Sanfilippo Foundation - Hupfeld Helios III Orchestrion - Demonstration

We explore the interior of the Sanfilippo Collection's Hupfeld Helios III/39 (Made in Germany) prior to demonstrating two song selections, and its moving parts, including the moving scenery. This was shot on an iPhone while I was holding a separate light source, so with the tight interior of the machine, I've show what I could light up and reach. There are pipes, drums, cymbals, and other things in the sides and top of the cabinet which I didn't film, as we'd have to move the machine to take access panels off. The moving scene has some reflections off the glass so at times you're seeing things across the room in the glass, but I tried to angle the camera to minimize that aspect. Sound-wise, the video isn't the best due to having the camera so close to the machine and moving the camera around. In person, this music machine is exquisite and sounds lovely. We do feel there is a beauty to the playing mechanisms and in this video we wanted to show you some of that. Enjoy.

[@sodenstern1942]

Hello dear collectors of automatic musical instruments. I'm happy to see this beautiful german orchestrion. Bay the way, I was the owner form this Hupfeld Helios IIII-39. I found it in east-germany 1978. I was also the first restorer befor I sold it 1986 to Dave Bowers. Some years later he sold it to Mr. Sanfilippo. Original it has only one roll operation. I know that it was chanchend with a 6-rollchanger. I visit Sanfilippo two times to see "my" orchestrion. Werner Baus - Restorer of old german orchestrions (The last 40 years I have had 400 of them in my own collection)

[@aspensmusicandrestoration]

Very cool! Someday I hope to have a collection of these instruments myself. I may be 17, but I aspire to keep this wonderful technology alive. Currently I'm building my own Fotoplayer out of an 88 note player piano and a reed organ chest.

[@davincimen4495]

Marvelous. Thanks for sharing this. What marvelous engineering these instruments were. What a delight.

[@andrewphillips6563]

I love everything about this, not the least of which is the funicular and zeppelins in the display!

[@stephenspark776]

Some nasty turbulence hitting that zeppelin! The passengers in the funicular are getting a smoother ride!

[@Maxime_Grisé]

Yessss!!! Makes my day to see the Helios. Thank you for all your videos Gregory, for people like me who can't visit these collections (most are too far away) your videos are a great gift.

[@gregoryleifel1121]

You're welcome.

[@edpickering8075]

Thank you very much

[@grimreaper1962]

Thanks again Gregory for sharing these fun and very interesting videos of how these marvelous music machines work! Can't wait to get back there in the future for events!!

[@gregoryleifel1121]

You're welcome. We excitedly anticipate renewed interest in folks visiting after being cooped up for health reasons for the last 18 months. We thank you for continuing to support us during this down time.

[@rowlandlee2145]

So unusual to hear a Helios with bass pipes. Lovely!

[@andrewbarrett1537]

I am not sure if any class I or Ib orchestrions have bass pipes, but the Ic orchestrions I know about all have a single rank of bass cello or viol pipes located along the left side of the cabinet. The class II instruments have two ranks of bass pipes, and the class III instruments, of which this is one, have three ranks of bass pipes (in this case inside the left side cabinet). It has been speculated by some enthusiasts that the Roman-numeral Helios model designations came about due to the number of bass ranks present, in which case the I and Ib instruments might also have a single rank of bass viols like the Ic orchestrions (I have never seen all the way around inside any of the surviving I/22, I/32, I/34, or Ib/29 orchestrions to know whether or not they have bass pipes). Class I was not the smallest Helios model however. They made a popular keyboard model in the 1920s without bass pipes (not sure the model designation), and there was also an earlier pre-WWI cabinet Helios model called the "Helios Mandolina" which was once on my wishlist, but there are zero known surviving examples. That model has piano, mandoline, xylophone, bells and drums, but no pipes!

[@arburo1]

The keyboard style has bass cello pipes. I know, because I have one.

[@BrantDisneyfan]

I wish we get to hear more of this amazing orchestrion

[@gregoryleifel1121]

We do play this regularly for in-person visits. Hopefully those will begin again soon.

[@BrantDisneyfan]

I hope so 🤞🏻

[@andrewbarrett1537]

The second tune is the marvelous "Gold and Silver Waltz" by Mr. Franz Lehar, from 1902. One of my favorites!

[@stephenspark776]

Sounds so nice. Like you, I'm fond of 'Gold and Silver Waltz'. Like many compositions of its time, I first heard it on mechanical musical instruments.

[@JessaLynn8]

This is amazing! I love it!! Thank you for sharing! 😊

[@Gyro144]

I really appreciated your presentation!

[@rs2143]

Amazing 👏

[@WelteMax]

Beautiful! Why is the percussion switched off?:)

[@gregoryleifel1121]

May have bumped it off with the tight camera and light work as I filmed.

[@CharlesLangSamuel]

And the instruments that “replaced” this kind of thing are just a diaphragm of pressed paper (speaker cone). 🤷‍♂️ (With the philosophy of “turn it up maybe it’ll sound better” (and it doesn’t) giving us a generation of hearing damage). Maybe we can win the ears of some listeners back, thanks for this amazing vid I hope it gets ten million views!

[@gregoryleifel1121]

You're welcome. We hope our videos go viral as well, and that viewers want to learn more, and visit some day. Thanks all for sharing the videos, as that helps us continue to bring them to you, as well as maintain and showcase the Sanfilippo Collection.

[@CharlesLangSamuel]

@@gregoryleifel1121 I would like to visit someday, it seems that is quite a unique estate. Maybe you can acquire some rolls or hire some arrangers to make rolls etc of the newest music. (Maybe you’re already doing that, for all I know.). The machines may seem old to many but music and new melodies are being made all the time. There are some videos of Michael Jackson arrangements etc, I think this craft of arranging new tunes and making rolls is especially still alive maybe in Europe.

[@nielsberkers]

Wonderfull, thank you so much for sharing. As a Hupfeld fan I can't do anything else but love it. One day I hope to be able to enjoy one live. I love the detailed views. Having restored a few hupfeld instruments (just piano's and push-ups, Phonola, Phonoliszt, Unioliszt and Tri-Phonola) there's a lot that looks familiar. The Helios has a seperate mandoline mechanism hitting the piano strings instead of the mentioned leather straps that drop between the hammers and strings in other orchestrions. What does the lever under the registerbox do? (the Tanz/Konzert switch).

[@andrewbarrett1537]

I'm also curious what this does. I speculate maybe it controls either a preset for the expression devices (to set it to play relatively softer or louder), or else controls preset register controls to automatically set a group of registers off or on so that the automatic registration is different for "dance" vs "concert" settings. The restorer of this, Ron Cappel, would know for sure!

[@nicholasensminger4896]

Can you do the Weber otero on the right, that also has scenic diagram as.

[@gregoryleifel1121]

As our intention is to have guests visit in-person, we are releasing videos periodically during this pandemic time. While they look and sound great on video, there's nothing like hearing automatic music machines in person. And in-person visits enable the Sanfilippo Foundation to continue its mission to assist charities and bring guests the live experience of these beautiful machines. While the Sanfilippo family funds a lot of the upkeep and care of the Collection, the Foundation has a valuable part to play in keeping it all going as well, and donations enable us to continue these offerings. Our aim is to bring a variety of music machines to you thru video, while hopefully maintaining your desire to come see it in person. It's a completely different and thrilling experience than the videos, and we thank you for your enthusiasm to hear and see more.

[@hellothere9848]

New subscriber here! Thanks for making such awesome videos :)

[@gregoryleifel1121]

Thank you for watching and subscribing. We'll keep them coming, but a visit to the Collection is a more immersive experience. We hope to be back open in 2022.

[@hellothere9848]

@@gregoryleifel1121 I'd love to visit sometime! Where are you located?

[@gregoryleifel1121]

@@hellothere9848 we are in Barrington Hills, Illinois. We are a private residence, and opportunities to visit are or will be listed on our website: www.SanfilippoFoundation.org

[@hellothere9848]

@@gregoryleifel1121 Thanks for the information! If I'm ever in the area, I'll stop by.

[@PeterMackett]

Does this model not have any percussion as i can't hear any?

[@andrewbarrett1537]

It has bass drum (with tympani beater), snare drum, and cymbal, in the right side cabinet, as well as a 10-note glockenspiel. The cymbal itself is actually located in the upper center above the pipework. There is also a 25-note xylophone in the upper rear in the same chamber with the melody pipework.

[@andrewbarrett1537]

It is possible the drums etc are shut off, as they have stopknobs to lock them on or off along with the pipe ranks etc.

[@BrantDisneyfan]

What happened to the disco light?

[@gregoryleifel1121]

The leather belt (rounded) which operates the Wonder Ball at the top, has a metal staple which holds the two ends of the belt together. These regularly work their way loose, so the belt has come off, or the leather stretches and slips off. On this particular machine, we have to disassemble quite a number of parts to reach the pulleys which hold that particular belt in the top of the machine. We'll do this when we are fixing something else or tuning as it's quite an endeavor to get to it. Good catch on noticing it wasn't rotating.

[@BrantDisneyfan]

K, hope the wonderball works when u guys fixed it

[@gregoryleifel1121]

@@BrantDisneyfan it's an easy fix, once we get to it.

[@BrantDisneyfan]

K Greg

[@a440pianoservice]

The piano desperately needs tuning

[@MichaelGregorich-v7b]

This gentleman doing the tour should be more knowledgeable about what he is showing,the names of the parts etc .