Technical Marvels, Part 6: Musical Automatons

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2024-11-25 15:30:37

Historic music machines are among the most magnificent automatons. They delighted visitors to fairgrounds, played in inns and railroad stations, and entertained passengers on huge ocean liners. Many devices are still fully functional today. They range from tiny singing birds, music boxes, barrel organs, flute-playing clocks and mechanical violins to self-playing pianos and huge organs. A short journey back in time to the world of analog music. Music automatons have survived in numerous museums.

The most famous musical automaton figures can be found in Paris and Neuchâtel (Switzerland). Peter Kintzing created his dulcimer player (see Fig. 1) in collaboration with David Roentgen.

The three Jaquet-Droz automated figures, including the musician (see Fig. 2), are regularly presented to the public in Neuchâtel (Switzerland).

The Swiss clockmakers Pierre Jaquet-Droz and Henri-Louis Jaquet-Droz are regarded as the inventors of the singing bird (see Fig. 3).