Back in 2013, MB&F presented their first-ever ‘co-creation’ with REUGE with the MusicMachine 1. Almost a decade later, Maximilian Büsser and his Friends decided it was time to redesign this music box and issue a new edition called the MusicMachine 1 Reloaded. Like the previous MusicMachines, this co-creation is the fruit of a collaboration between MB&F and REUGE, the premier manufacturer of music automatons with more than 155 years of expertise. REUGE was founded in 1865 in Sainte-Croix, Switzerland and after 155 years they’re still the best of the best.
Originally designed by young Chinese designer Xin Wang, this new edition was reinterpreted by German designer Maximilian Maertens, with the idea of being more streamlined and open. With its dual propellers and twin silver cylinders mounted on sleek outrigger landing gear, MusicMachine 1 Reloaded still looks like a spaceship hailing from a galaxy far, far away. Just slightly different than before. Another change is that the entire body is now made of anodized aluminum —instead of wood— a significantly more complex manufacturing process. The songs remain the same, with Star Wars and Star Trek classics on one side, and rock melodies on the other.
REUGE recreated the melodies mechanically. Firstly, a REUGE musician examined the pieces of music and identified the most recognizable passages from each. The musician then set about recreating these passages for the music box, keeping in mind that one cylinder would contain the three rock melodies, the other cylinder would have the three sci-fi inspired melodies and each cylinder’s pins would pluck one 72-note comb. MusicMachine 1 Reloaded has two independent movements, each comprising a winding propeller; a mainspring barrel —looking like a piston under the propeller—; a horizontal cylinder with pins creating three melodies; and a vertical comb with individual hand-tuned teeth sounding each note. While it would have been much easier to duplicate the two movements and just change the melodies, MB&F's original concept called for perfect symmetry, and if the movements were identical the comb on one cylinder would not be on the outside. So REUGE took the unprecedented step of configuring the two movements as mirror images of one another, which meant completely inverting the design of the movement components and architecture.
The two vertical combs look like air vent grills on either side of the vessel’s main body. Each comb contains the bespoke selection of 72 notes chosen by the REUGE musician according to the three melodies that the cylinder will play. The combs are hand-tuned from a unique steel alloy specifically selected for its acoustic impact. For bass notes, the weight of the tooth is extended at the back by the traditional method of adding lead. A machine then tests the frequency of each tooth and minute amounts of material are removed to accurately tune each note. The hand-operated tools that REUGE uses in this process have all been developed in-house. Working out two groups of three arrangements, each one limited to approximately 35 seconds, and the multitude of notes that these songs entail —some notes are used by all three melodies, while some are exclusive to just one melody— represents a considerable technical and artistic achievement in which the musician’s brain, sense of expression, and emotional dexterity top any computer.
Tiny transparent, synthetic feathers are added behind the bass note teeth, acting as dampers so that the note resonates optimally. The comb is finally attached to a brass ‘vibration plate’ passing through the main hull, with six heat-blued screws. The vibration plate transfers the sound to the case, which in turn amplifies the sound even more. Once the comb is fitted, the musician’s ear is required again for the final fine-tuning.
Technically and aesthetically speaking, high-end mechanical music boxes share many similarities with their horological counterparts: the fine finishing techniques, the transfer of energy, and even the fan regulators similar to those found in traditional minute repeater watches. When the cylinders revolve, 1,400 precision-placed pins pluck the teeth of steel combs, each containing a bespoke selection of 72 hand-tuned notes which is just mind-boggling.
Crafted in blue, red, or black anodized aluminum, MusicMachine 1 Reloaded’s sleek fuselage amplifies sound transmitted from the brass vibration plate centrally housed within the case. This plate also conducts the vibrations along the curved, lateral struts and outrigger-style landing pods in bead-blasted, anodized aluminum, which in turn carry the vibrations down to MusicMachine 1 Reloaded’s landing platform
Each color is available in a limited edition of only 33 pieces each. The MusicMachine 1 Reloaded measures 38.1 cm wide x 47.6 cm long x 14.0 cm high with a total weight: of approx. 3kg —7 pounds.
Sticker Price CHF 18,500 —approximately $19,000 USD. For more info on MB&F click here.
