This is the artifact I was photographing when the little butterfly landed next to me, posing. It’s an antique reed organ, discarded on the curb. Now, don’t feel bad for the instrument; it probably presided over a hundred years of weddings and baptisms and funerals and church services, surrounded all the while by people singing.
It might have been the only major instrument around for miles. And during its long existence, new instruments have been built, new KINDS of instruments have been built. Music has changed because people are alive and culture is alive and changing.
In the time this organ existed, two world wars and countless equally awful but smaller wars took place. Humans visited the moon. Video was invented and now everyone carries a video camera… incidental to other functions of the device.
I looked at the stop; “Vox Humana” and thought “That would be a cool name for a blog!” And… it is. For several blogs. I guess my blog will continue without a name for now.
Oh yeah… blogging was invented. I think about that when people face arguments and think others are curtailing their freedom of speech.
Anyway it didn’t seem right to give the instrument a sendoff without a moment’s appreciation and a few photos. You served us well, reed organ.
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