Review

Author(s): Albert Rice

Review by: Albert Rice
Source: The Galpin Society Journal, Vol. 61 (Apr., 2008), pp. 341-343
Published by: Galpin Society
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25163949
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 Reviews 341

strives to combine the best sound with the greatest personal experience of performances by outstanding
comfort (confirming the traditional English brass performers, he concludes that 'these great
teachers' advice to it on your face and blow'). were the result of the talent
'put performances exclusively
The design of a player's chosen instrument clearly and skill of the artist' as different compositions of
has a considerable influence on musical outcomes. brass cannot influence the playability of a brass
In 'Trumpet Design and Acoustical Characteristics', instrument. His conclusions are identical to those
Arnold Myers and D. Murray Campbell, both brass reached by David James Blaikley, who in 1890
players and both eminent in the field of research confused an audience ofmusicians by playing metal
into brass instrument acoustics, list the factors and paper bugles out of sight, and laterMahillon,
that have to be borne
in mind when comparing who played an instrument made from cheese. But,
brasswind instruments. They argue that the most even now, few brass players choose to accept these

important are the interior profiles of mouthpiece scientifically proven facts.

and instrument bore, and then an outline Two short on discussion sessions
present reports complete
of their approach to an objective historical study of the volume. The last time such a work appeared was
the acoustical design of instrument models through in 1997, with the proceedings of the 1995 Historic
acoustical and physical
measurements. Brass Symposium. The present volume is essential
The non-scientific reader should not be intimidated to all interested in staying up-to-date with research
by the graphs and equations. This reviewer's advice in the world of brass.
is first to look at the conclusions on the six types CLIFFORD BEVAN
of instrument investigated, ignoring the symbols
indicating values, parameters and ratios, and HEIKE FRICKE et al. and ARNOLD MYERS (ed.)
then read from the beginning of the article. The Historie Musical Instruments in the Edinburgh
authors give practical examples where necessary, University Collection: Catalogue of the Sir Nicholas
terminology that may be unfamiliar is defined, and Shackleton Collection. Edinburgh: Edinburgh
the whole is a perfect demonstration of how to deal University Collection of Historic Musical Instr
with a complex subject clearly and succinctly. uments, 2007. 809pp., Illus. ISBN 978907635581
The final article to be considered is also (hardback). Price: ?63
technical. Karl Hachenberg's essay on 'Evaluation Sir Nicholas Shackleton (1937-2006) was very well
of the Composition and Technological Properties of known as a scientist and as theworld's leading clarinet
Historical Brass in Instrument Manufacture of the scholar and collector. His extensive collection of 880
Sixteenth to Eighteenth Centuries' (translated by instruments includes 817 clarinets, 42 flutes, 6 oboes,
Howard Weiner) offersmore than the title implies. 4 bassoons, 3 French horns, mouthpieces and parts, a
Hachenberg is by profession a metallurgist and by number of early reeds, and a large collection of printed
inclination 'a friend and ardent collector' of brass materials, primarily clarinet instruction books. This
instruments. He corrects some
misconceptions catalogue follows the overall cataloging procedure in
about the properties of various metals, reminding previously published Edinburgh University Collection
the reader that brass from the period in question has fascicles. That is, a brief description followed by some
often been regarded as having a significant influence measurements, a technical
description with keys
on the playing characteristics of instruments. identified, transcription ofmaker's mark, and previous
Taking both an historical and scientific approach, ownership. Not every clarinet is photographed;
he recalls that throughout Europe the smelting nevertheless hundreds of instrument entries include
process was largely unchanged from ancient times one or more color photos.
into the nineteenth century but that the metal in Thecatalogue is organized into the following
older instruments will age over the course of time, sections: Preface (by Arnold Myers); Introduction;
unlike modern brass. Detailed investigations allow Cataloguing methods and terminology; Instruments
conclusions to be drawn about the metal used of regional cultures worldwide; Flageolets, Transverse
by Nuremberg instrument makers (high quality) flutes; Oboes; Bassoons; Small clarinets, Clarinets
compared with those of Vienna in E flat and D; Clarinets in C and B natural; 3-key,
and Dresden
(inconsistent quality). Numerous photographs 4-key and 5-key clarinets in B flat; 6-key and 7-key
illustrate the author's findings. clarinets in B flat; 8-key to 15-key clarinets in B flat;
Hachenberg concludes that authenticity in M?ller-type clarinets in B flat;Sax-type clarinets in B
material characteristics is technically unattainable flat; 'Simple system' clarinets in B flat;German type
in reconstructing historical brass instruments. clarinets in B flat;Boehm system clarinets in B flat;
Drawing upon his professional expertise and Advanced systems; B flat/A combination clarinets;

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 342 The Galpin Society Journal

clarinetsin A; Basset horns and large clarinets; Preussischer Kulturbesitz in Berlin. Fricke is the co
Incomplete clarinets and ancillary items; Conical author (with Conny Restle) and contributor to the
bore single-reed instruments; Bagpipes; French impressive exhibition catalog Faszination Klarinette
horns; Instruction books; References; Index ofmakers published on the occasion of the exhibition and
and other names and serial numbers and Index of program on October 1-3 2004, sponsored by the
acquisition numbers (with their corresponding page Deutsche Klarinetten-Gesellschaft and theMusical
number). Instrument Museum in Berlin.2 Fricke also made a
This organization of instruments is logical and film distributed as a DVD which includes interesting
follows the order of the non clarinet instruments in interviews with thirteen clarinetists, some ofwhom
the previous fascicles of the University Collection. were part of the Faszination Klarinette programme:
Arranging the clarinets by nominal pitch or pitch Giora Feidman, Alan Hacker, Thea King, Dieter
name has been used before and is utilized in other Kl?cker, Karl Leister, Reiner Wehle with Sabine
large catalogues of clarinet instruments such Myer, David Ross, Nicholas Shackleton, Hans-Rudolf
as those by Kirnbauer and B?r (Germanisches Stalder, Karl-Heinz Steffens, Suzanne Stephens, and
Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg), and Wackernagel Pamela Weston. In 2005, Fricke worked as a guest
(Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, Munich).1 Among curator for the Edinburgh University Collection to
experts, dating of particular instruments may be prepare a second edition of the catalogue of clarinets,3
debated. Fricke did not acknowledge that the dating creating aweb site interpreting the clarinet collection4
is based on Shackleton's records; we presume that the and rearranging and relabelling the clarinet display.5
dates given are his dates. With the publication of the catalogue of the
The principal author isHeike Fricke,who wrote the Shackleton Collection, Fricke has firmly established
majority of the catalogue: the descriptions forclarinets, herself as a clarinet expert. The book is long, even
conical bore singe reed instruments, mouthpieces, for a musical instrument catalogue, with 795 pages
other parts, and nineteenth-century clarinet reeds and more than 7 pounds in weight. All of its 1024
(32-761). Others who contributed are Arnold Myers photos are of clear quality and in color but the
(instruments of regional cultures and bagpipes, close up photos differ in color, redder in the case
1, 763); Edwina Smith (flutes and flageolet, 2-22); of boxwood and darker with stained boxwood or
Simon Milton (oboes, single reed mouthpieces, and African black wood. The frontispiece photo is of Sir
oboe reeds, 23-27); William Waterhouse (bassoons, Nicholas Shackleton; a second photo (p. viii) shows a
single reed mouthpieces and bassoon reeds, 28-31); portion of his collection as itwas kept in a room on
Arnold Myers and Raymond Parks (French horns, the second floor of his Cambridge home where many
crook, and mouthpieces, 764-767) and Emily Peppers of the instruments were
sitting
on pegs on shelves,

(printed materials, 768-772). There is no index on a dresser, and on tables. The paper cover features

by country of origin. Heike Fricke is a clarinetist, a

close-up color view of the complicated mechanism

teacher, and curator at the Musikinstrumenten of a stunning boxwood Romero system clarinet
Museum, Staatliches Instituts f?rMusikforschung, made by Louis Lef?vre of Paris about 1860 (4937, pp.

1
Martin Kirnbauer, Verzeichnis der Europ?ischen Musikinstrumente im Germanischen Nationalmuseum
Band 2, Fl?ten- und Rohrblatteninstrumente bis 1750: Beschreibender Katalog (Wilhemshaven: F. Noetzel,
N?rnberg,
1994); Frank B?r, der Europ?ischen
Verzeichnis Musikinstrumente im Germanischen
Nationalmuseums N?rnberg
Band 4, Klarinetten normaler und h?herer Stimmlage mit 2 bis 9 Klappen (Wilhelmshaven: F. Noetzel, 2003); B?r,
Verzeichnis der Europ?ischen Musikinstrumente im Germanischen Nationalmuseums N?rnberg, Band 5, Klarinetten
normaler und h?herer mit 10 und mehr Klappen, Beschreibender Katalog (Wilhelmshaven: F. Noetzel,
Stimmlage
2004); B?r, Verzeichnis der Europ?ischen Musikinstrumente im Germanischen Nationalmuseums N?rnberg, Band

6, Liebesklarinetten, Basseth?rner, Metallklarinetten: Beschreibender Katalog (Wilhelmshaven: F. Noetzel, 2006);

Bettina Wackernagel, Holzblasinstrumente. Bayerisches Nationalmuseum M?nchen. Kataloge des Bayerischen
Nationalmuseum, Band XXII (Tutzing: Hans Schneider, 2005.).
2
Faszination Klarinette, eds. C. Restle and H. Fricke (Munich: Prestel, 2004).
3
Heike, Fricke, Catalogue of the Edinburgh University Collection ofHistoric Musical Instruments, ed. A. Myers,
vol. 2, Part F, Fascicle i: Clarinets, 2nd ed? (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical
Instruments, 2005).
4
Clarinets in the Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments, www.music.ed.ac.uk/euchmi/

ugw/ugwfla.html.
5
See University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments, Progress Report 2005,
Edinburgh
www.music.ed.ac.uk/euchmi/ura/ura2005.html.

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 Reviews 343

526-527). The back of the cover is an entire ivory flute Mclntyre, Mazzeo, Stubbins, and Oehler. In addition,
by Johannes Scherer or Georg Heinrich Scherer of there are instruments representing many important
Butzbach (5404, pp. 8-9). It is a very rare four-part clarinet patents beginning with the earliest British
flute, one of the earliest known, dating from as early patents from the early nineteenth century.
as the 1720s. In conclusion, Fricke et al. have achieved their
Aside from the size, the collection is unique goal of presenting a very useful descriptive catalogue
because it includes carefully chosen and many well of the Shackleton Collection. The large number of
preserved instruments from a number of different high quality instruments will be an incentive for
countries with dates ranging from about 1750 to future researchers to
study, compare, and contrast

2003. Because Shackleton traveled worldwide in his the instruments of this significant resource. This
capacity as a scientist and Cambridge professor, for catalogue is recommended to all university and
over thirty years he searched for clarinets to buy and college libraries, to makers of early clarinets, and to
clarinets to in museum and private collections. all serious clarinet scholars.
study
Thus, his collection includes historical instruments ALBERT RICE
made in London, Paris, Lyon, Amsterdam, Brussels, Reviews editor's note: The author of this review has also
Dresden, Bayreuth, Munich, the Vogtland, Vienna, provided a list of detailed corrigenda and comments
Prague, Italy, Denmark and the United States. that give further information about a number of
Shackleton was a competitive and astute collector individual instruments described in the catalogue.
who recognized an unusual instrument immediately. Comments from this reviewer and others will be
He also carefully harvested the choicest clarinets mounted on the website of the Edinburgh University
on eBay auctions after it began operating about ten Collection ofHistoric Musical Instruments.
years ago. Like many other collectors, he was ready
and willing to trade one instrument for another if BOJEE. HANS SCHMUHL andMONIKA LUSTIG
he wanted a different clarinet. This explains why (eds). Michaelsteiner Konferenzberichte, Band 68:
some instruments that have been reported to be Geschichte und Bauweise des Tafelklaviers.
in his collection are not found today at Edinburgh Augsburg: Wi?ner Verlag, 2006. 438pp. Illus. ISBN
University.6 978-3-89639-528-3 (softback). Price: 34.80
Many of the instruments
period include or This important publication records the proceedings
original mouthpieces, and a large number have of the twenty-third symposium on musical
been restored to playing condition. The names instrument building, held in Michaelstein from
represent a who's who listing of clarinet makers. 11 to 13 October 2002 and dealt for the first time
Early and important eighteenth- and nineteenth with the square piano. In the covering letterwhich
century makers include: G. A. Rottenburgh, Heinrich Monika Lustig sent to the reviews editor, she gave
Grenser, Adler, Michel Amlingue, Baumann, Doke, an overall description of the book, emphasising
Gentellet, Goulding, John Hale, Hess, Cahusac, how the position of importance that was previously
Thomas Key, Koch, Larshof, Lef?vre, Merklein, held for the square piano is often underestimated,
Milhouse, George Miller, Roche, Simiot, Stengel, and although the number of surviving instruments gives
Ziegler. Nineteenth- and twentieth-century makers some indication of their significant role in music
include: E. Albert, E.J. Albert, J.Albert, J.B.Albert, history. The first squares, made with simple actions,
Buffet jeune, & Co., Conn, were built as as the 1720s or even
Buffet-Crampon, Boosey probably early
Mahillon, Mollenhauer, Oehler, Penzel & M?ller, earlier inGerman-speaking countries though itwas
Rudall, Carte & Co., Schmidt, Selmer, Uebel, and the English model, first constructed by Christoph
Fritz and Herbert Wurlitzer. Their instruments Zumpe in London, that was to survive in an advanced

include a comprehensive array of different fingering form throughout the nineteenth century. It became
systems: Romero, M?ller type clarinets, Baermann, popular in the home and inmusic rooms throughout
Pupeschi, German or Stark, Boehm, Half Boehm, the world. Since great composers were
regular
Double Boehm, Reform Boehm, saxophone fingering guests in these environments, more important
clarinets, Schmidt-Kolbe, Meinl, Louf, Schaffner, compositions may have been performed on square

6
See for example, an clarinet
8-key by Hale that the reviewer studied in Shackleton's collection in 1999 is now not
in the collection. See Albert R. Rice, The Clarinet in theClassical Period, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2003),
45. One incomplete basset horn by Grundmann (dated 1787, no. 5565) was not sent to Edinburgh soon enough to be
included in the catalogue. It is constructed of boxwood with consists of a knee,
ivory ferrules and right hand joint,
and box joint.

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