Music Box Arabesque
€8.09
Music Box Brecht Mack the Knife
Price:
€8.09
Music Box — Brecht: Mack the Knife
This small mechanical music box plays "Mack the Knife," the song composed by Kurt Weill with text by Bertolt Brecht for their 1928 theatrical work The Threepenny Opera. The melody has circled the world through countless recordings and interpretations, from Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald to Frank Sinatra, Nick Cave, and others, making it one of the most recognizable songs of the twentieth century.
Construction and Sound
The music box combines cardboard, metal, and wood in a compact decorated box housing a traditional cylinder mechanism. The gentle, crystalline tone characteristic of vintage street organs and mechanical music boxes emerges from this assembly. For optimal resonance, the mechanism can be removed from its box and pressed against a larger vibrating surface—a table, chair, or percussion instrument like a cajon—which amplifies and enriches the sound considerably.
Historical Context
"The Ballad of Mack the Knife" originated in one of the most influential theatrical works of the modern era. Brecht and Weill created The Threepenny Opera as a political satire set in the criminal underworld of London, and the song became its most enduring export. The melody's accessibility and dark subject matter ensured its survival across genres, languages, and generations of performers.
What's Included
You receive the decorated music box with its integrated mechanical movement ready to play. The mechanism is removable, allowing you to experiment with different resonating surfaces to find the sound character you prefer.
This music box preserves a moment when avant-garde theatre and popular song merged into something that outlasted the political moment that spawned it.
Price:
€8.09
Music Box Brecht Mack the Knife — This charming music box plays the iconic "Mack the Knife," the Moritat composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht for their 1928 masterwork *The Threepenny Opera*. Built with German precision mechanics and a traditional cylinder mechanism, it produces the nostalgic, tinkling sound characteristic of street organs and vintage music boxes. Compact at 8.5 × 4.5 × 3.0 cm and weighing just 70 grams, it's ideal for collectors of theatrical memorabilia, music history enthusiasts, or anyone drawn to this melody's enduring cultural legacy. Wind it and let a piece of early 20th-century theatrical innovation fill your space.
| Origin | Germany |
|---|---|
| Weight | 0,07 kg |
| Dimensions | 8,5 × 4,5 × 3,0 cm |
| Materials | Cardboard - Metal - Wood |
| Category | Folk songs |
♪ Audio Samples ♪
Brecht - Mack the Knife
Caution: Not suitable for children under 3 years. Please supervise older children. Beware of swallowing small parts, strangulation, material allergies, sharp edges and points! Use only for sound generation. No liability for improper use.
Care: Extreme temperature fluctuations, humidity and direct sunlight can affect the lifespan. Please store in balanced humidity to prevent material changes, mold and corrosion. Remove dirt with a damp cloth. Dry after cleaning and each use.
Disposal: Please contact your local waste disposal authority for information on environmentally sound disposal!
Music Box — Brecht: Mack the Knife
This small mechanical music box plays "Mack the Knife," the song composed by Kurt Weill with text by Bertolt Brecht for their 1928 theatrical work The Threepenny Opera. The melody has circled the world through countless recordings and interpretations, from Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald to Frank Sinatra, Nick Cave, and others, making it one of the most recognizable songs of the twentieth century.
Construction and Sound
The music box combines cardboard, metal, and wood in a compact decorated box housing a traditional cylinder mechanism. The gentle, crystalline tone characteristic of vintage street organs and mechanical music boxes emerges from this assembly. For optimal resonance, the mechanism can be removed from its box and pressed against a larger vibrating surface—a table, chair, or percussion instrument like a cajon—which amplifies and enriches the sound considerably.
Historical Context
"The Ballad of Mack the Knife" originated in one of the most influential theatrical works of the modern era. Brecht and Weill created The Threepenny Opera as a political satire set in the criminal underworld of London, and the song became its most enduring export. The melody's accessibility and dark subject matter ensured its survival across genres, languages, and generations of performers.
What's Included
You receive the decorated music box with its integrated mechanical movement ready to play. The mechanism is removable, allowing you to experiment with different resonating surfaces to find the sound character you prefer.
This music box preserves a moment when avant-garde theatre and popular song merged into something that outlasted the political moment that spawned it.
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