A barrel organ is a mechanical musical instrument consisting of bellows and pipes, and it's usually highly decorated.
On the link (see above) we can hear a barel organ played very quickly. The composer is Conlon Nancarrow. It's contemporary music. Conlon Nancarrow was an American composer who became a Mexican citizen. He is best remembered for the pieces he wrote for the player piano. I think he made crazy music but it's always interesting to discover new music...
I like the photo above. We can imagine what music the man played and the atmosphere in the street and, if there were people around him, what their reactions were. We can also imagine the many colours on his barrel organ. The barrel organ is a popular instrument, mostly heard in the streets. But, as Nancarrow proved, it can also be considered as a serious instrument.
Article by Anne-Sophie Belbezet.
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