After reading about this fantastic instrument and its amazing discovery story in old MBSI journals for years, I am very glad you have put this video up of it playing a full selection so we can hear it play. It plays very nicely indeed (especially for its size) and the music is very well arranged. As a musician I was especially surprised by the very quick register changes near the beginning for the “sforzando” effect on certain notes and chords.
Yes and there is a third Dufner instrument in existence which is a fairground or salon barrel organ which I think is in a private collection in either upstate NY, NH, or VT.
That's the biggest speed regulator I've ever seen! The machine and cabinetry seem well made, but the musical phrasing seems irregular, unfortunately....
Wait till you hear cylinder audio recordings of actual musicians playing in the 1880s-1890s-1900s. Some of this rubato, phrasing and rhythm, are how people actually played!
I can explain most aspects of the mechanism of this orchestrion and how they work (at least basic principles if not specifics). I have found they are much less creepy when you know how they work and what all the parts do. I am creeped out by automata and things with human figures, but automatic musical instruments without human figures like this have never been a problem for me.
If the cylinder, trumpet boots, and case trim were not black, but a lighter color, would you find it less creepy? Black was very fashionable in the 1870s and ao this was decorated thus to be in fashion with the styles of the times. I have found that sometimes people will find a given instrument more or leas creepy depending upon how it is painted, how well the room is lit, and/or the shadows in a particular photo or video.
