Baroque Instruments
Schnitzer, Vienna, early 18th century
Stained maple, 5 brass keys
A = 415 Hz
From the Renaissance onward the Schnitzers were a dynasty of woodwind instrument makers, based first in Nuremberg and then in Vienna. They were among the first to produce instruments of extraordinary size.
In the model I replicate, belonging to a private collection, both the butt and bass joints indeed feature a large bore, lending impressive power and depth to the low register.
Charles Bizey, Paris, first half of the 18th century
Stained maple, 5 brass keys
A = 415 Hz
C. Bizey was certainly the most important woodwind instrument maker of his time.
Of his many instruments, however, only two bassoons have survived.
The model I replicate, held at the Beethoven-haus in Bonn, is easy to play and responsive, endowed with an outstanding lyrical tenor register that makes it versatile and captivating.
440
A = 440 Hz
This light and agile instrument possesses outstanding dynamic flexibility and excellent intonation when using the historical fingerings.
In spite of the high diapason, with A = 440 Hz, the instrument maintains a low range whose timbre is full and warm. It blends very well with other instruments.
Given its agility and tonal characteristic, the “440” assumes the role of protagonist both as solo concert instrument and as an efficacious basso continuo in ensembles.
Eichentopf
Stained maple, 5 brass keys
The instrument is based on two 18th century originals which are kept in museums in Linz and Nuremberg.
This bassoon has been conceived in a way that establishes a correspondence between a focused tone with a precise attack and the homogeneity of the various register.
These characteristics make it ideal for the basso continuo in chamber music ensembles.
