Legislation re electric-aided bikes

An interesting post from Pascal. From the doc to which he links I learn European legislation stipulates that only pedelecs “which are equipped with an auxiliary electric motor having a maximum continuous rated power of 0,25 kW, of which the output is progressively reduced and finally cut off as the vehicle reaches a speed of…

Massive cock

Here, in a magical photo by John Robertson. It would be interesting to know which Morris group it belongs to. We’ve been thinking about cockerel costumes rather like a pantomime horse, large enough to be split into two, large enough to fit a river, a mountain and a wolf (or three children dressed as them)…

The storks of war

A fragment from Italo Calvino’s quasi-17th century folk romance, Il visconte dimezzato/The cloven viscount, uses storks as a portent of battle. Several unconnected 2nd century Greek accounts might appear to do the same, perhaps particularly if one’s a lazy sod and doesn’t read anything but scraps of stuff on Google Books.

Carlos Borbolla (1902 – 1990), Cuban dance organ impresario and piano composer

I just found a piece by Miriam Ruiz Pérez in the Cuban national socialist regime’s magazine, La Jiribilla. Apparently Borbolla was born in Manzanillo of a merchant family which made money from the hire, construction and repair of dance organs. As he moved into the business following musical studies in France, he began to replace…

Voice amplifiers

Choosing between expensive and quiet aerobics-style headset+waistband amp and cheap and noisy headset+waistband megaphone.

Pierre Charial – combines organ with improvisation

Stuff with Sylvie Courvoisier In de gecomponeerde muziek is al vaker gebruik gemaakt van mechanisch voortgebrachte klanken. Willem Breuker heeft voor draaiorgels geschreven, Ligeti (wiens werk Charial meermalen heeft uitgevoerd) voor metronomen en speeldozen, Conlon Nancarrow voor pianola’s. Vooral aan de laatste moet je denken als de Fransman de lieflijke tonen van de orgelpijpen opeenstapelt…

Willem Breuker barrel organ stuff

Wikipedia it say 1967 Lunchconcert voor drie Amsterdamse draaiorgels 1968 Music for Han Bennink voor draaiorgel 1969 Preparation to voting voor draaiorgel 1970 Een dagje ouder voor klein draaiorgel I thought off the top of my bonce that he’d done stuff for mixed ensembles, but neither this nor that is on UTube. His normal style…

Programmable mini pin organ for kids

Here: Gloggomobil by Naef toys of Switzerland is based on the principle of the barrel organ and helps to introduce a child to the world of music. Designed by Herbert Bahli. When the black pegs are pushed into the holes on the drum and the simple turning mechanism is set in motion, melodies can be…