barrel organ

barrel organ
a musical instrument in which air from a bellows is admitted to a set of pipes by means of pins inserted into a revolving barrel; hand organ.
[1765-75]

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      musical instrument in which a pinned barrel turned by a handle raises levers, admitting wind to one or more ranks of organ pipes; the handle simultaneously actuates the bellows. Ten or more tunes can be set on one barrel.

      Barrel organs are valuable because they preserve old styles of musical ornamentation. They reached a peak of popularity in the late 18th and early 19th centuries; some played the psalms in village churches until well into the 20th century. They are sometimes confused with other handle-operated street instruments, including the barrel piano and the hurdy-gurdy.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Barrel organ — Organ Or gan, n. [L. organum, Gr. ?; akin to ? work, and E. work: cf. F. organe. See {Work}, and cf. {Orgue}, {Orgy}.] [1913 Webster] 1. An instrument or medium by which some important action is performed, or an important end accomplished; as,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Barrel organ — Barrel Bar rel (b[a^]r r[e^]l), n.[OE. barel, F. baril, prob. fr. barre bar. Cf. {Barricade}.] 1. A round vessel or cask, of greater length than breadth, and bulging in the middle, made of staves bound with hoops, and having flat ends or heads;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • barrel organ — barrel organs N COUNT A barrel organ is a large machine that plays music when you turn the handle on the side. Barrel organs used to be played in the street to entertain people …   English dictionary

  • barrel organ — ► NOUN ▪ a small pipe organ that plays a preset tune when a handle is turned …   English terms dictionary

  • barrel organ — n. a mechanical musical instrument having a cylinder studded with pins which open pipe valves or strike metal tongues when the cylinder is revolved, producing a tune; hand organ …   English World dictionary

  • Barrel Organ —   [englisch, bærl ɔːgən], Drehorgel …   Universal-Lexikon

  • barrel organ — barrel .organ n a musical instrument that you play by turning a handle, often used on the streets in order to get money, especially in the past …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • barrel organ — noun count a large instrument that plays music when the handle is turned, used in the past to entertain people in the street …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Barrel organ — A barrel organ player in Vienna, Austria. A bar …   Wikipedia

  • barrel organ — noun a musical instrument that makes music by rotation of a cylinder studded with pegs • Syn: ↑grind organ, ↑hand organ, ↑hurdy gurdy, ↑hurdy gurdy, ↑street organ • Topics: ↑music • Hyperny …   Useful english dictionary

  • barrel organ — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms barrel organ : singular barrel organ plural barrel organs a large instrument that plays music when the handle is turned, used in the past to entertain people in the street …   English dictionary

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