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{The Brussels Musical Instruments Museum Oboe Collection}
Stefaan Verdegem - Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel
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IND ?> Inv. number
2317
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CN/NP ?> Common name / Nominal Pitch
Oboe in C
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TS ?> Type or system
4 keys
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MK ?> Maker
Willems, Jean Baptiste
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IN ?> Mark, inscriptions
.IB. / WILLEMS / (six-point star) – on all 3 parts.
- PL ?> Place of origin Brussels
- DM ?> Date of making 2nd half of the 18th century.
- MATERIALS Boxwood with 3 ivory mounts, brass keys.
- MEASUREMENTS
- Body Length 569mm
- TJ length (body + tenon) 201mm + 22mm
- MJ length (body +tenon) 219mm + 22mm
- B length 148mm
- Acoustic Length 314mm
- BORE
- Minimal bore 4.6mm
- Reed well diameter 7.1mm
- Bore at end of TJ 9.7mm
- Bore at top of MJ 10.1mm
- Bore at end of MJ 14.6mm
- Bore at top of B c.18.0mm
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TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
3 keys with octagonal flat flaps, type Young-N.
Raised key rings for C and Eb keys circular.
SATB (springs attached to the body) for C- and Eb-keys.
The 4th key, a G#-key, probably a later addition according to the key style (round, flat on plate-based pillars).
SATK Spring of G#-key attached to the key.
3rd and 4th hole doubled with finger cove.
Bell with 2 vent-holes and inner rim.
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FL ?> Faults
TJ slightly bent. Traces of a ‘thumb-hole' that seems to have been drilled, and then plugged again. Vent-holes in bell possibly enlarged afterwards.
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UP ?> Usable Pitch
Pitch difficult to determine. The best playing result were obtained with one of the vent-holes in bell closed gave A = c.435Hz with reed TL 63mm / staple 39mm / tip width 9mm.
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PC ?> Performance Characteristics
Thin, light sound.
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PO ?> Previous Ownership
Gift of Alfred Massau, cello teacher of the Verviers Music Academy.
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FM ?> Further information on maker
Haine & Meeùs (1986) p.455.
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SR ?> Specific literature Reference
Mahillon (R1978) Vol.IV p.193–4.
Listed in Young (1993) p.257.
Mentioned in Waterhouse (1993) p.430 (‘2 keys’).
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IR ?> Illustration reference
Mahillon (R1978) Vol.IV, picture opposite p.196.
- Comparable instruments
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Remarks
The key for G# is a later addition, according to Mahillon (R1978) Vol.IV p.194.
{Willems}
