss this museum.
It is open every Sunday afternoon from 2 PM. until 4.30 PM. The
address is 326 Camp Road, St. Albans, Herts, AL1 5 PB, England.
Jan Kees de Ruijter
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