A Little History
About Musical Clocks

Holmberg Musical Clocks are contemporary versions of historical mechanical clocks of the 17th and 18th centuries.

Automatic musical instruments incorporating flute pipes of exceptional quality have been treasured for hundreds of years, and today are mostly found in museums and are coveted by collectors. This quality is accomplished through the use of hand selected material; design and execution of the proper logarithmic scales for organ pipe making; and artistic voicing, finishing and tonal regulation.

Music specifically composed for automatic musical instruments by some of the world's greatest composers, (Handel, Haydn, Beethoven, Mozart, C.P.E. Bach, et al.) often included ornamentation beyond the ability of the average organist. Similarly, chestwork and mechanism to perform such complex music require speed and function beyond the capabilities of the average pipe organ. The unique low pressure electro-pneumatic design of Holmberg chestwork responds easily to the demands of these composers. The Holmberg Musical Clock sets new standards of engineering and reliability with 100% hardwood construction, fine German leathers, and expansion channeling.

Bringing all this together into a new instrument with flexibility and programmability beyond the imagination of the early builders, we employ the springs, escapements, gears, wheels, jewels, pins and barrels of our time: the mighty microprocessor with solid-state circuitry custom designed for our digital computer.

With the synergistic coupling of the work of great composers, superb craftsmanship, 4/4 Westminster chimes and world class computer technology, we present the Holmberg Musical Clocks.

A Little About Clock Music

Clock Music is composed specifically for the mechanical Organ Clock, or Flötenuhr. Some Clock Music may be “borrowed” from larger works, often from a symphony and particularly by Haydn. In these instances, study of the manuscript will show that the music meant for the Musical Clock is not pointed the same as it is for the symphony.

Through the history of Clock Music, we hear clock music performed by many others: symphonies, chamber groups, organists, pianists and more. Many times, when the music is performed away from its intended venue, it becomes changed into the typical performance of the new instrument and/or artist. Tempos vary, volumes change, emotions enter and leave. Whether this is a good thing or not, will not be judged here.

Musical clocks do not provide opportunity to slow down and/or speed up the tempo during play; they do not offer the opportunity for crescendo and/or dimenuendo during play. It is a tribute to the Great Masters, who composed for those instruments that did, and for these instruments that did not!

Clock Music is usually a specific length. The three Haydn/Niemecz instruments used a pinned barrel of about 6 inches in diameter and the Haydn Clock Music used this space on the barrels to operate the organ mechanism. Likewise, the Handel Clock Music was designed to occupy like space on the Clay instruments in England.