Auntie Elsie’s music box: the tunes
Recently I wrote about Auntie Elsie’s music box. Unfortunately it’s impossible to tell which track is which, because – being on a cylinder – it’s not possible to tell which comes first. So I need your help.
Can you match the music to the track list?
- Here are the tunes (in mp3 format):
- and here’s my attempt at deciphering the track list:
- Le General, Havelocks. Marche
- [Horp de Looden To?]
When I tried that in Google it asked if I meant “Horp de Loodsen To”; but trying that as a phrase returned no results. - Love [Launcho?] a fairy boat
(“Love launched a fairy boat” returns results in Google) - Be mine dear maid
- Phillis is my only joy
- Fern [L..?] Valse
- Alladdins Lamp
- Wait for the Wagon
I’ve written the track names exactly as I’ve found them, hence some unusual spellings (like ‘Alladdin’ rather than ‘Aladdin’) and some unknowns.
The image is of the track list. It’s covered in ancient scellotape (at least 30 years old) which reflected off my camera’s flash, so impairs the image somewhat. Never mind.
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hi Michael
Wow this is so weird! It sounded totally rubbish at first, but then I could decipher the tunes, but didn’t recognise them. I tried listening for 3 beats for waltz time but even that didn’t work. Will work on it…
This took me right back to Aunty Elsie’s livin room, but I’m afraid I was unable to recognise the tunes.
Yo, that is well cool Michael, good work. Track G is a clear favourite
I always played the music box whenever I went to Auntie Elsie’s house. I remember being mesmerised by the whirring brass cogs and cylinders and the hypnotic music. I guess it may have gone a bit out of tune (and, it seems, out of time) over the years, but I can still recognise the songs – haven’t a clue what any of them are called, but I would have thought that the track list would be in the same order as they are on the cylinder. The cylinder has a start and a finish right? When it jumps back, that ought to be track one, which is your song A if I remember right.
If you take a picture of the song list without a flash, perhaps in various different lighting conditions (eg, kitchen, living room, outside), then that might make the titles easier to read, cos at the moment I’m having a hard time reading any of it
RIP Auntie Elsie. Long live the mystical sounds of your musical box.
Dear Michael,
Thank you so much for doing this as it brought back many memories. Also thanks for your blog about Auntie Elsie which made me cry! Of course I recognise the tunes in the music box, but don’t think I ever knew their names. what a wonderful way of bringing the family together!