Automatic Musical Instruments
An instument called the Carillon was being created in Europe since the Middle Ages.
It differs in sizes and performs with the tumed bells put together. These were placed in
Church Towers, but in the 14th Century, cylinders with pins were created and utilized many of these mechanical performances. This creation is the first to be recognized as a true
Automatic Musical Instrument.
By using the Cylinder, it made possible for many other instruments to operate such mechanical
performances; and as a result, mechanical organs began to be created. From the 18th Century until the beginning of the 20th Century, Automatic Musical Instruments became popularized along with its music and saw its Goldem Age.
Each mechanical organs and pianos developed many different styles. In the same manner,
violin , accordion , harp, banjo and zither, and many other instruments became
mechanized, and many of them succeeded commercially. The moter, as well as the recording
system became diversified.
The music boxes thet we are accustomed to are also a member of this Automatic Musical
Instruments. However, this type of music box was developed especially as a Automatic
Musical Instruments using the teeth of a comb. This mechanism is the only difference
from the other Automatic Musical Instruments.
Many type of Automatic Musical Instruments were created and succeeded in the 20th century.
Such instrument as the "Reproducing Piano" that reproduces the performer's technical
expressions was devised. However, due to numerous social changes, such as the
advancement of record players, ourbreak of World War I and the Recession, as well as the
start of redio programming, large sized Automatic Musical Instruments lost their practical
value, and from the 1920's until the 1930's. It was hardly ever manufactured.
The mechanical carillon
Music Boxes
The mechanical carillon, which was developed in the 14th century, was closely related to the
clock technology; many small sized and precise devices were placed in clocks and watches of
high quality. However, it was extremely difficult in making a bell with precise intervals
so small in size, and it eventually saw its limit in making small sized carillon. This was the main reason the idea of using "metallic elements instead of the bells" was brought up.
Towards the end of the 18th Century, a carillon without a bell, which was made by a Genevan clock maker, Antoine Favre, was reported to the Society for the Arts of Geneva(1799).
In this new mechanism, metallic pins strike teeth of a comb, each carrying a different tone,
to produce a desired melody. Compared to previous carillon, it was able to bring out additional melodies within such compact space. This became the prototype to the cylinder music box at the hight of prosperity in the 19th Century.
cylinder music box
Orugoru
Orugoru sounds foreign, but this is a vocabulary which was created in Japan. The etymology
of this word is said to have come from Holland's "Orgel", one can see similer words to this in the middle until the end of the Edo Period(1603-1867) literature "Koumouyakumondou and
Kiyuushouran". Until the Meiji Period(1868-1912), the generic term, Orgel, was used for all
automated musical mechanism.
However, Orugoru became the general term used for any boxes that produces melodies by using a metallic teeth of the comb. In both Europe and America, sound producing mechanism using the teeth of the comb is called a Music Box. These are distinguished either as cylinder and disc type according to it perfomance's recording style.
Hall of Halls