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MMD > Archives > February 2014 > 2014.02.14 > 01Prev  Next


Reproducing Pianos Owned by Royalty
By Rowland Lee

I heard recently that there had been an Ampico upright on the old Royal
Yacht, Britannia, prior to its de-commissioning.  I have heard from
several sources that there is Weber grand pianola in one of the drawing
rooms at Windsor Castle, restored and in use.

Queen Victoria had either an Orchestrelle or Aeolian Grand player reed
organ, in a unique gothic case; I recall seeing it in an exhibition in
the Science Museum in London when I was a child back in the 'seventies.

When the Duke of Windsor married Wallis Simpson in 1935 in the Château
de Candé in France, music was provided by the chateau's own Skinner
27-rank residence organ opus 718.  This was (I believe) one of just two
Skinner residence organs to be installed in France; sadly, none made it
to the UK.

The organ had a player attachment but, on the occasion of the Duke's
wedding, it was played by Marcel Dupre.  The organ is now owned by the
French government and is scheduled as an historical monument in it's
own right.

http://www.domainecande.fr/index_en.php 

Rowland Lee
UK

 [ See "The Skinner organ of the castle of Candé", by Eric Brottier
 [ and Anthony Chaberlot, published in Musiques Mécaniques Vivantes
 [ No. 50, 2ème trimestre 2004, English translation by Robbie Rhodes,
 [ at http://ww1.aaimm.org/index.php?pgid=6&article=chateau&pg=1 
 [ -- Robbie


(Message sent Fri 14 Feb 2014, 11:48:17 GMT, from time zone GMT.)

Key Words in Subject:  Owned, Pianos, Reproducing, Royalty

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