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The
story of PARI.E |
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Trying to tell the true story of PARI.E is a responsibility,
but at the same time, it gives the incredible possibility of establishing
definitely, what represented an important moment of a bigger story: The story
of music. It is an instrument that today, and perhaps
with increasing joy, still fascinates a lot of musicians and people who have
a passion for music. It is a unique musical instrument that can transmit
incredible emotions. Eng. Anton PARIE, who currently lives in a
quiet town in Belgium, wanted to congratulate us who have started this ambitious
project. He told us about the realization and creation of this incredible
musical instrument. It all started
in the period between the `50s and `60s. Until then , there was also an
instrument; |
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Anton Parie |
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The organ business started in the middle of the
`50s. Infact during that time, Mr. PARIE had a factory which produced TV
aerials and amplifiers. From 1953 to 1969, it produced these things with
tools which were designed and made by Mr. PARIE. In1955 he bought, in one of
the biggest and most famous shops in Rotterdam, a piano which he put at home.
The owners of this shop knew the mechanical and electronic knowledge of Mr.
PARIE and they also knew about his studies on the piano. Infact he had
lessons for six years. So they suggested to him, to develop a new organ with
a "tonewheel" generator. In that period, Mr. PARIE wanted to
increase, his factory's production and he had the idea of producing the organ
as a good opportunity, of doing this,because this market sector was on the
increase. The first project was realized with an |
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The"tonewheel"
generator |
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In all
this, the way along which Mr. PARIE was walking seemed really a surmountable
challenge. |
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But coming
back to the times when Mr. PARIE produced organs, after the realization of
the magnetic "tonewheel" generator, the idea was to open a new
plant, exclusively dedicated to the production of these organs. The
production of the XTO was started, putting the older "rp",
"rl" and "prof" models, out of production. It
was a big success and a great interest from the press soon arose. However,
such a productive reality started to become too big for the
economic-financial capacity of mr.PARIE and on the suggestion of his
company consultant, he formed another company with another partner. It was
unfortunately the beginning of the end. The new partner, infact, turned
out to be incompetent, excessively intrusive and agressive in the
decisions that were made. At this time Mr. PARIE was able to get to know Mr.
ALFREDO GIOIELLI, |
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XTO organ |
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an Italian
producer of musical instruments in Castelfidardo, who immediately
understood during a visit to belgium, the enormous potential thet this instrument
could have in International business. Following the success that XTO was
having in European business. |
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We should not
forget that all this happened in the `70s at the height of an increasing use
of musical instruments. And above all of the electronic organs
,that apart from the musical group market, were moving at the same pace as
that of the family. Infact at that time, it was usual for this
instrument to be used for more than its essential function, also as
part of the furnishing , that the designers of the organs enjoyed producing
them in strange shapes inorder to satisfy this marginal need. In this
scenary, the Italian musical industry, shone like a precious diamond, that in
the Marchigian Pole was more specifically evident in the surroundings of
Castelfidardo. A florishing business activity in this sector, that in turn
gave a push to the opening of electronic factories: Electrotechnical, |
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Mr. Alfredo Gioielli |
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Mechanical
and plastic press, which have survived the crisis that eliminated
musical instrument factories. Among these was one run by Mr.Alfredo GIOIELLI,
who as already been mentioned above during a visit to Belgium, at
Mr.PARIE'S COMPANY, with who he was collaborating for the supply
of semiassembled, parts for the organ. Exactly when PARIE was having
difficulties with the new partner's management, he was nursing the idea of
acquiring both equipment and plants for producing the PARIE organ. The
decision was immediate and the agreement was reached in a short time. |
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The Italian
production of the PARIE organ started like this. It was in 1969 and the
Italian industry could be awarded for adding another piece to the important
production of Castelfidardo Companies, the effort was immense but
also the satisfation never lacked. The XTO
was produced for several years and the production of a model called Skorpios
was added, a model which was already present in several instruments at that
time (like the electronic drum ) due to the requests of the common customers,
not musicians who did not need this feature. |
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SKORPIOS organ |
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The results were satisfactory
but, also GIOIELLI soon reached the conclusion that such an instrument
needed more important resources inorder to be awarded a well-deserved
world-wide success. He therefore thought of the idea to involve several
Castelfidardo industrialists in this task. Who on agreeing about the
instrument's potential, joined together in the PARI SPA, a company which gave
new sap and visibility to the instrument. Immediately, the legendary K61,
double manual with 61 keys, and the glorious and amazing KOTRA were put in
production along with that of XTO. |
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K61 organ |
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A particular
note must be made about the KOTRA, so called and produced in honour of
Mr. NICOTRA, a native of Sicily. |
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KOTRA organ |
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Lovers and historians of this instrument
fully acknowledge this fact, which is reported as we got it, but they
look ahead scratching the glorius name HAMMOND, which in any way
remains same. About the rest, similar stories talk about "other types
of musical instruments" (like the accordian), whose origin is not
perfectly clear, so this news will be completely excluded. This would be like hiding the story of this
instrument, which surely in any way does not reduce its greatness.
If one wants to speak about its
history, you can't take aways the right of the speaker, that has to be in
anyway respected. It was in 1970 when Mr. Claudio Calzolari
collaborated with a |
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Two
other models : Attak (in alto) e Navaho |
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Castelfidardo factory. A lover
of this kind of musical instrument and an excellent musician, too.
Infact during the exhibition of musical instruments he attracted the interest
of a lot of visitors exaltingly playing the PARI, with incredible exhibition
and today a lot of people remember him with nostalgia and admiration. Also
Mr. Guido Mazzella (a music master), a very famous musician and good at
electromagnetic instruments, bought the last PARI K61 made by a Co-operative
in Castelfidardo. |
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M° Calzolari live in Paris |
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It was also in those years when PFM(PREMIATA
FORNERIA MARCONI), just to give an example of a very famous musician to
those who love music, chose the PARI for its kind of music and a lot of Italian
groups used it. Abroad, the ROCKETS, a French group was a witness of it for a
long time. Then it was used in most of the recording studios. PARI'S
characteristics were principally aggressive and incisive in sound, features
that distinguished it from the HAMMOND and that kind of sound of that period
pushed it to be preferred to the HAMMOND. |
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Cover
of"Sound of the future" |
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But the
great crisis in the musical instrument in the `80s and the new products made
in Japan, which after fully taking in the Italian experience, also
entered into the world market. This situation created the end of many musical
instrument factories in Italy. |
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The spirit which has driven us in this thing was
above all, the love that is in our family, which we have shown for this
instrument. |
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Maria Grazia Gioielli e Mauro
Baldassari at Disma (Rimini) |
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Many have been
the difficulties, we have encountered because of this instrument, clearly due
to the fact that it is very complex. It is just enough to see and inspect it,
inorder to understand the numerous variables that influence the
functioning of this instrument. For this project, the collaboration with Mr.
PARIE was fundamental: he gave us very valid advice and he confirmed
our knowledge about this instrument. He also furnished us with his
important support and gave us his collaboration to build new mechnical parts
for the ROTARY.... our LESLIE. |
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It all happened during a visit to Belgium, two years
ago at his home, we were his guests and with my father-in-law Alfredo
GIOIELLI, I had the honour and pleasure of getting to know Mr. PARIE in
person and his adorable wife GONNY who now follows him like in the
past, in his working experience.... . |
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Anton Parie nel suo laboratorio |
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Yes because
Mr. PARIE still delights himself in the planning and
constructing-as a hobby...!!! Last year he was our guest at the Frankfort
piano fair, an occasion at which he delighted loves and visitors to our
stand. Being outgoing with all those that wanted a photo with him
or were curious about the story of the instrument . . |
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Anton Parie alla Musik Messe 2005 |
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Returning to telling the story of the
organ in order to give a historic date about the production of
this instrument, nobody knows with precision how many HAMMOND and PARIE
were really constructed. 1 Mod.
XTO N.
11.000 The actual production of these instruments
tries to eliminate some problematics that the instrument had registered
with users. Naturally, even remaining on the characteristics of the
generator, that was reproduced with the same system, we concentrate on
the best rationaliztion of the structure of the instrument that was wery
simple. Infact it can easily be assembled, inspected and serviced in
case of necessity. Technical materials were used to realize circuit and
related components and for the construction of sound wheels, and the type of
plastic used, "estane" is infact very soft that
renders it undestroyable. |
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Naturally the instruction
that we give to the users, is not to put oil in the plastic wheels,
because any lubricant used on any type of plastic, spoils the functioning,
causing the hardening and the deteriorating of the same. However
the short period in which PARIE were manufactured, did not give the
manufacturers the possibility to check this problem, which was actually
recorded several years later. |
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Circuito stampato del PARI.E |
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With this information,
we think, as mentioned at the beginning, to have given a real contribution to
the knowledge and to the origin of this instrument. This information is,
moreover supported by Mr. PARIE, who gave it to us, together with that given
to us by Alfredo GIOIELLI. |
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The last news,
maybe the most important, is about the presence and the proved expertise of
my son ANDREA, In this projet he covers an important responsibility and
actually he is very supportive, under the technical aspect, to the whole
initiative, usually working with technicians , suppliers and musicians.
regarding the suppliers, who have proved unmistakably availabile
and patient and to others we would like to extend a special thanks
to: listing then as follows and hoping not to forget anyone: |
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Kelvin Broughton tra Andrea (sx) e
Mauro Baldassari, |
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ADIMPEX srl ADICAVI LINEAPACK Best wishes to everybody and if you want
you could contact us for any information and suggestions, nothing is
excluded. Mauro BALDASSARI |
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Mauro Baldassari, Anton Parie, Alfredo
Gioielli |
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