The Organ Grinder (updated 2023)
Are Organ Ginders extinct
Since early childhood, I had heard of organ grinders but had never seen one except in photos. Organ grinders used to ply the streets of Europe and New York City in the 1800s, playing their music and hoping to collect enough money from passers-by to make a living.
The proper name for the instrument is a barrel organ. When the handle is cranked, it plays pre-recorded music. It is balanced on a monopod with a strap around the neck and held by one hand, leaving the other hand free to operate the crank. The crank hits little metal pegs on a cylinder (barrel). You can see this technology today in small wind-up music boxes.
The Monkey
Organ grinders had a fury partner: a trained monkey who collected the tips while the grinder played the music.
The Decline of the Organ Grinder
Organ grinders were banned from the streets of New York in 1935. While some appreciated the music, others described it as a horrible noise. The machines could play only a few songs, and if the organ grinder did not move along, people soon got tired of the same tunes over and over. I like the barrel organ music for short periods, but I can see how one would get tired of it quickly.
People complained that organ grinders caused traffic congestion and were little more than beggars. Organ grinders are not musicians like guitar players. Anyone could crank the handle and create music.
Value Today
Most of these barrel organs were made in Germany, and today, they are worth upwards of $1000.
The Organ Grinder Today
And so, by the mid-1900s, the organ grinder had disappeared from the streets. Wikipedia describes the organ grinder as a musical street performer of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
So, organ grinders are a thing of the past – or are they? I never expected to see one, but to my surprise, organ grinders are still plying their trade on the streets of Mexico City. They all wear identical tan uniforms with a forage cap and even have an organ grinder’s union.
Organ Grinders can no longer employ a monkey to collect the coins. Instead, they use their hats.
Wonderful Mexico
Mexico is a wonderful place that never ceases to amaze me. You never know what you might see here.
You should not take photos of the organ grinders without their permission. The man in this photo was paid to pose for a photo for me.