Royal Music Machines Opens At National Netherlands' Museum

UTRECHT, THE NETHERLANDS

:In honor of its 50th anniversary, the National Museum from Musical Clock to Street Organ, will present an exhibit of "Royal Music Machines." With loans from museums around the world, the museum will host a collection of some of the most famous musical automata of the last 500 years. The exhibit opens on April 13 and will run through July 30 at the museum, Steenweg 6.

Over the centuries only the crowned heads of Europe and Asia could afford to acquire music machines that crossed the border between art, music and technology. Unique pieces from collections of the Habsburgs, Romanovs, Bourbons, Esterházys and the Oranjes will be on view during the exhibition.

Several of the pieces on loan have never before left their home countries, including "La Musicienne," an almost full-size mechanical lady, 233 years old, who plays a pipe organ with her own automated fingers, she breathes (her chest moves) and her eyes follow the movement of her fingers. When she finishes her performance, she curtsies to her audience.

Royal houses and emperors wanted to display their wealth and power, so as ultimate proof of their good taste and status, they instructed instrument makers to construct the most exclusive automatons, often as presents for special guests or dear friends. Spectacular examples from the Renaissance include a ship automata that moved along the table as a showpiece during royal banquets. Only three of these royal toys are left, one of which is the solid silver and fire-gilt ship automaton that was in all probability made for Emperor Rudolf II of Hapsburg.

From Russia comes a royal carriage that was made for Catherine the Great by a serf who won his freedom for his creation. Sixteen years in the making, it is equipped with an odometer and an automatic organ that could be switched on during a ride to entertain the passengers. The musical cylinders had a wide variety of music and new ones could be made.

From the Far East comes a pair of Eighteenth Century elephant automata that stand more than 8 feet high. The two elephant clocks with bell music and automata were made by atelier James Cox in London, circa 1780; they are on loan from a private collection.

Undoubtedly they were made for royalty, with the quality of the music mechanisms and the delicacy of the 150 water cascades, but first and foremost it is the sheer size of the bronze patinated and fire-gilt bodies of the elephants that is remarkable.

The National Museum from Musical Clock to Street Organ is housed in a mediaeval parish church in the historic city center. For information, The Netherlands board of tourism and conventions, 212-370-7360, or in The Netherlands 31(0) 30 232 6093 or www.museumspeelklok.nl.