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Re: F.Loree English Horn - Vintage

Author: heckelmaniac
Date: 2012-02-28 01:53

"Thin wall" versus "thick wall"-
I am not at all sure why oboe instruments went from "thin wall" to thick wall."
The "pre war" Loree instruments can be categorized as "thin wall"
with some slight variation. The "post war" Loree instruments can mostly be categorized as "thick wall." Some speculate that it was simply an increasing preference for an element of darkness in the sound that influenced Loree (and others) to increase the wall thickness. In the late 1960s, oboists seemed to be almost fanatical about achieving the "darkest' sound possible.
The Kreul/Gordet oboes (the "heavy pattern") and Kreul/Gordet English horns became exceedingly popular in the late 1960s, as they for sure had the "darkest" sound on the block. Loree even made a run of "heavy wall" oboes right around the BV-BY series.
A friend of mine has a heavy pattern Loree BV oboe, and it is almost as dark sounding as the Kreul /Gordet. I do have Loree oboes from as early as 1912, 1920s, that although "thin wall," still seem do not at all overly "bright" at all. And my "thin wall" English horn from 1910 I do not find "bright" at all.
The oboe with the thinnest wall (wins the grand prize) would likely be a Marcel Loree oboe. Truly thin wall thickness, and nothing but bright sounding. The new Howarth model S6 is one of the few post war oboes having "thin wall" construction. Excellent instrument, though it is decidedly on the bright side. If you have an oboe or English horn with very heavy wall construction, it is possible that your sound can be unrelentingly "dark." This can put your playing "in a box" with no escape. To me, an oboe, an oboe d'amore or English horn should have elements of both bright or dark.
Some have argued that one influence in the increase in oboe instrument wall thickness may simply have been related to expediency in manufacture.
For instance, with a heavier wall thickness, the maker has more depth to set the posts. With a thick wall, less worry about about whether the drilling for a post would go through into the bore.
Heckel bassoons also went through a transformation from thin wall in the early 1900s to the modern thick wall. Heckelphones also went through a transformation of wall thickness, though lagging behind the evolution of wall thickness in the bassoon. "Thin wall " Heckelphones were made c. 1905-1923. "medium wall" from about 1923- early 1950s, and "heavy wall" from the 1950s to present. It is not uncommon to find "thin wall" Heckelphones that have a bunch of post screw ends visible inside the bore, even past the bore surace by a couple of millimeters. The "thin wall" Heckelphones (like the "thin wall" Loree English horns) resonate "like crazy." The medium wall
Heckelphones resonate "heaps," though not to the extent of the "thin wall" instruments. The modern "thick wall' Heckelphones, though excellent, do not have the "wild factor" like the prewar instruments- more of a "blending" sound.

With best wishes,
Peter

Oboes.us

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F.Loree English Horn - Vintage new

RuthC

2012-02-26 22:55