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Re: Fritz Wurlitzer/Erlbach

Author: Hansdenijs
Date: 2010-04-14 07:13

If you forward me the serialnumbers I can give you the precise year of manufacturing. Fritz Wurlitzer clarinets were the main choice of professional clarinettists from 1938 till about 1970 in the Netherlands. (Royal Concertebouw Orchestra etc.) Before 1960: mainly Schmidt-Kolbe system (principals e.g. Bram de Wilde, Jan Koene, Piet Honingh, later on with the start of Georg Pieterson as principal: Reform-Böhm from Fritz Wurlitzer). With the start of Fritz's son Herbert Wurlitzer after his removal to Western Germany (Bubenreuth and later Neustadt/Aisch) the younger generation in the Netherlands choosed for Herbert Wurlitzer R-B clarinets. It was in those days difficult to buy still clarinets from Fritz, who stayed in Erlbach till his death (Eastern Germany).
Nowadays R-B clarinets from Fritz in good conditions are scarce and very sought.
The top instruments of all famous German brands can be played for more generations if well maintained. For instance i'm playing a set original Oskar Oehler clarinets made in 1922, which are played for more than 40 (!) years by the pricipal of the Berliner Philharmoniker before Karl Leister (Alfred Bürkner). The same is valid for Fritz Wurlitzer soloist clarinetsfor which top quality wood and handforked mechanism was used.
At this monet I know about three professional clarinetttist in Holland which still use Fritz Wurlitzer R-B clarinets. The best known international soloist is Luigi Magistrelli (already earlier mentioned in this thread).
Fritz Wurlitzer has made about 2740 clarinets embossed with serial number.
He has made R-B clarinets during his whole active period (1936- 1974) in all pitches. The early ones have a wide bore diameter of 15,2 mm and asks for special mouthpieces. Later the bore diameter was diminished, about 14,8 mm). This kind of instruments can be played with modern mouthpieces e.g. Zinner with Viotto facing R N1 or R G3.
The percentage of R-B clarinets was about 15 % of his output, mainly for the Netherlands and Great Britain. He has made also few real Boehm system clarinets for export, but this type was by my knowledge not on the same level as the Reform-Böhm and Schmidt-Kolbe (soloist) clarinets.

greeting from Holland

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Fritz Wurlitzer/Erlbach new

MarlboroughMan

2010-03-30 18:57