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The Enterprise
Click on picture
of instrument for larger picture
New Item:
Reed Design for Early Woodwinds
by David Hogan Smith
I have a very limited number of copies of
this excellent out-of-print book at $90 each. |
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Rennaissance dulcians
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Baroque bassoons |
Bassoons of the classic/early romantic
Bassoons of the late romantic |
Contrabassoons |
Ensemble music of the 18th century |
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(Figures not true to scale!)
These are tuned to a=440. Bass and quart dulcians can also be
built to a = 465.
Our production includes the entire gamut.
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Diskant |
Alt |
Tenor |
Bass |
Quarterbass |
Contrabass |
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c1 |
f |
c |
F |
C |
F |
In the bass dulcian, we offer a direct-sounding, early instrument
as
well as a softer-sounding, later model.
Linz bass dulcian sound samples
from Robert Ronnes website:
http://www.robertronnes.com/mybassoonrepertoire/DufayAveRegina.mp3
http://www.robertronnes.com/mybassoonrepertoire/Frescobaldi.Canzona.no.1.mp3
http://www.robertronnes.com/mybassoonrepertoire/Bertoli1.Ronnes.mp3 |
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Baroque Bassoons
  
(Figures not true to scale!)
A copy of an a=415 after "HKICW" is our
outstanding bassoon from 1700. We also make a copy after
Eisenmenger a = 415 from a somewhat later
baroque period. For a=392, we make a copy of a bassoon from
"HAKA" which originates from 1682 (it is
perhaps the earliest surviving bassoon).
Fingering Chart
HKICW sound samples from Robert
Ronnes website:
Antonín Jiránek: Bassoon Concerto
no 3 in F major
http://www.robertronnes.com/mybassoonrepertoire/Jiranek.bssn.Conc.no3.1s.mp3
http://www.robertronnes.com/mybassoonrepertoire/Jiranek.bssn.Conc.no3.2s.mp3
http://www.robertronnes.com/mybassoonrepertoire/Jiranek.bssn.Conc.no3.3s.mp3
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Bassoons of the classic/early romantic
(Figures not true to scale!)
There are two models from which to choose:
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a nine key bassoon after Grenser with a clear
sound and a fascinating quality; a = 430.
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a copy after Tauber, Vienna, a = 440. The
original came into our collection recently and it seems to be an
unusually good instrument.
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(Figures not true to scale!)
There are three models from which to choose:
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from
Grenser/Wiesner
with 14 or 15 keys
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from
Ziegler, Wien with
15 keys
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from
Schemmel, Wien
(without picture) – with various keys
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(Figures not true to scale!)
In this we are the specialists. We have
original instruments in our collection.
There are five models from which to choose:
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At this time there were many types of bassoon in place. We make
various sizes and pitches, to be used in works which do not specify
a particular instrument as well as those which do.
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octave bassoons from Denner,
Scherer and Schuster
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quint bassoon from Kuteruf
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quart bassoons from
Kraus and
Magvini
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Shawms |
German shawms |
Baroque oboes
Oboes of the classical period and 1st half of the 19th
century |
Late romantic oboes |
Oboes were present in the past in great diversity. The
Renaissance ensemble got a clear double reed contour through the
use of a set of shawms. Shawms were used whether as solo voices,
or as color; especially in combination with trombones (sackbutts),
where they were essential to the sound of Renaissance music.
Like the dulcians, they are indispensable for music of this
period. The historical precedents are in relatively poor
condition, sometimes very good, but often crude, unattractive
instruments.
We make shawms which play comfortably over two octaves and which
do not have intonation problems.
Pitch is a = 440 or 465 and so far we make:
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discant in c
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alto in F
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tenor in C
The bodies of all shawms are made of maple.
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(Figures not true to scale!)
Developed from the courtly shawms, the German shawm became desired
at the beginning of the 18th century due to its mobility and
adaptability. Its best use was in German military music, but it is
also indispensable in Harmonie music of the second half of the 17th
century. We make the following German shawms in pitch 440 or 465:
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discant in c1, no
keys (2 pieces with fontanelle)
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discant in c1, C-key
(2 pieces with fontanelle)
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alto in f, f-key (3
pieces with fontanelle)
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tenor in c, c-key (3
pieces with fontanelle)
The bodies are made of maple.
In combination with a bass
dulcian the German shawms are an ideal double reed ensemble. |
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(Figures not true to scale!)
Our top model is a French instrument with 3 keys, (a = 415). This
oboe, in our possession, is from about 1700; the signature is barely
visible. We have no idea how famous the maker possibly was, but he
made an outstanding instrument, therefore we chose it for our
copies.
We also make a baroque oboe after Scherer
in a = 440.
The model of an oboe d'amore was an instrument from
Oberlender.
The bodies are made from boxwood. |
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(Figures not true to scale!)
A typical model of the classical oboe is a copy after
Grundmann with two keys (a = 430). As an a
= 440 instrument, we chose an oboe from Lempp,
Vienna. For the early romantic, we copied a
Schuster with a dark, round sound a = 430. We can also make
other copies on special order. |
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(Figures not true to scale!)
The Golde oboe wth 11 - 14 keys (a = 440) is an ideal instrument
for the late romantic orchestra or ensembles.
For music of the late 19th century, oboists are more and more
frequently choosing Viennese oboes, as the sound of these
corresponds to much music of the period.
We make these instruments with the Viennese
fingering system, but we also make them with a French ring
system, so that modern oboists can change without a problem. These
instruments are ideal for chamber music. |
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Chalumeaux |
Baroque clarinets |
Clarinets from the classical and early romantic periods
High romantic clarinets |
Special sizes |
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All of our historical clarinets and chalumeaux are made of
boxwood with the exception of the chalumeau in F which is made of
maple.
For these fore runners and a ralle e runners of the clarinet the
music comes from the 1st half of the 18th century. Just as existed
in Renaissance instruments, there is a complete range of pitches, of
which we are making copies. We make these instruments in a=415
(original) but also in a=440 which is often requested.
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chalumeau in f1 (no historical precedent)
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chalumeau in c1, copy after Liebav
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chalumeau in f, copy from J.C. Denner original
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chalumeau in C (used to exist, but there is no
surviving example, we made it based on the Denner chalumeau)
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chalumeau in F, the bass chalumeau, after Kress,
with a bent bore. With 5 keys, to low B-flat as on the bassoon
Sound samples of our chalumeaux are available
from the homepage of
Christian Leitherer,
www.leitherer.de
Here are the links:
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(Figures not true to scale!)
Our D clarinet is copied from the famous 2-key
Denner. The sound of the baroque clarinet is direct and full,
as opposed to the classical clarinet. We also make a C clarinet in
the style of the D clarinet. |
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From the many instruments which have been handed down, we chose
those which seemed especially good in tuning, ease of speaking and
sound:
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C Clarinet after Hartlaub, with 5 keys
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5-key, four piece, classical clarinet after
Eisenbrandt. It is from before 1800 and
has the typical long joint with the bell attached. We make these
as B-flat and as A instruments
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as an instrument for classical as well as early
romantic music, we chose a pair of H. Grenser instruments in
B-flat and A, with 9 keys.
For the A clarinet as well as the B-flat, we make a bassett lower
joint, with 7 keys, for a full chromatic scale, that can be
interchanged with the lower joint of the clarinet.
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We have chosen two models for bassett horn: the
8-key after Lotz, Vienna and an instrument after Jehring with 16
keys, (chromatic bassett horn)
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We make bass clarinets on special order: abass
clarinet in bassoon shape after H. Grenser.
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For this we chose models after Ottensteiner,
Munich. These instruments are made of stained boxwood, with keywork
like the normal German 4 ring style, or copies of the
Mühlfeld clarinet. We make these
instruments in B-flat, A and also C. |
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On special order we can make, for example:
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Historical instruments have no bore
lining. They must be re-bored after some
period, which can be from several months to two years. When the
intonation and especially the response change, it is time to do
this.
The bore should be oiled once or twice a year. For this purpose, you
should use only a drying oil, for example,
cold-pressed linseed oil, thistle oil or hempseed
oil. Chinese tung oil is also a drying oil but should never
be used, for health reasons. These oils can be thinned with gum
turpentine, but it is not necessary.
Be extremely careful not to get any oil on the pads. Do not use any
other oil, such as almond oil; they can substantially damage the
instrument. Do not leave the instrument where there is no
ventilation, mildew can grow rapidly and damage the wood.
Tip:
Rub the outside of the instrument with a rag, with just a drop of
oil; with time, the instrument will take on a beautiful sheen.
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 Our
woods are an important basic requirement of the foundation
of our firm.
We do not seek the cheapest
woods nor the most expensive, only the best! We seek out the
most appropriate trees and supervise the cutting into
planks. The further cutting into blocks we do ourselves.
And, old-fashioned as it sounds, we determine the best
application of the wood, by tapping on it. Systematic
acoustic wood research permits us to know the best wood for
each instrument.
In addition, the knowledge of
the handling of woods in past epochs, as
well as the manufacture of modern instruments allows
us to ensure the best treatment of each instrument.
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Tradition and
passion
The Guntram Wolf firm is located in
the city of Kronach, a city over 1000 years old and the birthplace
of Lucas Cranach. Kronach is in the dynamic center of the forests of
Franconia, in a wonderful landscape, with a picturesque, historic
City center, and with the Rosenberg fortress (which has never been
conquered) overlooking it.
Through the personal involvement and
the experience of Guntram Wolf, also due to his hands-on experience
of woodwind instruments, the name of the north Bavarian city of
Kronach is linked to the name Guntram Wolf by musicians worldwide.
No other factory has, in the past few
years, brought such a fresh approach to the manufacture of woodwind
instruments which is usually "set in tradition".
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New acoustic knowledge has been
and will be continued to be brought to the development and
improvement of modern woodwind instruments.
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Historical instruments are made
with renewed techniques, in order that the sound world of the
musical periods from the Renaissance to the High Romantic can be
recreated without falsification.
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Wolf has developed a complete set
of smaller orchestral instruments; oboe, clarinet and bassoon so
that children from the impressionable ages of 5-10 can begin to
take a solid place in the musical environment.
From a small, experimental workshop,
in which Guntram Wolf worked alone, a considerable factory has
developed, the continuation of which is assured by the entry of his
son, Peter into the enterprise. His daughter, Claudia, also works
there, installing computer technology for the construction of both
the wooden parts and the keywork. The other workers come from the
area around Kronach, and learn the various techniques of instrument
manufacture at the factory itself. |
