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{The Brussels Musical Instruments Museum Oboe Collection}
Stefaan Verdegem - Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel
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IND ?> Inv. number
1985.025–01
- Other Number JT369
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CN/NP ?> Common name / Nominal Pitch
Oboe in C
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TS ?> Type or system
Elaborate Système 4
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MK ?> Maker
Albert, Jacques
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IN ?> Mark, inscriptions
(sunburst) / JACques ALBERT / A.BRUXELLES / (sunburst) – on TJ and MJ;
(sunburst) / JACques ALBERT / (sunburst) – on B.
- PL ?> Place of origin Brussels
- DM ?> Date of making End of the 19th beginning of the 20th century.
- MATERIALS Rosewood with nickel silver keywork.
- MEASUREMENTS
- Body Length 599mm
- TJ length (body + tenon) 233.8mm +19.5mm
- MJ length (body +tenon) 239.6mm + 19.5mm
- B length 126mm
- Acoustic Length 322mm
- BORE
- Minimal bore c.4.0mm
- Reed well diameter 7mm
- Reed or crook well depth (if cylindrical) 18mm
- Bore at end of TJ 9.8mm
- Bore at top of MJ 10.2mm
- Bore at end of MJ 15.3mm
- Bore at top of B 15.6mm
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TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
Nickel silver keywork, ferrules, thumb rest and reed cylinder.
Elaborate system no.4 oboe. This mark has the following non-standard features: C and Bb vents in the front, on axle with one lever for R1; Left-C# for L4, F#-G# trill, low Bb, key on bell.
Keyhead type Heyde-181/4.
Key-holes milled out with countersunk edge 3rd hole doubled with finger cove.
No inner rim on bell.
Metal lining: reed well, tenons, sockets, joint/bell ends.
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FL ?> Faults
Good condition except for one little crack in MJ and two little cracks in B.
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UP ?> Usable Pitch
Instrument's mechanism is not in good playing condition, but a scale was possible and gave more or less an idea of the pitch, being A = c.435Hz with reed TL 71mm / staple 47mm / tip width 7.2mm.
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PC ?> Performance Characteristics
Powerful round and open sound with pleasant character. The instrument seems to have a good and even intonation and speaks easily.
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PO ?> Previous Ownership
Ex-Waterschoot
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FM ?> Further information on maker
Haine & Meeùs (1986) pp.21–3.
Verdegem (2015) pp.100–120.
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Comparable instruments
Edinburgh: EUCHMI J. Albert oboe no.3431, being shorter though but pitched at Old Philharmonic Pitch [A = c453Hz], according to Myers (1999) pp.34–5.
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Remarks
Between 1878 and 1918 according to Waterhouse (1993) p.4.
This instrument is remarkably similar to the no.5 mark in the Mahillon catalogues 1896–1911, except for the twinned hole 3 and the low B-key on the bell.
{Albert}
