Mechanical Organ Owners Society
in conjunction with Travel Editions LTD
'The Return of the Tour' 2023
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The MOOS Tour returns.
Have an unforgettable holiday with a group of great people! Working with our new business partner, Travel Editions Ltd, we have an itinerary covering some of the best collections and museums in the Netherlands. Places are limited. Book now by emailing or calling 020 7251 0045 |
Friday 3rd November 2023
We pick up at Stevenage, Ebbsfleet, Maidstone Services and Dover Eastern Docks before joining a ferry for the short sea crossing to Calais. We stay overnight at our hotel in Antwerp with dinner on arrival. You are free for the rest of the evening to just relax or perhaps explore the historic City of Antwerp, once the centre of the Belgian Mechanical Organ industry, where you can find the Café Beveren, the very last of the traditional dockside cafés with a dance organ.
We pick up at Stevenage, Ebbsfleet, Maidstone Services and Dover Eastern Docks before joining a ferry for the short sea crossing to Calais. We stay overnight at our hotel in Antwerp with dinner on arrival. You are free for the rest of the evening to just relax or perhaps explore the historic City of Antwerp, once the centre of the Belgian Mechanical Organ industry, where you can find the Café Beveren, the very last of the traditional dockside cafés with a dance organ.
Saturday 4th November 2023.
We depart from our hotel and cross the heathland known as the Kempenland, which marks the border between Belgium and the Netherlands, before stopping, just across the border at the organ collection of Gino Mutsters at “Bij Orgelplezier”. Here we will enjoy music from a selection of Belgian dance organs, old and new, including the famous 121-key Decap organ “De Monty”, one of the largest and most magnificent dance organs of its era.
We depart from our hotel and cross the heathland known as the Kempenland, which marks the border between Belgium and the Netherlands, before stopping, just across the border at the organ collection of Gino Mutsters at “Bij Orgelplezier”. Here we will enjoy music from a selection of Belgian dance organs, old and new, including the famous 121-key Decap organ “De Monty”, one of the largest and most magnificent dance organs of its era.
Next, we head to the province of North Holland to visit the collection of Ruud Vader. Ruud is the owner of an outstanding collection of German fairground organs, the star attraction being the newly restored model 39 “Swiss Ruth”, one of only two organs of the type built by the firm and representing the pinnacle of German organ design. The restoration has also involved the painstaking construction of a brand new façade to replace the original one that was lost many years ago. After a stay which should give us plenty of time to listen to and enjoy these instruments, we head to our hotel in Haarlem for dinner and our overnight stay. The evening is free for relaxation and perhaps a visit to the hotel bar.
Sunday 5th November 2023
The town of Rijswijk seems to have an almost magnetic attraction for those who own organs, with three collections being in remarkably close proximity to each other. We will visit all three of these collections and see the organs of Zwerus de Ruijter, Ronald de Ruijter and of the Meulkens family. The collections comprise an interesting mix of street and dance organs, including some that have been hidden away for some years and are now playing again or are in the process of being restored. Many of the instruments are thankfully still used from time to time to provide music on the streets and at public events, and their musical repertoire is constantly being added to in order to include the latest hits.
The town of Rijswijk seems to have an almost magnetic attraction for those who own organs, with three collections being in remarkably close proximity to each other. We will visit all three of these collections and see the organs of Zwerus de Ruijter, Ronald de Ruijter and of the Meulkens family. The collections comprise an interesting mix of street and dance organs, including some that have been hidden away for some years and are now playing again or are in the process of being restored. Many of the instruments are thankfully still used from time to time to provide music on the streets and at public events, and their musical repertoire is constantly being added to in order to include the latest hits.
After an early dinner, we head for Haarlem Organ Museum, one of the longest-established and leading museums of its sort. Here we will enjoy music from a wide range of organs, the largest being the “Kunkels Organ” a giant Marenghi dance organ that was subsequently rebuilt by Carl Frei for fairground use when in the ownership of the Hommerson family. Another new attraction is “De Lekkerkerker”, one of the finest street organs built by Carl Frei, now expertly restored by Adri Vergeer and in occasional use, until very recent times, in its home city of Gouda.
We return to our hotel in Haarlem for our overnight stay and dinner.
We return to our hotel in Haarlem for our overnight stay and dinner.
Monday 6 November 2023
Today we head home, but stop off once in Belgium at the new organ collection of Johnny Claes at “Arburo’s Place” in Tisselt. Here we will enjoy music from the Bursens Organs “Canada” and “St Bernard” together with “De Brabancon”, a dance organ that was at one period in England in the ownership of Ronald Leach and known as “The Trumpeter”, but which had long been without a long-term home and was little seen in recent decades.
Today we head home, but stop off once in Belgium at the new organ collection of Johnny Claes at “Arburo’s Place” in Tisselt. Here we will enjoy music from the Bursens Organs “Canada” and “St Bernard” together with “De Brabancon”, a dance organ that was at one period in England in the ownership of Ronald Leach and known as “The Trumpeter”, but which had long been without a long-term home and was little seen in recent decades.
Please note that an admission charge of 8 euros per person is payable locally for entry to Haarlem Organ Museum and a small charge will apply at the collection of Ruud Vader for admission including light refreshments.