 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: mddds
Date: 2020-01-02 05:50
hi all,
i have an english horn (Loree) w a Bb extension.
the horn was manufactured with the extension (matching SN), and not a third party add-on.
is it correct to assume that the instrument was created/tuned with the entire length in mind?
so will the intonation of the instrument be affected if i play without the extension?
thanks
-CK
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Author: gohpeds
Date: 2020-01-02 21:00
Best way to know i to play and test intonation with both.
I have a Patricola with the Bb extension and it is better without the extension. I only use the extension when I need it, otherwise no extension, and it is a little lighter also, not much but better.
Gustavo Oroza.
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Author: mddds
Date: 2020-01-03 00:26
thanks for the response and advice - that's the practical answer to the question.
but i wonder if the instrument is manufactured with (or without the extension).
-CK
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Author: Hotboy
Date: 2020-01-03 01:42
I have seen that some manufacturers offer the same instrument with or without the extension, so I am guessing that they are tuned using the shorter bell.
Dane
Bay Area, California
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2020-01-04 00:48
Attachment: P9240029.JPG (709k)
If it's a Loree, chances are it was built and tuned without the low Bb extension fitted as they're mostly played in this manner and the low Bb extension and extra keywork was a special order.
I've seen a Loree bass oboe built to the same spec with a separate keyed low Bb extension and with all the keywork to make it fully chromatic.
I had a low Bb barrel made for my Marigaux cor around fifteen years after I bought the cor - it's a keyed extension and links to the bell key link on the lower joint so I can get a low Bb with the low B key when it's engaged, but I lose the low B natural. Disengaging it whilst fitted (turning it a few degrees just to de-link it) will revert it to low B natural.
Mine's not a fully chromatic/fully keyed extension, but is very handy for playing Mahler - I recently played Mahler 1 and had to leave it disengaged for the 1st movement, engage it for the 3rd movement to a point and then disengage it again for the end of the 3rd movement. A fully keyed/chromatic low Bb extension would be much better in this instance even though there was ample time to engage/disengage it.
Howarth XL cors are supplied with a low Bb barrel, but that's a plain wooden one with no keywork/tonehole which means fitting it between the lower joint and bell for low Bb or removing it and refitting the bell for low B natural. That's fine if there's plenty of time between playing anything requiring low Bb and anything else with a low B natural, but not if both low Bb and B are together within the same bar.
I recently overhauled an old Theo Markardt cor (the second I've seen) and that was purposely built to low Bb with all the keywork on the lower joint and a regular keyless cor bell (see attachment).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: mddds
Date: 2020-01-04 13:08
thanks all for taking the time for the responses.
-CK
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Author: mddds
Date: 2020-01-07 05:47
i asked Loree.
here was their response:
"...Originally, our English horns are designed to go to the low B....
...It has proved not to change the tuning that much, and we even have clients how prefer the longer instrument and always play with the extension.
It is a matter of taste..."
so i think gustavo pretty much got it.
-CK
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