All MMD readers are invited to join the annual European mechanical
music tour organised by the Mechanical Organ Owners' Society (MOOS).

This year the tour celebrates the foundation of the new home of the
Kunkelstichting in Haarlem, takes in a visit to the ever popular open
weekend of the De Voer family and, once again, finds organs in places
where no tour has gone before!  As always, travel is by luxury coach,
direct from the Southern Counties of England.  En-suite accommodation
is provided in the four star Ara Hotel in a picturesque setting on the
river at Zwinjndrecht, with breakfast and evening meals included in the
price.  The full itinerary is as follows:

Thursday 11th November -- We pick up at Andover (St Mary Bourne),
Maidenhead, Redhill (rail connections available from London and all
areas), and Dover, where we take a leisurely ferry crossing to Calais.
Our first destination is Zaal Koch, one of the last great cafe-dancings
and home of the 105 key Decap Antwerp organ featured on the famous
series of LPs.  We will enjoy our evening meal to the accompaniment of
the organ before continuing to the hotel near Dordrecht where we stay
for all three nights of the tour.

Friday 12th November -- Today we will firstly visit the Wanrooy
Collection, recently re-located in larger premises near Tilburg.
Visited only once previously by the MOOS, the collection has seen many
recent changes and some new additions from other parts of Europe.  We
continue northwards to the picturesque town of Delft, famous for its
distinctive blue and white pottery, where there will be time for a
lunchtime stroll alongside old canals.

From Delft a short journey will take us into new territory with our
first ever visit to the Zweris de Ruyter Collection, where we enjoy a
concert on the Carl Frei and Decap organs and see the progress being
made in the restoration of the Mortier organ "Roger", once part of the
Arthur Mason Collection at Burnham Market.  To round the day off we
visit the fabulous new home of the Kunkelstichting in Haarlem.  Far
removed from the old building with its leaking roof and crumbling
walls, the new premises provide a superb showcase for the organs by
Marenghi, Mortier, Carl Frei and others.

Saturday 13th November -- Once again, it is the day of the renowned
annual organ gathering at the premises of the De Voer family in
Ulvenhout.  This event, which has become increasingly popular in recent
years, is dedicated to fairground organs of German origin.  Visiting
organs will also be present in addition to those normally kept at
Ulvenhout, so we can expect an occasion to remember.

After a leisurely stay, we will cross the border into Belgium in order
to make a pioneering visit to the Guy Koekoeckx Collection.  Formerly
the well known Teugels organ rental agency, Guy now manages a business
that rents out dance organs of the 60s and 70s.  We hope to hear four
of these organs during our visit and learn a bit more about this rather
unique operation.  Moving right into the modern era, we then meet up
with Decap Herentals to see the very latest developments in technology
being applied to the design and construction of the mechanical organ.

Sunday 14th November -- After breakfast, we drive to Kinderdijk, now a
Unesco World Heritage Site with its 19 windmills, dating back to 17th
century, towering high above the marshes.  We continue along the
coastal dykes to the border town of Sluis for a midday break and last
minute shopping stop.

Finally, we call in for an afternoon visit to the remarkable Cafe des
Orgues at Herzeele, a place where time has seemingly stood still and
couples, their children and their grandparents dance the afternoon away
to the music of three magnificent Mortier organs!  We return to England
in the late evening and set down at all pick up points as on the
outward journey.

Price per person: UKP 275, sharing a twin room.  Single room supplement:
UKP 50 per person.  Price includes: all travel by executive coach,
return ferry crossing, three nights hotel accommodation, breakfasts
and evening meals, all entrances and arrangements.  Not included:
Lunches, drinks and spending money.

If you wish to make a booking for the tour please contact
<tours@historyinharmony.com> as soon as possible.  It would be great to
see many of you on the tour!

Peter Craig
tours@historyinharmony.com