Klarinet Archive - Posting 000145.txt from 1999/07

From: Tony@-----.uk (Tony Pay)
Subj: Re: [kl] Stolen replica 19th Century clarinets
Date: Mon, 5 Jul 1999 20:19:44 -0400

On Mon, 5 Jul 1999 09:34:49 +1200 (New Zealand Standard Time),
scranefield@-----.nz said:

> Our orchestra received this information in a fax. I don't know
> anything about this other than what I've included below.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Stolen: Pair of rare clarinets in double case
>
> This pair of very distinctive clarinets copied from mid 19th Century
> instruments can easily be recognised by:
>
> Boxwood stained to a honey-brown colour
> Unusual German style key system, gold plated
> Mouthpiece with reed tied on with string
> Maker's stamp: J Seggekle Bamberg
> Serial numbers: 11B13 and 11A13
>
> These instruments are extremely rare, being made from a stock of
> boxwood seasoned and forgotten over a century ago and thus able to
> bear the strain of such a complicated mechanism.
>
> If you have any information regarding this theft please contact the
> Melbourne Symphony on +61 3 9626 1126
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> [ and it looks from the fax we received that the Melbourne Symphony
> fax number is +61 3 9626 1122 ]

I can add a bit of info to this one, although probably it will be of
little help in finding them.

These instruments are copies of the Ottensteiner instruments that were
used by Richard Muehlfeld, who was the clarinettist who inspired
Brahms's late clarinet works.

The original instruments are in a museum in Meiningen.

I think Seggelke (note error of spelling in announcement above) made
around a dozen pairs of these instruments. I also own a pair of them,
and have played the Brahms Quintet several times on the A clarinet, as
well as using them in the orchestra to play the German repertoire.

The story goes that the wood was owned by Buffet-Crampon, who sold it
off because they had no use for it. (Funnily enough, I had approached
Buffet with a view to their copying the Ottensteiners just before I
found out about Seggelke's initiative, but they demurred.)

I hope whoever owns them is fortunate enough to recover them. They're
quite expensive to buy!

Tony
--
_________ Tony Pay
|ony:-) 79 Southmoor Rd Tony@-----.uk
| |ay Oxford OX2 6RE GMN family artist: www.gmn.com
tel/fax 01865 553339

... Pop Tarts. Perhaps the most disgusting thing you can put in a toaster.

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