Teaching children (and adults) about mechanical music

TJ Fisher made me think after he wrote in 100813 MMDigest, "The
question pertinent to that point is, what recordings do children have
available to them once they do hear an instrument they enjoy?"

My 12-year-old son was recently blessed by a personal tour by one
of our local collectors.  He showed my son his entire collection
(I think) and explained the variety of mechanical musical instruments,
how they work, what they were originally used for, and what kind of
music they played.  This collector is a very kind person who has
a real understanding of how to talk to kids and capture their interest.

Prior to that visit, any time I played a mechanical musical instrument
recording, my wife and children would bellow, "Would you please knock
off that racket -- that 'circus music' is really annoying!"

Now my son can relate to the type of instrument on the recording and
the experience he had seeing these instruments in person.  There is
nothing like that first-hand look, touch, hear experience!  But the
recording reminds him of that experience and the instruments he found
so very interesting.  It keeps him talking about mechanical music.

My story is very much the same as what TJ describes.  As a young boy
I heard instruments and bought recordings.  I see my son falling in
these footsteps too -- except he isn't buying recordings, he is
inheriting them.

Brian Shaw