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{The Brussels Musical Instruments Museum Oboe Collection}
Stefaan Verdegem - Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel
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IND ?> Inv. number
0962
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CN/NP ?> Common name / Nominal Pitch
Oboe in C
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TS ?> Type or system
2 keys
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MK ?> Maker
Grundmann / Grenser
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IN ?> Mark, inscriptions
(Saxon swords) / GRUNDMANN / 1 – on TJ and MJ;
(Saxon swords) / GRUNDMANN / GRENSER / 1 – on B;
All N’s normal and long Saxon swords.
- PL ?> Place of origin Dresden
- DM ?> Date of making End of the 18th century.
- MATERIALS Boxwood, with 3 horn mounts, 2 brass keys.
- MEASUREMENTS
- Body Length 558 mm
- TJ length (body + tenon) 211mm + 21mm
- MJ length (body +tenon) 207mm + 24mm
- B length 140mm
- Acoustic Length 322mm
- BORE
- Minimal bore 4.2mm
- Reed well diameter 6.5mm
- Bore at end of TJ 9.5mm
- Bore at top of MJ 10.8mm
- Bore at end of MJ 14.5mm
- Bore at top of B 17.7mm
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TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
2 brass keys with octagonal flat flaps, type Young-N.
Raised key rings circular.
SATB (springs attached to the body).
3rd hole doubled with finger cove.
Bell with 2 vent-holes and inner rim.
Top joint with tuning slide.
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FL ?> Faults
Excellent condition, except for a small detail of MJ baluster missing. There is a small crack on top of MJ, looks repaired.
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PA ?> Playing Accessories
Reed (not original) for display only.
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UP ?> Usable Pitch
Not measurable.
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PC ?> Performance Characteristics
Instrument has a tuning slide which is leaking making it difficult to evaluate the instrument. Reed well might be re-reamed cylindrically. Does not work well with ‘usual standard’ reeds for classical oboe. Has to be re-evaluated with a specially made reed.
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PO ?> Previous Ownership
Ex-Mahillon V. & J.
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FM ?> Further information on maker
Heyde (1993) on Grenser.
Young (1978) on Grundmann and Grenser.
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SR ?> Specific literature Reference
Mahillon (R1978) Vol.II p.248.
Young (1978) p.106–7 on Grundmann’s marks, and on the particular mark of this oboe and the tuning slide.
Listed in Young (1993) p.114.
- GL ?> General literature (about this type of instrument)
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Remarks
Young (1978) p.107 presumes that the bell could be a made by Grenser as a copy of a broken Grundmann original. On p.102–3 he discusses the professional relationship between Jakob Grundmann and the Grensers.
Herbert Heyde (personal communication) presumes that apparently there was cooperation between Grundmann and Grenser and a mutual helping-out in periods of strong market fluctuations.
The tuning slide is to our knowledge uncommon on this type of oboe, and could be one of the earliest tuning slides – meant as such – applied to an oboe.
{Grundmann / Grenser}
