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IND ?> Inv. number
0969
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CN/NP ?> Common name / Nominal Pitch
Oboe in Bb
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TS ?> Type or system
12 keys and 2 rings
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MK ?> Maker
Triebert
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IN ?> Mark, inscriptions
(barbican tower with 3 merlons) / TRIEBERT / A PARIS – on all 3 parts.
- PL ?> Place of origin Paris
- DM ?> Date of making 2nd quarter of the 19th century.
- MATERIALS Rosewood with silver plated mounts and keywork.
- MEASUREMENTS
- Body Length 624mm
- TJ length (body + tenon) 255mm + 19mm
- MJ length (body +tenon) 219mm + 21mm
- B length 150mm
- Acoustic Length 357mm
- BORE
- Minimal bore c.4.0mm
- Reed well diameter 6.8mm
- Reed or crook well depth (if cylindrical) 18mm
- Bore at end of TJ 10.7mm
- Bore at top of MJ 10.7mm
- Bore at end of MJ 15.2mm
- Bore at top of B 15.5mm
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TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
12 keys with round lipped flaps, and 2 rings (‘Brille’). All keys on rods and pillars. Octave key and rings on long axle. Separate long levers for Eb-left and Low B.
On TJ: Octave key, half-hole plateau, C and Bb (with overlap) for R1, G# for L4;
On MJ: 2 rings operating F# vent key, cross-F, C-C#-Eb for R4 (C-C# linked), Eb-left and low B for L4;
Low B-key on bell.
Most key-holes milled out with countersunk edge. Octave key-hole with metal insert through the bore.
Metal thumb rest.
SATK (springs attached to the keys).
3rd hole doubled with finger cove.
No vent-holes or inner rim on bell.
Metal lining: top finial and reed well, TJ tenon (with cork), B & MJ sockets, bell end with metal ring.
4 silver mounts, including top finial cup and reed well.
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FL ?> Faults
Some scratches on body. Hairline crack on MJ. Some pads missing.
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UP ?> Usable Pitch
Pitch could not be estimated accurately.
The long joint lengths suggest an oboe with a lower nominal pitch, being Bb as confirmed by Mahillon (R1978) Vol.II p.250.
At a nominal pitch of C, this instrument would have an extremely low usable pitch uncommon for the period 1830-50 and later on.
A = c.455-7Hz with reed TL 68.9mm / staple 42mm / tip width 7.7mm.
Mahillon gives a TL of the instrument of 670mm reed included, meaning a reed TL of 64mm.
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PC ?> Performance Characteristics
The instrument is not in good playing condition, pads are missing or not sealing. With some ‘instant repair’ the oboe could be played though. It has a nice warm sound, intonation a little uneven as far as it could be estimated accurately.
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PO ?> Previous Ownership
Ex-Mahillon V. & J.
- FM ?> Further information on maker
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SR ?> Specific literature Reference
Mahillon (R1978) Vol.II p.250.
Listed in Young (1993) p.238.
Verdegem (2015) pp.86–8, and p.110.
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Remarks
Possibly made by Guillaume Triebert.
The Triebert 1855 Catalogue depicts only one single Bb-oboe (no.11) with a (more up-to-date) keywork system “numéro 5”, while C-oboes are available with several older and newer keywork systems. This could possibly suggest that this oboe 0969 is made before 1855. This keywork looks closely like the “numéro 1” of the same catalogue, but with an extra Left-Eb.
TJ has a different lacquer polish than on MJ and B, suggesting either a repolishing or a TJ exchange. It is not clear if this instrument is a compilation.