Double Reed News Summer 2018 by Tracy

Double Reed News The magazine of the British Double Reed Society www.bdrs.org.uk

I SUMMER 2018

HOWARTH of LONDON at 70 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Past, Present and Future

No.120

DRN 120 Summer 2018 cover_Double Reed 75.qxd 29/05/2018 20:11 Page 1

DRN 120 Summer 2018 cover_Double Reed 75.qxd 29/05/2018 20:11 Page 2

)PXBS U I .BS J H BVY PS Ï F 3J H PVU BU #VG G F U :BNBIB .ÚOOJ H $BCBS U VEXJ H 'S BOL 3J H PVU BU 3J F D 4 U S BT T F S .BS J H BVY 3F F ET h Oh 4 U VG G 3J F H F S ,F 9VO (F # DG8 I K @ 8 C 8 ;M @ : < 9< J GFB< I < G8 @ I J 8 E; < M < I P K ?@ E> 8 E F9F@ J K E< < ;J

IPXB S U I VL D PN

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:22 Page 1

“

Notes from the Chair

In this Issue...

”

Geoffrey Bridge

In this year of our thirtieth anniversary year we are in a period of radical change. We are increasing the number of events, both to celebrate this anniversary and to promote the Society more actively. Having just completed the first five-day course we have ever mounted – in early April at Park Place in Hampshire – we are looking ahead to a Double Reed Play Day on 17th June at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester. We are also mounting a Double Reed Day in Scotland, for the first time in my memory, on 9th November, with the help of the company Buffet Crampon. Additionally we are promoting the Society on social media using Facebook and Twitter and continue to make the BDRS website much more attractive and usable. We have been helped enormously in this regard by Tracey Crowther, the wife of committee member and ‘Oboe Shop’ owner Ian Crowther, who has virtually revamped the design and added more bells and whistles. I speak on behalf of the committee when I thank her for all her sterling work effecting these changes. With our magazine, Double Reed News, we are also in the process of providing all the back numbers available online in a searchable form. There is some extremely valuable and interesting material buried away in this archive and it will be very interesting to see how much the service is used when it goes live. There are in effect presently 120 issues of the magazine. Although some of the very early versions, are little more than a newsletter, most editions contain articles on technique, player profiles, machines, reed processing and the like. Fascinating and relevant stuff! In early March an issue of the Economist magazine highlighted the reduction of music teaching in schools and in particular that of instrument lessons. The article was entitled Total Eclipse of the Arts*. It describes how from 1950 through to 1990 full-time teachers taught instrumental music to both individuals and small groups; Local Education Authorities provided access to bands, orchestras and live music recitals in schools. Many of us oldies made quite a living providing these services and some of us were fortunate enough to be employed full time with salaries and pensions just like any other teacher. Those days have now largely gone as financial restraints cut budgets to the bone. Schools who wish to provide music lessons will more usually make a charge. Pools of instruments often lie in cupboards unused or in a poor state of repair. Our double-reed instruments are an endangered species as they are expensive to acquire and specialist teachers harder to come by. Not only that but exposure to live playing is a rarity for most children. It is most often only the love of the sound and obvious expressive nature of both oboe and bassoon playing that grabs and holds a child’s imagination. These days it seems music lessons are just a whole class, for example, strumming a ukulele to a well-known tune. As Iwan Fox, Vice President of the Tredegar Town Band, interviewed in the piece puts it: ‘It’s a production line of nothingness’. *I am indebted to Sarah Francis for sending this article to me.

Chairman’s Comments Geoffrey Bridge

Editorial Clive Fairbairn

BDRS at 30: a Preview Clive Fairbairn

Howarth’s at 70: a Celebration Geoffrey Bridge, Michael Britton Ben Couldwell

Dresden… 35 Years Later (Part I) Robert Codd

Obituary Tribute: Anthony McColl David Presley, David Thomas

Bassonicus: Coming to Terms with ‘Acoustic Shock’ Jefferey Cox

Park Place: April 2018 John Anderson, Clive Fairbairn Vincent Fox, Alf Gjessing Graham Grafton, Les Macdougal Jill Parnell, Jane Syrett

A Newly Discovered Bassoon Wing Joint by Johann Schell David Rachor

Music at Christ’s Hospital Jenni Britton, Molly Sellors Charlotte Suckling

Reports & News

Roger Birnstingl, Ben Couldwell Krista Gallagher, Zen Grisdale Chris O’Neal

Liszt's Élégie for Cor Anglais Leslie Howard, Jeremy Polmear

Reviews Roger Birnstingl, Sarah McClure

Noticeboard

Classified

Advertising, Membership, etc

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:22 Page 2

The Editor’s Comment Clive Fairbairn British Double Reed Society www.bdrs.org.uk enquiries@bdrs.org.uk Joint Presidents

Roger Birnstingl, Sir Karl Jenkins Chairman

Geoffrey Bridge chairman@bdrs.org.uk Secretary

Ian Finn secretary@bdrs.org.uk Treasurer

Miles Nipper treasurer@bdrs.org.uk Committee

Robert Codd, Ian Crowther, Sarah Francis Stephen Fuller, Christine Griggs Laurence Perkins, Guy Thomas * Membership

membership@bdrs.org.uk * Advertising

advertising@bdrs.org.uk

Anniversaries If anniversaries are to have more than a mere festive purpose to them, they should be as much an inspiration for future progress as a celebration of past success. Both British Double Reed Society (30) and Howarth of London (70) have their eyes clearly set on the future. While we are in the throes of assembling a suitable observance of the BDRS anniversary – which will grace the pages of the autumn magazine – we offer a few photos from the DRN archive to salute some of its founding fathers. Meanwhile, in this issue, we make space centre stage for Howarth’s – surely an iconic enterprise in woodwind circles, both nationally and internationally. When the BDRS celebration reflects on its present position in the oboe and bassoon world it will certainly wish to trumpet its recent developments. One of these must be the April 2018 course and Double Reed Day at Park Place, Wickham, Hampshire. Oboist John Anderson confessed before it took place that he had never tutored on a residential course and had some concern as to how he would fare. Amongst our selection of enthusiastic comments from course participants can be found John’s own, in which he reveals how much he enjoyed the experience. Elsewhere in DRN120 there are discoveries of a more tangible kind, whether a bassoon wing joint attributed to recorder maker Johann Schell, or an alternative version of the Liszt cello Élégie for cor anglais with the seemingly unlikely accompaniment of piano, harp and harmonium. A far more disturbing discovery – for anyone, let alone a musician – is that one’s hearing has been adversely affected by acoustic shock: Jefferey Cox looks at the recent landmark case and ruling against the Royal Opera House. If you would like to contribute to the pages of the next Double Reed News with memories or comments for the BDRS anniversary, the deadline for articles, reviews or photos is 15th August; but why wait till then? Send them to me at drn@bdrs.org.uk as soon as you like!

Education

education@bdrs.org.uk

Legal Services Co-ordinator Nigel Salmon 4 Portelet Place, Hedge End Southampton, Hants SO30 0LZ

BDRS Web Manager website@bdrs.org.uk

Double Reed News Clive Fairbairn, Editor drn@bdrs.org.uk * Advertising, Membership and other BDRS/DRN details – see back page ISSN 1460-5686 2

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

Calling all Moosmann bassoonists If you are the current owner of Moosman bassoon No. 90112 please contact John James at jjmusic@btinternet.com or on 07737 419420. The instrument in question is a Model 200 Soloist ‘Special’, approximately 20 years old in a soft case with 3 crooks, etc.

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:22 Page 3

assoons Bto Dream About

• Try before you buy, 12-month warranties on our bassoons

The bassoon specialists

• All the accessories and reeds required • Get ahead with our mini-bassoons, ffrrom age 7 PLUS • In-house bassoon repair service

Visit our website fo for our ffu ull range of instruments, expert advice and much more.

w www.doublereed.co.uk w w.doublereed.co.uk 01633 677729 enquiries@doublereed.co.uk

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:22 Page 4

BDRS at 30: a Preview In the next edition of Double Reed News we will be celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the founding of the BDRS

THE FOUNDING TEAM OF THE BRITISH DOUBLE REED SOCIETY The original BDRS Steering Committee from l-r, Lesley Wilson, George Caird, Tony Allcock, William Waterhouse, Graham Salter, Peta Macrae and Michael Britton.

The editor of DRN would welcome written contributions from members – whether new to the Society or of long standing – in the form of particular memories, occasions or experiences which you would like to share. This could be as little as a paragraph but feel free to expand up to about 300 words.

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

Photos will also be very welcome. Please email the editor on drn@bdrs.org.uk to send your contribution or to discuss any matter related to the celebration.

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:22 Page 5

George Caird

Tony Allcock

William Waterhouse

Graham Salter

Michael Britton

Photo: Will Ring/Howarthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Lesley Wilson

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:22 Page 6

Interview with Michael Britton This interview by Geoffrey Bridge celebrates three major anniversaries – the 70th of Howarth of London, the 30th of the British Double Reed Society and very importantly the 40th of Mike Britton’s involvement with Howarth’s.

GB: Anyone who hears you speak in your dulcet dark brown tones knows that you hale from the North East Britain. Where were you born and how did you do at school? Did you enjoy school; any favourite inspiring teachers; what were your interests and aspirations from an early age? MB: I was born in a mining village just outside Sunderland and left school at the then leaving age of 15 without any qualifications. The only teacher with any enthusiasm for her subject was the music teacher who played us classical music recordings and encouraged us to sing. My father, a coal miner, enjoyed dance band music and, when I was thirteen, he took my younger brother and me to the local colliery brass band and asked if they could teach us to play. We were given a flugelhorn between us and sat in at the band rehearsals; after a few months, I was given a tenor horn and joined the section, playing what I could. As I was progressing well my father decided to buy me a clarinet because he loved the sound of the instrument and arranged for a weekly lesson – at 25p a week, which was very expensive at the time. He also bought a Klose clarinet tutor the preface of which suggested students practice two hours a day and so each day after school I had to do this! I was

lucky that the teacher was exceptionally good and after a short time I joined the Sunderland Youth Orchestra where the conductor, Joe Collins, took me under his wing and became my mentor: I owe him such a lot. GB: Mike, I know you as a first rate oboist, when did you start to play the instrument and why the oboe? Were you a late starter on the instrument? MB: When I left school in 1958 my father did not want me to follow most of the boys to the colliery and answered an advert in the Melody Maker magazine for recruits to the Cheshire Regiment Band. At 15 I was too young to join the regiment and went to the army music school and was later posted to the band in Northern Ireland as one of the solo clarinets. At the time the band had no oboe players and so, although I loved the clarinet and still do, I asked if I could change to oboe because I liked the sound of the instrument. They eventually agreed and sent me to the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall where I was fortunate to have my first oboe lesson, age 19, with George Morgan. He freelanced with all the top London orchestras and was also a fine reed maker. Having a very good clarinet technique I found the transition to oboe quite easy and was soon playing in the senior student band. I was then posted back to the Cheshire Band, by then in Germany, and I had the opportunity to go to many orchestral and chamber music concerts and this made me want to play the oboe in an orchestra. GB: We first met shortly after you joined T W Howarth in 1978. What had been your playing career up to that time? I seem to recall you spent time in South Africa playing professionally there.

MB as clarinettist

MB: After I left the army, I had lessons with Colin Kellett of the Northern Sinfonia and freelanced in the north of England. I then went to Trinity College of Music and continued to do some freelance playing and teaching in London. After college, having freelanced for a year with no permanent orchestral jobs advertised in the UK, I joined the Performing Arts Council Orchestra in Pretoria as cor anglais and second oboe

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

MB as oboist player. This gave me ballet and opera and orchestral experience with top soloists and some good visiting conductors. It was an exciting time and I learnt so much from the other wind players, all from different countries with different traditions. I also played in the studios with the Broadcast orchestra, played in shows and taught at the university. GB: Why did you decide to come into the music trade with Howarth’s and not pursue a playing career? MB: Although I enjoyed my time in South Africa I never intended to stay and returned to the UK in 1977. Again there were no orchestral positions open in London and after freelancing for a year I decided to go to Howarth’s and ask Nigel Clark for a job. Like all oboists I had always been looking for the perfect instrument. My favourite instrument was my first, a Kreul purchased new for £104 when I was at Kneller Hall. I was persuaded by teachers over time to change to a Marigaux, just introduced in the UK by Howarth of Kentish Town, then to a Howarth. In the orchestra I then tried a Lorée, a Rigoutat and finally a Püchner. I was never really happy with any of them and so thought there was an opportunity for someone who had orchestral experience to join Howarth’s and work to improve the instruments.

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:22 Page 7

Nigel and I shook hands and he said ‘Let’s see how it goes’. We worked together for almost 40 years, supporting each other through good and bad times and are still very good friends, so I think it went well! GB: Turning to the BDRS you were involved in the early days of the Society, which started life in 1988. Which role did you take when you did so? What were these early days like and have you any memories of how the Society was promoted at that time? MB: I had been to IDRS a few times for Howarth’s by then and often discussed the possibility of something like it in the UK with Willie Waterhouse and Geordie Caird when they came into the shop. I was representing Howarth at the Royal Northern College of Music Double Reed Day in October 1987 when the first general meeting was held to discuss the idea. A small group of us started to take the idea forward and I remember Tony Allcock drawing up an agenda for our first formal meeting. I ended up as Treasurer, not because I am any good at accounting but because my wife was a chartered accountant and could help me out. I also volunteered to be the contact with the trade for advertising as we knew that a proper magazine would need advertising revenue. We took it in turns to have meetings at the homes of those who lived in London, which was very enjoyable because we could have lunch and wine at the same time! It took a while to get the structure right and to satisfy the Charity Commission’s rules and regulations etc. As to promotion, there were the original subscribers to Peter Monroe’s and Willie Waterhouse’s Double Reed Newsletters, who were encouraged to pass the word around and we had flyers printed for Howarth’s and other music shops to give out. Of course, because this was in the days before website shopping, all the teachers and students actually went into the music shops more often and so word spread that way too. The early double reed days were also quite an attraction for the same reason: more people attended events for the exhibits, concerts and classes. And we did not have to pay for the venues then so it was much cheaper to organise events.

GB: Times have changed radically within the education services in the UK. This affects the number of double reed instruments being taught in schools. Have you noticed a difference in the retail side of things in the number of instruments/ accessories sold? What has Howarth’s done to promote the interests of their core product the oboe? MB: We have certainly seen a big difference in the UK sales of all wind instruments and accessories to Local Authorities. The help-to-buy scheme – saving VAT – was a great success, but now our major student business is through our rental scheme. Most of this is to individual schools, particularly private schools, and individual students. We are hoping that recent Arts Council initiatives over the next two years will help children in the UK state sector take up woodwind instruments again; we have an active Education Department which tries to get involved with any new schemes.

where the instruments were both made and sold: George Ingram and Fred Mooney owned the business. When I joined Nigel Clark in Chiltern Street the manufacturing had moved out, but there was still just the one shop selling all the woodwind instruments and accessories and music. There were three technicians squeezed into the basement. But really it was impossible to test oboes seriously with all the noise from bassoons and clarinets and so another shop was essential. Fortunately 33 became available and became the clarinet and sax shop, with some practice rooms downstairs. That was the big change for us. After that the business just grew gradually over the years and of course international online shopping meant more stock and packaging materials and so we have had to move into 35 and 37 Chiltern Street as well. I don’t think I had any particular input; we have always just tried to provide a good service to all wind players and the development has come from that.

We have always taken a long-term view and so the student market is very important to us. Children used to be given any old instrument to start with but we think beginners deserve the very best so that they are not put off because it is too difficult. Rather they should be inspired to continue. We introduced the S10 and S20 models many years ago, and then the S40 to cater for students, and these are very popular through the rental programme. Then, following the introduction of the mini-bassoon and tenoroon, younger children also wanted to be able to start on a child’s oboe, so we made the Howarth Junior, designed to minimise finger stretch and reduce the weight. We have now sold or rented out over 2000 in the UK and in Europe; I am pleased to report that we sell a large number in France! GB: I remember with huge fondness my visits to Blandford Street, but the modern retail complex in Chiltern Street is so bright, modern and welcoming. How much input did you have on that development? MB: Geoff, I can only remember once visiting Blandford Street when I was in the army. When I was at college, Howarth had already moved to 31 Chiltern Street

MB at Howarth’s GB: The company has obviously diversified and developed into one of the best of its kind in the world. To help this achievement the manufacturing side has been modernised out of all recognition from the early days when it formed in 1948.

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:22 Page 8

MB: Yes, for the first 28 years it was two or three men in a room behind the shop with basic equipment. Then in 1976 the factory opened. In the early years there was not much money available for development, but slowly John Pullen improved the manufacturing processes, trained more technicians and gradually increased the capacity and quality. The reduction in price of Computer Numerical Control machines has enabled us to move into precision engineering; over the last ten years, under Jeremy Walsworth’s direction, we have made huge investments in machinery and can manufacture and control the quality of all our components. Of course the important finishing work is still done by hand and I think we have the most highly skilled oboe makers in the world. We have also amassed a huge amount of data to aid further instrument development like the twenty-first-century Redgate oboe.

concentrated on and improved. At this stage we were only selling in the UK and to English players abroad. After I went to IDRS and to other overseas conventions I began to think more of how to expand sales in these markets. But what attracted players overseas initially was the good intonation and the quality of the build. What they were not sure about was the sound which on the narrow bodied S5 was possibly too light with their reed set up. Collaborating with Gordon Hunt, we developed the XL, a bigger bodied instrument for the 40th anniversary of Howarth, which both UK and overseas players liked; and then the XM and LXV to broaden the range. I think it is important to realise that the so-called English style is not a function of the instrument alone, rather the combination of the instruments and the reed set up and the style of playing. One could discuss that for hours!

GB: Turning to the manufacturing side, am I right in saying that you had a big influence on how the Howarth oboe progressed? I realise that you worked with several players as your guinea pigs; did you always listen to their ideas or realise that some of the time what suited one didn’t suit another? Did you try to maintain an English style or were you mindful of the international sales that you were increasingly making over the years?

GB: The Howarth is recognised all over the oboe playing world as being a fine instrument: which are the continents that you mainly sell to in 2018?

MB: As I mentioned earlier, my prime objective on joining Howarth’s in 1978 was to improve the instruments; but I knew that I had a lot to learn before I could do this as I had no knowledge of the manufacturing processes. Most of the production then was open hole, thumb plate professional S2 models which were played by the majority of the principal oboists in the UK and there were a few S5 gillet models made. It was clear that both the S2 and S5 models needed improvement and so I worked with several of the top players, particularly Roy Carter, then with the London Symphony Orchestra. Of course they all had their own ideas, as had I, but it is important to listen and to identify the important common factors. Everyone wants good intonation, good even sound over all registers and the ability to play quietly in the bottom register. These are the things we 8

world helping promote the company in trade fairs, attending double reed conventions and conferences. Is this an aspect of the job you have enjoyed or a chore? Thoughts? Be honest! MB: Although I find the travelling itself a chore, with heavy suitcases having damaged my back over the years, the actual events I love. We are fortunate in the double reed manufacturing world to have great competitors who are also great friends. And we have had some wonderful times together all round the world. We have all grown older together and now the younger generation is moving in. But apart from that – probably influenced by playing in an international orchestra in South Africa – I have always enjoyed meeting players from other countries with different ideas and from different backgrounds. The stimulation of meeting young, enthusiastic, up-and-coming players keeps me going. I am always open to their comments about our instruments – in fact I welcome them because that is the only way to improve the oboe and move forward.

MB: Our student instruments are sold worldwide as we are the only manufacturer with such a broad range of both student oboes and cor anglais and in different materials. After the UK, the USA is our largest market as we have been exhibiting at IDRS now for thirty-five years, and through this we are moving into South America slowly. But Asia is a growing market: Hong Kong, China, Australia and Korea, and of course we sell in most countries of Europe. What is growing many international sales now is our development of lined instruments and more recently the use of synthetic materials for the whole instrument. Climate issues and cracking are a concern to players in many countries with extremes of temperature and there is also a growing environmental concern. Although only a tiny percentage of the hardwood used worldwide is for oboes we are all affected by the overuse of scarce resources and all our wood instruments now have to be certified as from sustainable sources. GB: I know that much of your working time is spent on the road all over the

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

MB (left) touring for Howarth’s GB: You have seen a few directors of the company retire: have you any thoughts about the day when you will hang up your metaphorical boots? If you are already looking forward to that day, what are you going to be occupying yourself with in the future? MB: Yes, I was going to retire at 65, then at 70 and now, at almost 75, it may be time. But with Nigel having moved on I want to be able to support Jeremy Walsworth – now the sole owner of

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 9

Howarths – as he develops in his new role. So I will remain involved for the moment and gradually ease myself out to give the younger ones an opportunity to take the business forward. But I enjoy working and I still have lots of ideas for further development of the instruments and so will no doubt continue to have some involvement and help out when needed.

I will still go to IDRS and many of the other conferences but will be able to attend more concerts rather than being on the exhibition stand. And I have always wanted to visit some of the great US music festivals like Aspen and the Grand Teton. I guess music has been my main love all my life and will continue to be so. I have been very lucky in life to be paid to do my hobby!

We in the BDRS have been enormously helped and encouraged by Howarth’s over the years, by their sponsorship of the DRN magazine and a willingness to attend and promote our events. I can’t let this interview close without thanking in particular you yourself Michael for everything you’ve done for us, both as an individual and a representative of the Company. Howarth of London is indeed fortunate to have you as part of its team.

Howarth’s Celebrates 70 Years by Ben Couldwell

It is 70 years ago this year that Messrs George Ingram and Fred Mooney formed an oboe manufacturing company with their friend, the perhaps more familiar sounding Mr Thomas Howarth. Working from their workshop in Seymour place, not far from the Chiltern Street shop in which I am writing now, their first oboe was produced and stamped ‘Howarth and Co.’ Numbered 1001, it was purchased by Edward Selwyn, Principal Oboe of the BBC Symphony orchestra, and so our story began.

Worthing Howarth team years to occupy also numbers 33 to 37, with a most comprehensive range of oboes and bassoons, alongside one of the best selections of clarinets and saxophones in Europe. From just three founders and a tiny workshop, Howarth’s has grown to employ currently 63 members of staff, 24 of those based in the London showroom, as well as dozens of agents worldwide. The shop as you see it today moved into 31 Chiltern Street in 1968 and has progressively grown over the

These seventy years have seen many changes to the UK music industry. Today Howarth of London is the only large-scale woodwind manufacturer still making instruments in the UK, at our factory in Worthing. It is easy to forget that the UK is the ‘odd one out’ in the world of oboes. British oboists are almost unique in the use of the thumb

plate system on modern student instruments. There is no sign of this dying out any time soon, with our Junior and S10 models as popular as ever with beginners. Howarth is now the only company producing oboes with this system in any substantial numbers. Alongside this, our conservatoire system instruments are also produced to meet the demands of players throughout the world. Our first instruments were aimed at professionals, but today we are just as committed to producing student instruments. Our mini-bassoons and

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 10

junior oboes have been one of our major success stories and have opened the world of double reed playing to younger enthusiastic players. As music lessons are continually threatened in school budgets, our education department is always spearheading new ways to support young musicians and make access to suitable quality instruments easier. One way has been our instrument rental scheme. I haven’t counted the oboes, but we currently have over 100 bassoons of different sizes out on hire. And we have further exciting developments in the pipeline for young musicians.

L John Pullen R Nigel Clark (both MDs) examining an oboe at the factory… just a few years ago! 2018 has already seen some big changes to Howarth’s in its anniversary year. January saw the retirement of our managing director Nigel Clark after 45 years. Nigel has been with the company since he was nineteen and was originally part of a group which bought out the founding directors (including the well-known reed maker Harry Baker). The shop as you find it now is very much the result of Nigel’s hard work, enthusiastically supported by Michael Britton for the past forty years. With Nigel’s retirement, the business has been taken over by Nigel’s manufacturing co-director Jeremy Walsworth. Jeremy shares Nigel’s passion for the company and its instruments. With his enthusiasm we look forward to building on the successes that we currently enjoy.

businesses that rely solely on internet sales rather than having a physical shop has been a challenge, but as a specialist shop we are able to offer services not easily offered online. We are proud to have a centrally located and easily accessed shop which continues to be a destination for customers from all over the world looking for instruments and accessories. Howarth continues to offer the opportunity to try a varied range of instruments and select the perfect one for each player. The availability of on the spot advice and support from specialist sales staff and technicians is something that can never be replicated online. Howarth’s greatest asset is its staff. We are fortunate that many of our staff enjoy busy playing careers as well as working with us and they can bring that experience with them when assisting our customers. Many of the products we sell have been field tested by them and can be recommended from experience! Over the years they have come and gone. Some only stay for a while, but many have spent most of their working careers at Howarth. The ‘Twenty Year Club’ celebrates our long-term staff with an annual dinner, and new members are inducted at the shop Christmas party

During those seventy years, one of the biggest changes to how we work must surely be the internet. Mail order sales have always been a part of our business, but online shopping has opened a much broader customer base than ever before. On the other hand, it also means that customers have access to more suppliers when making a purchase. The rise of 10

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

alongside ‘promotions’ for existing members clocking up another decade! 2018 continues to be another busy year for us. As I write, we have just come back from a successful trip to the BDRS event at Park Place. We have also just been appointed as the UK dealers for Leitzinger bassoons and we are very excited to add these instruments to the extensive range we already stock. I am looking forward to planning a UK exhibition tour with Fox bassoons later this year and our oboe team already has a full diary of events and are now planning next year’s trips. Despite this, I am sure we will manage to take time out during this year’s IDRS conference in Granada to celebrate our anniversary. Michael Britton is considering finally taking a well-earned retirement, although I’m not sure anyone really believes him! On behalf of everyone at Howarth, past and present I would like to thank all our customers and friends for their continued support. There is every chance I will be writing here again in thirty years’ time when we mark the centenary of Howarth as a company. Despite the ever-increasing retirement age, hopefully I won’t be doing so in another seventy years though!

London Howarth team

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 11

MARSDEN BASSOON REEDS After much research I have developed a balance between cane, gouge, profile and tip thickness resulting in a light, controllable and free reed with excellent response and a big, warm sound. Adjustment notes come with all orders and all reeds are pre-tested by me.

Also available is my patented ‘Counter-Balance Seat Strap’

New website with introductory offers AND offers for existing customers making my reeds even better value for money.

Visit www.marsdenbassoonreeds.com or telephone 07980 001157 Steve Marsden, Principal Bassoon, Orchestra of Welsh National Opera.

‘Your reeds in use for both ﬁrst and second in Winchester for GERONTIUS! EXCELLENT RESULTS’ Miles Nipper, Advertising Manager, BDRS ‘All four reeds were very consistent and free-blowing with security across the range... I’ve tried a few different makers recently and found yours by far the best...’ Chris Cooper, former Principal Bassoon, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 12

Dresden . . . 35 Years Later (Part 1) Robert Codd tells the remarkable story – in his own inimitable way – of the strong relationship between the BBC’s Orchestra in Cardiff and the Deutsche Demokratische Republik (former East Germany) before ‘The Wall’ was pulled down.

There were many high points during the 30 years (and a day) that I spent with the BBC’s Orchestra in Cardiff before being released for Old Age and Good Behaviour, in September 2003. The orchestra and its players had undergone several metamorphoses during that time, from the original BBC Welsh Orchestra – officially 49 strong and usually referred to as ‘The Work’s Band’ – through the rapidly expanding BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra, to settle as the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, or BBC NOW, with a complement of 88 players. This name has provided endless entertainment, often appearing as BBC NOT NOW, or BBC NOW AND AGAIN. It was strange that the other titles originally considered for this newly rebranded orchestra – BBC Royal Orchestra of Wales, or BBC Symphony Orchestra of Wales – never caught on! Chief among these high points, and in some cases even more important than the music itself, were foreign tours to North America, the Far East and many parts of Europe, especially to the Communist Bloc, silent and austere behind the ‘Iron Curtain’. Perhaps the most remarkable of all was that undertaken by the BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra (the orchestral larval form perhaps?) to Dresden, deep in the DDR to commemorate, in a co-production with East German Television, the 35th anniversary of the Allied bombing of that city. This was the brainchild of Mervyn Williams – usually known as ‘Merv bleep

bleep’ on account of his passionate and colourful language – a television producer seconded to the orchestra and given a fair amount of freedom to pursue his love of Wales, music and rugby, ideally all at the same time. He had had some notable ‘scoops’ such as Cardiff Singer of the World. There was much mirth when this was first mooted since it was dubbed ‘Canary of the Universe’ or ‘Miss World meets the Eurovision Song Contest’, but now, of course, a highly successful BBC fixture. And then there was the performance of The Dream of Gerontius in Worcester Cathedral with Janet Baker and Andrew Davis on the 50th anniversary of Elgar’s death – just before anyone else came up with the idea – and his discovery of Aled Jones, as the Angel in Handel’s Jephtha, leading to a mass production of televised programmes, sometimes as many as five a day, before this exceptional voice broke. The series was known as ‘Aled and Friends’, with yours truly even taking part in one and greatly expanding the somewhat limited repertoire of works for treble and bassoon! But Mervyn’s idea to take Britten’s War Requiem to Dresden was seen as the most bizarre yet and was met with great scepticism. ‘Believe that when we actually fall over the rubble of the Frauenkirche’ was a typical response, this being the church that was going to be left permanently in ruins, to point to the destructiveness and futility of war. Mervyn passed away some years ago but I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to ask him how this venture came about. He told me that it was at an international conference of television producers in Geneva in the late 1970s that he had approached the East German delegation with the idea, pointing out that it was a work of peace, reconciliation and friendship, written by a life-long pacifist, and was moreover ‘a great piece.’ (No pun intended.) After some initial surprise, and not a little suspicion, they bought it, so much so that two of their scarce television budgets were scheduled and all roads around the recording venue closed for a fortnight to minimise disruption. So in October 1980 we left Cardiff on a charted LOT aircraft, complete with deafening engines and tanks of Polish Wodka and headed east towards the

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

unknown. The journey, like so many at that time, passed in a state of semioblivion (no zero-alcohol rules in those days), before we arrived at Halle, the nearest suitable landing place to Dresden and set foot on socialist soil. It did not seem too different from Cardiff, although the welcoming committee was slightly embarrassed by the facilities. ‘We are so sorry for our airport,’ said one official, but I thought it looked rather good; the grass, which extended to the horizon, was well over a foot long, providing a happy sporting ground for two hares the size of dogs, while a black kite hung in the air overhead. The locals may have been ashamed but it had an environmental appeal somewhat lacking at Heathrow. Fairly swiftly we were shunted into a small waiting room, remarkably like those of Great Western Railway stations back in the 1950s: wooden floors, wooden benches, brown paint and pictures of smiling – yes, definitely smiling – ladies in bathing costumes and carrying beachballs. Instead of promoting Clevedon or Weston-Super-Mare, the texts read ‘Besuchen Bulgarien’, ’das sonnige Romanien’, or ‘the beautiful sandy beaches of Poland’. There had been a technical hitch: some papers were not in order. Our Orchestral Manager, who had worked in Austria for several years and spoke perfect German, together with some officials walked backwards and forwards and round in circles, while we stared at the pictures of Transylvania wondering if we would ever see the golden sands of Barry Island again.

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 13

Suddenly it was resolved, smiles all round, and we were whisked away in three local buses at their top speed of about 45 km per hour. These vehicles were pretty basic and seriously underpowered. Registered to be used in East Germany and Hungary only, they were quite incapable of climbing any real hills. The official explanation was that such buses were more economical, but rumour had it that it was really to deter any drivers from attempting a dash for freedom. There was not much dashing en route to Dresden, which was just as well because most of the roads were as Hitler had left them: cobbled! The Hotel Newa, named after the river in St. Petersburg, was a modern, respectable building set aside for distinguished foreign guests: we must have qualified! The entrance hall was large and pleasant, equipped with extensive bar, silver beerdispensing machine and hung with imitation Flemish tapestries depicting ancient Saxon hunting scenes. The bedrooms were also a good size, probably bugged, but with large beds even by German standards, en suite facilities and a copy of Neues Deutschland, the East German newspaper. This was a black and white tabloid of about 6 pages, full of grey men in grey suits attending international conferences on tractors, mathematics and bio-chemistry. Very good bedtime reading: you were asleep in minutes. The next morning we set off for the first rehearsal. This involved crossing a large, open platz, probably about 400 metres square and made up of flagstones, low walls and water features, though these, rather like their British equivalents, were little more than cold, rectangular puddles. Buildings must have stood here once but it was now a chilly plateau that people crossed with a certain grim determination. On one occasion, at about 4.00 in the afternoon, it became very dark and began to snow. The silhouette of the vast, domed church seen in Canaletto’s prints could just be made out on one side. Suddenly there started a steady tolling of one of its bells: deep, low, sonorous and rather ominous. Was this the end of the world, the Dies Irae from the Requiem? It felt cold and sombre enough. Fortunately it proved to be a false alarm: a practice run perhaps.

Still this was a good place to meet the local inhabitants, such as the man with briefcase, leather jacket and flashing teeth who greeted me in perfect English: ‘Good morning, Mr. BBC. How is Benjamin Britten?’ Difficult to know how to reply to that. Another colleague, having asked a policeman directions to the Cathedral, found himself involved in a detailed appraisal of the War Requiem. Not sure what to discuss with the police in Cardiff? Perhaps try: ‘What do you think of A Short Ride in a Fast Machine?’ Along one side of this square there ran a line of shops including a music store, not with drums and pop songs but with miniature scores of operas and full sets of chamber music, such as Danzi wind quintets and thick tutors. (Books we’re talking about here!) The printed material was of very good quality – Peters Edition for example – and sold at incredibly low prices. Each of these tutors was priced at about 18 Ostmarks: c.£1.30? And full operatic scores for less than £2. Any budding composers could have their works produced by the most established of printing houses, since computers and photocopying were at this time almost unknown.

became well patronised by the orchestra members, including by Ralph, a fiddleplayer from Yorkshire, who had collected several pieces in his basket. In an attempt to develop friendly international relations he asked the assistant:- ‘Have you got any gut strings?’ ‘All our strings are good,’ she replied rather frostily. (Breakdown in Yorkshire/East German communications there.) To rescue the situation he tried again: ‘Do you have any Delius?’ A complete end to all negotiations. She took all the pieces out of the basket and put them back on the shelves. Apparently Ralph chuckled, stuck his pipe in his mouth and then muttered something completely incomprehensible to all parties present. Beyond the shops lay the famous Elbe, flanked by the Italianate buildings portrayed in the Canaletto paintings. They were still there, though looking rather austere, housing government and administrative departments: closed, grey, silent and forlorn. In the distance was the Frauenkirche, still a pile of rubble, a potent symbol indeed. The river was spanned by the original bridge, elegantly impressive, and the equestrian statue of August der Starke (August the Strong). Opposite this and in striking contrast, was Die Rote Fahne, a wall-hanging depicting a young socialist soldier, carrying a red flag and pointing his companions towards the distant horizon, or possibly to the icecream parlour (very popular in the DDR).

I gathered up the Danzi Quintet in E Minor, some pieces by Victor Bruns (a bassoonist and skilful composer who was once described as ‘Hindemith with jokes’), 3 volumes of Das Fagott, and several other East German pieces all unavailable in the West. I still had a pocket full of Ostmarks: ‘washers’ as people called them. Once you had chosen your purchases and put them in a basket, you took them to the cashier who totalled the amount up and then wrapped them in brown, recycled paper and tied them with string. Naturally this shop

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 14

Despite its romantic history the Elbe was massively polluted, running down from Czæchoslovakia and picking up tons of effluent as it went. We were told that every so often all fish that were still alive were taken out and placed in a fresh water resuscitation chamber for a few days – a kind of holiday at a health spa – before being put back again! Pollution was a huge problem; the Ore Mountains on the Czech/German border, spiritual birth-place of Tannhäuser, had lost all its woodland. Instead there were now black, broken sticks. To tackle this tragic situation they came up with a logical but slightly unwieldy solution. Fully mature trees, such as large limes, could be loaded onto trucks and moved to purer locations, rather than cutting them down and replanting. ‘One mature tree can compensate for the exhaust of five cars,’ we were told, though this may be hard to believe in the case of Trabants or ’Trabbies’, the iconic but very simple ‘people’s cars’, running on a fuel which was not exactly high-octane. These were much loved but, as someone explained, you had to stop every 50km to empty the grass-box!

Near the statue of Karl der Starke stood the Hofkirche, the Cathedral, recently restored and ready for anything, even the BBCWSO. Inside it was bare, but light and spacious with whitewashed walls, wooden benches and a simple wooden crucifix bearing an effigy of Christ. This too was made of wood and represented a moment of great anguish and suffering, a surprisingly harrowing image in such a cool and restrained building; moreover it was a new carving, in a state that was officially atheist. Our co-production was to be a landmark in several ways. This was the first time a Western orchestra had ever performed for Fernsehen der DDR (the East German television company), the first time the BBC had worked with Mitteldeutsches Rundfunk (Central German Radio), and the first time that these highly drilled and somewhat inscrutable Dresden musicians had ever encountered anything quite like us. We provided the main orchestra and the three soloists: Gill Gomez, Robert Tear (whom they liked very much because he

looked like Lenin) and Stephen Roberts. They supplied the conductor, Herbert Kegel, the choirboys under Herr Wagner, the chamber orchestra from the Dresdner Staatskapelle, and the choir (at that time the Leipziger Rundfunkchor). The producer was Wolfgang Nagel and, although the atmosphere during the welcoming speeches and greetings was generally subdued and respectful, several members of our orchestra could not resist commenting sotto voce: ‘Herr Kegel, yes we’ll skittle him; Herr Nagel, we’ll nail him too!’ We were amazed at how labour-intensive this production was. Perhaps it had something to do with providing work for everyone: each camera (four or five of the very old 1950s kind) had a massive cable that required at least seven people to deal with it. The range of types was interesting: young and old men, and a number of women including one who was about 50, very smartly dressed in a leopard-skin suit and shiny boots. The BBC had hoped to send a substantial delegation on this auspicious occasion and were a little put out when they were told that only Controller Wales (Geraint Stanley Jones) and one sound engineer were allowed into the country. ‘Thank you, we have all the technicians we need.’ So much for the exciting holiday that some had expected! Part 2 of Robert Codd’s story will follow in the next issue (DRN121) in the autumn.

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 15

Obituary Tribute Anthony McColl, oboist Born 12th July 1929 – died 21st December 2017.

given oboe players an act very hard to follow.

BDRS was particularly saddened to announce the death of oboist and former Chairman of the society, Anthony McColl. In this issue we include memories and photos of him from former colleagues at the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. From David Thomas Anthony McColl had quite a head start on me as a player at the ROH having joined in the 1960s – I started there in 1988 – and his seasoned experience was a great help to me when, as a new recruit I had much unfamiliar repertoire to get to know. He had a very good memory and if I asked about a piece that was coming up, a lesser known Massenet opera for instance, it would be typical of Anthony to say something like: ‘Oh, nice enough piece, not often done; there are a couple of nice solos for you in Act 1 and at the start of Act 2 (nothing troublesome). The only tricky writing for the section is, I think in the cor anglais part – a precarious passage right at the end.’ (He was always spot on!) Anthony had a love of language and literature and his clear thinking illuminated his easy, elegant conversation and writing. He was clearly well read and in music he had an enquiring mind with a particular interest in new music. (In fact his last visit to the Royal Opera House a year ago was to attend a dress rehearsal of The Exterminating Angel by Thomas Adès).

Anthony with David Presley Anthony will be missed by all of us who were lucky enough to know him: considerate, courteous, witty. And nobody could really wear a Liberty print tie quite like him!

a The gentle mind by gentle deeds is known, For a man by nothing is so well betray’d As by his manners b The word ‘gentleman’ was surely coined with Anthony McColl in mind. It is difficult to think of anyone who more closely fits the description. To have reached retirement age and maintained his enviable equanimity, Anthony has

Anthony came to the ROH in 1959, via No.3 RAF Regional Band, Cambridge University (where he read English), the Carl Rosa Opera Company and the Sadlers Wells Touring Orchestra. His retirement severs a direct link with many of this country’s finest oboists, and if the late Janet Craxton was perhaps a particular favourite of his, he has shown a remarkable ability to adapt to a succession of colleagues, some less than half his age!

To those of us who have come to Covent Garden with little prior knowledge of the repertoire, Anthony’s experience has been invaluable; an unsolicited memo warning of the dangers of a high, exposed cor anglais solo in at least four flats; the ability to pinpoint the precise moment Hunding is despatched in the rather featureless expanses of the third oboe parts of The Ring; a readiness to share his genuine enthusiasm for an enormous range of music, from Bach’s Komm Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott BWV 651 to Peter Maxwell Davies’ First Strathclyde Concerto, and almost everything in between bar Turandot. He declared his own ROH musical highlights as being The Ring and Parsifal under Kempe, Pelleas under Boulez and The Trojans under Colin Davis.

Anthony was very companionable and loved social gatherings out of the pit, not to mention rare trips away from Covent Garden. A memorable tour to Japan in 1992 springs to mind when he took every opportunity to enjoy himself sightseeing, eating out, or hamming it up a bit on stage with me in Don Giovanni wearing our doublet and hose costumes! Looking back over the years it occurs to me that Anthony probably knew a lot more about me than I did about him; the reason being he always seemed more interested in other people and what interested them, rather than talking about himself.

Anthony and the oboe section on the occasion of his retirement

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 16

Bassonicus: Coming to Terms with ‘Acoustic Shock’ by Jefferey Cox.

For whatever reason, violists have become the butt of other musicians, and have to suffer jokes running them down as slow, stupid and incompetent. The implication is that you don’t play the viola if you can play the violin, or that the viola is better left to someone whom Nature has endowed with two left hands! Belgians are regarded by some countries as the EU’s equivalent of violists, and when Belgian astrophysicist Dirk Frimout was selected to travel into space in 1992 there was astonishment that a country renowned for its beer, chips and waffles should be let anywhere near an international space programme! But let’s return to our string playing colleagues: Christopher Goldscheider is a violist who performed with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, BBC symphony orchestras, and the orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He was also a session musician who had played in performances and recordings made by Pavarotti and Kylie Minogue. But his life was changed in 2012 when, during a rehearsal of Wagner’s Die Walküre, a blast from the 18-member brass section (4 trumpets, 4 trombones, 9 French horns and a tuba) left him with loss of hearing, vertigo, pain and nausea as a consequence of ‘Acoustic Shock’. The effects of this were so debilitating that he was obliged to retire in 2014. He decided to sue the management of the Royal Opera House and, on 29th March 2018 in a landmark case, the British High Court ruled that the Royal Opera House was responsible for his injury. In the opinion of Justice Nicola Davies, the Opera House had violated regulations requiring it to protect musicians from dangerous noise levels. This was the first time the High Court had recognised Acoustic Shock as an occupational hazard eligible for damages. In a statement to the BBC the Opera House said that it was disappointed by the ruling, adding: ‘We do not believe that the noise regulations can be applied in an artistic institution in the same manner as in a factory, not least because in the case of the Royal Opera House, sound is not a by-product of an industrial process, but an essential part of the product itself’. The Royal Opera House added that it went to great lengths to 16

shield musicians from loud noises, erecting sound baffles and carefully arranging the different musicians to limit the dangers while delivering sound to the audience. According to the house: ‘A balance had to be struck between artistic considerations and the safety of musicians’; but, according to the judge, the reliance upon ‘artistic value’ implied that statutory health and safety requirements had to cede to the needs and wishes of the artistic output of the opera company, its managers and conductors. This was unacceptable. Musicians were entitled to the protection of the law as any other worker. The judge’s ruling could have significant implications for Britain’s music industry, with musicians insisting on greater concern for their welfare, and Management faced with demands which could change working practices and introduce new costs. In this instance it is the under-rated violists who appear to have overturned an entire musical regime. But tempting though it is to celebrate the judgement as a done deal, it would probably be more appropriate to consider it as a battle in what could be a protracted war. There is too much at stake for the Royal Opera House to give up at the first fence. Also, sound is a complex phenomenon, and deciding or defining when a musician has been exposed to excessive levels is by no means straightforward: sound being, in this case, not a by-product of an industrial process, but an essential part of the product itself. Hearing loss is a function of exposure time, the average sound level, and the peaks of very loud sounds. A musician might expect to experience hearing problems if exposed to very loud sounds for a short time, or longer periods at a lower level of noise. Different individuals will be affected in different ways, so there is some ‘wiggle room’ when it comes to defining just where the harmful parameters lie. However, a number of working definitions have been accepted, and these are what the judge based her opinion on. Goldscheider’s solicitors argued that the music business had wrongly considered itself exempt from the requirements

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

placed on other sectors because of the artistic nature of its output. ‘This, in our view, has always been a dismissive view of an industry which creates and sells “noise” as a product’. During the afternoon when Goldscheider experienced acoustic shock he was placed in the direct line of fire of the brass section, and in particular the principal trumpet. Over the course of several hours, the sound from the horns exceeded 91 decibels on average (high enough to cause loss of hearing) and, at its loudest, peaked at 137 decibels – as loud as a jet engine at 100 feet. The ear plugs issued by the Opera House were totally inadequate. Opera house pits are rarely generous when it comes to space for players, and the balance of sound required for a particular opera may dictate a less than ideal lay-out when it comes to placement of the orchestra. Concert orchestras fare better, but we bassoonists know to our cost that we are never far from the brass section. So we know that ‘noisy’ scores (Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique for instance) are going to be tough on our hearing. But how many of us take precautions and equip ourselves with suitable protection? Earplugs come with different degrees of protection, the most sophisticated designed to cover a specific range of frequencies with different levels of attenuation. There are also transparent shields which – literally – place a sound barrier between players without impeding a player’s vision. As you know, the art of playing in an ensemble lies as much in careful listening as in playing. It may seem paradoxical, but loud playing can make it more difficult to hear what is going on whereas soft playing encourages attention to detail. There are many gradations to soft playing whereas ‘loud’ is more often than not simply ‘LOUD’! So let us raise a glass to Christopher Goldscheider and his viola, and hope that his victory leads to better auditory protection. For me it has come too late – I felt obliged to resign last year from the orchestras I was playing with – but there is scope for woodwind teachers to include advice in their lessons, and insist that their charges always carry a pair of earplugs in their music cases.

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 17

Park Place: April 2018 BDRS Courses and Double Reed Day Reports from some of those who took part, introduced by Clive Fairbairn.

Double Reed Week Park Place Pastoral Centre, Wickham, Hampshire April 2018

upsurge in business that week from a lot of the sociable course participants! Each morning began with warm-up sessions run by Laurence in the hall: a relaxing and thoughtful time for everyone, especially helping our breathing and posture for the day. The last session saw us all composing a musical Haiku, sharing them on our instruments if we wanted. And what a lovely party on the last night! (Mostly) musical quizzes run by both Laurence and John produced much laughter. It was a perfect way to conclude the four days of the course, with the Double Reed Day still to look forward to.

It is by now a well-known fact that during recent years BDRS has been re-examining how it serves its members and the wider double-reed fraternity. Already since 2016 several new initiatives have emerged and events presented. It was not perhaps a surprise then that another new formula would be rolled out this year. Park Place, chosen for its amenities, its perfect setting and flexible lay-out, was the ideal venue for a new five-day event running from Tuesday to Saturday, 10th-14th April. The participants had travelled from all parts of the UK, and several from abroad, to attend oboe and bassoon courses during the week under the tutelage of John Anderson and Laurence Perkins, culminating in Saturday’s Double Reed Day. This final day brought the course attendees and those who sought a day with the traditional mix of recitals, workshops and performances together for a double-reed extravaganza. Below are just a few of the reactions of the many who took part. Reading their contributions I think many of them may be surprised to learn that John Anderson also had a great time! Read his comments at the end. Jill Parnell What an inspiring four days I spent at Park Place, Wickham at the BDRS Course leading up to the Double Reed Day on the 14th April! An extraordinary amount of work had been put in by Laurence Perkins and John Anderson, together with the wonderful pianist Yoshiko Endo – and of course Miles Nipper, whose organising skills brought everything together – to ensure such a successful and enjoyable time for all. My overriding memory is of meeting many like-minded oboists and bassoonists who all share a love of these instruments, which bring us such delight along with extreme exasperation. Sessions on reed making certainly helped to make some sense of the frustration!

We spent some of our sessions playing in ensembles under the expert tuition of John and Laurence, and learning so much from them. In free time we were able to get together, if we wished, to explore other works. There were also sessions in the lovely chapel where we all had the fantastic chance to play our solo pieces accompanied by the amazing Yoshiko, learning aspects of technique, breath control, alternative fingerings and posture from the ever-patient and enthusiastic John and Laurence. It was such a treat to be in the audience for the second night concert in the chapel, where we were all left in no doubt about the beauty of both double reed instruments played exquisitely by Laurence and John. John played a magical unaccompanied piece by Pēteris Vasks – John’s fingers seemed to fly over his keys – followed by music from Bernstein’s West Side Story accompanied by Yoshiko. Laurence demonstrated the mellifluous qualities that the bassoon can convey with his unmistakable haunting sound. (An extra special aspect of this item was that Yoshiko’s piano had actually belonged to Bernstein!) Poulenc’s stunning Trio brought the concert to an end. How very fortunate we all were, to experience this concert again on the BDRS day along with the many other planned recitals. Park Place is a delightful venue, run by the most caring nuns; they looked after us so well. It was also just a walk away to an attractive village pub, which saw an

I was certainly very happy to hear that this great course is to be repeated next year: to anyone who is tempted, I urge you to sign up and hope to see you there! From Alf Gjessing: ‘Not an Englishman in New York, but a Norwegian in Hampshire.’ In Norway we don´t have a Double Reed Society. That is the main reason for me to be a member of the BDRS. Some years ago, I remember seeing a report from a BDRS Double Reed Day. I said to myself that next year I will be there. Next year came, but not with a Double Reed Day. When I heard about the BDRS Park Place Course and Double Reed Day, I sent an application to Miles Nipper at once. Struggling to get to Park Place I learned a lot about public transport in England, but I got there at last! At Park Place I made lots of new friends. I played bassoon with other bassoonists, with oboists and duets with Mary. I even played with Yoshiko Endo. I heard marvellous music played by John Anderson, Laurence Perkins and Yoshiko Endo. The tutors and my fellow musicians were all very friendly and supportive. The Sisters at Park Place Pastoral Centre were superb too. Good friendly atmosphere and excellent food. It was not scary to be a Norwegian in Hampshire; I think even to be an Englishman in Hampshire could be good. Watch up for next year. Put me on the list please Miles!

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 30/05/2018 13:38 Page 18

This gallery of photos from the camera of Mike Bell gives a flavour of the occasion and atmosphere at Park Place during the course and Double Reed Day. Ian Crowtherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is just one of several trade stands that gave participants plenty of opportunity to try instruments, crooks and accessories; John Anderson and Laurence Perkins coached and performed to delighted audiences; attendees played in both large- and small-scale groups; those who wished could perform under the spotlight in masterclass format; and of course the contrabassoons had to misbehave!

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 20

From Graham Grafton We had so many wonderful experiences at the Double Reed Day that it’s impossible to list them all. However, I think that probably what Laurence Perkins and the other organisers would be most proud of – and rightly so – would be the contribution from the Hampshire Double Reed Ensemble. Besides entertaining us with their playing, they demonstrated that beyond the excellent performers that we heard on that day, the BDRS has an exciting future in store. Many thanks. From Jane Syrett Arriving on Tuesday I really wasn’t sure what to expect, to do or to achieve over the week. Would it be full on ensemble playing or maybe more time would be set aside to learn and explore the oboe? It turned out for me to be a rewarding and balanced mix. Sessions on reed adjusting were, as always, a popular topic, but my most memorable session has to be when John attempted to teach us some alternate fingering for the upper register. Fifteen oboists, all trying out their top F, F#, G alternate fingerings at the same time with varying degrees of success, was quite a sound! I think I got the most out of listening to John and fellow course members playing some amazing pieces with Yoshiko during the Masterclasses: I learnt a lot just by listening. It’s not a course focussed on ensemble playing; other courses dotted throughout the year can help me work on that skill. This week was instead a chance to play alongside, learn from and get inspiration from two very enthusiastic tutors and many other lovely oboe players. Thank you. Les Macdougal: Canadian via France I have been asked, as an oboist travelling from abroad, to share my impressions of this first BDRS five-day event. (I use the term ‘oboist’ loosely as two years under my belt does not compare to a real oboist with 40.) 20

I live with my husband on a small farm in France near Lezay, a rural village which happens to have a town band. I am the only oboe in the band so have no mentor to learn from, although our donkeys do produce a fine low Eb. Fortunately, our audience is a very sympathetic one. I guess the most valuable part of this last week for me, was to meet so many very talented oboists and be able to share ideas and hear close up what an oboe should sound like. John is a treat to listen to and I wish he were my neighbour. In hindsight, my expectations were perhaps unrealistic and I am not sure that I am any better than I was when I arrived; but (a big but) I hope that I have taken away hints and tips that will make me better in the future. Roll out those scales... From Vincent Fox As I entered the venue I could see that the participants had congregated in the reception area. Would I know anyone? Would I be the least experienced player? Other similar questions had gone through my mind during the journey that morning. I was immediately greeted by Miles who set my mind at rest. The course had been organised so that it began with lunch, which gave us the opportunity for everyone to get to know each other better. A sense of camaraderie was established even before we set up our instruments. My fears of being the least experienced player evaporated very early in the week as the group offered each other so much support and encouragement. The willingness to share knowledge and the overall generosity of spirit amongst musicians is amazing! As the week progressed my confidence, technique and sound improved substantially with each session. Of course there were moments when I faltered but I held onto the advice that no one plays flawlessly, except John and Laurence of course. Their performances at the midweek concert were truly inspirational and to watch Yoshi’s fingers fly across the piano was mesmerising (in addition to the sound of her playing!).

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

I also enjoyed the impromptu ensemble sessions that took place throughout the week during rest periods. These provided an excellent opportunity to participate in playing without the pressure of formal group sessions. Once again I was bowled over by the generosity of those who coached and reassured me. The week ended with a play day. There was so much going on and it was another day filled with enthusiasm and great performances. I am delighted that I was part of the double reed week. It has helped me to identify my potential to be a better musician. It has also helped me to achieve my ambition to improve my sound and to be willing to play in front of other people. This was the perfect chance to meet other musicians of various levels and grow together under the leadership of John and Laurence. I cannot recommend the course highly enough. Thank you to John, Laurence and Yoshi for sharing their expertise and boundless energy and to Miles for all the hard work that undoubtedly went into ensuring that the week ran smoothly; finally a huge thank you to the nuns who took such good care of us all throughout the week. From John Anderson In April I had the pleasure of coaching on the BDRS double reed course in Wickham, Hampshire. To be honest I approached this event with some trepidation. This was to be my first experience of working with double reeders on a residential course over five days. I needn’t have worried. The players on the course had boundless enthusiasm for the oboe and its repertoire. We had time to explore all aspects of performance and the many and varied techniques needed to play our beautiful and sometimes demanding instrument. It was a luxury to have enough time to go into things in depth as well as to relax in the lovely Hampshire surroundings. I now find myself looking forward to next year’s course with no trepidation at all!

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 21

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 22

A Newly Discovered Bassoon Wing Joint by Johann Schell by David Rachor, reprinted from ‘rohblatt magazine with the kind permission of the editor and the author: translation advisor, Michael Johnson. The discovery of an instrument – or in this case a portion of instrument – by an early woodwind maker is important. It is especially notable when it is thought that the maker could have built bassoons, but to date none have come to light. Such is the case with a wing joint by Johann Schell (1660–1732), which is in my collection in Tempe, Arizona (USA). The wing joint came to me through a purchase from Mr. Lawrence Ibisch1 and is part of a bassoon that he purchased on eBay from a seller in Germany.2 Johann Schell was the youngest son of Anton Schell, a “Consenior” (elder) of the Nuremberg “Wildruf- und Horndrehergewerbe” (Guild of Hunting-horn Makers), and he may well have learnt this trade in his father’s workshop. A hunting-horn maker produced instruments used in rallying calls for the hunt, which in those days were obtainable mainly in Nuremberg. Additionally he manufactured objects from horn, for example combs. He apparently spent his entire life in Nuremberg, with records indicating his birth, death and work history there. It appeared he was a prosperous craftsman: he was a property owner, lent and borrowed large sums of money, had two wives with a total of twelve children, and in 1713 was appointed Gassenhauptmann (street captain). He is mentioned for the first time as a ‘flute maker’ in 1693 church registers.3 Johann Schell was an important early woodwind maker in his own right, especially for the recorder, but the fact that he worked in Nuremberg with the celebrated woodwind craftsman, Johann Christoph Denner (1655–1707), further adds to his significance. In 1696, Schell and J C Denner, together as ‘oboe and bassoon makers’, submitted a petition to the Council for masters’ rights within the Guild of Hunting-horn Makers in order to build ‘French musical instruments, consisting mainly of oboes and flutes’.4. Their petition was granted in 1697.5

Photo 1: Schell maker's stamp on wing joint using a black light (Photo by D. Rachor) Nickel believes that Schell could have made bassoons. In his book, Der Holzblasinstrumentenbau in der Freien Reichsstadt Nuremberg, Nickel states that ‘...Schell may have built flutes, oboes, and bassoons’.7 The Schell maker’s stamp on the wing joint was not easy to locate, since one does not normally find maker’s stamps on this portion of the bassoon. It is located below the three finger-holes on the épaule (the extension on the wing through which the three finger-holes are drilled). The wing stamp is faint, but one can read the letters H. Schell in a scroll.8 With the aid of X-ray technology, one can see the entwined monogram below the scroll (see photo No.1).9 William Waterhouse describes this portion below the scroll as a Schlingmonogramm (serpentine monogram), or ‘a decorative monogram of the intertwined design of ‘JS’ in both normal and minor-image’.10 The best examples of Schell stamps are the two bass recorders in the Oberösterreichischen Landesmusem in Linz, Austria.11 The similarity of the wing joint stamp to these other known Schell woodwinds confirms the authenticity of the stamp. Before leaving the discussion of the Schell wing stamp, it is interesting to note that the Schell stamp is remarkably similar to his colleague’s stamp, Johann Christoph Denner. Both makers place their name within a scroll with a decoration on the

Schell’s known instruments principally comprise alto, tenor, and bass recorders; however, Phillip Young lists also a transverse flute and three oboes.6 Even though the Schell-Denner petition stated, ‘mainly oboes and recorders,’ Ekkehart 22

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

bottom end of the scroll; even though one can find other examples of eighteenthcentury woodwind makers that placed their name in a scroll, this fact may be an indication of their close working relationship. Although the two makers had similar stamps, Denner did not place his bassoon wing stamps on the wing épaule as Schell did. A conspicuous feature of the Schell wing is the remanufactured uppermost 13.5 centimetres of the joint (see photos Nos.2 and 3). This modification, as well as the well-worn finger holes, gives evidence that the bassoon was played a great deal, probably for many years. Modifications to the uppermost portion of the wing are common on old bassoons since this is where the crook is inserted into the wing, and the player’s saliva will, over time, rot this portion of the wing bore. There are two salient features regarding this repair: • the length of the cap is approximately one-quarter the total length of the wing, which is a great deal longer than most repairs to this area of the wing, • and the restorer used as much of the uppermost original bore of the wing as possible. The restorer who made this repair was obviously very knowledgeable since he knew just how important this uppermost portion of the bore is to the overall playing characteristics of the bassoon.

Photo 2: Schell wing joint (Photo by D. Rachor)

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 23

Normally, repairs to this section of the wing are done either by replacing the inside bore where the crook is inserted, or remanufacturing the top 3 or 4 cms of the wing. The restorer left approximately 8.5 cms of the old Schell bore, but made the repair extend down to the first ring (see photo No.3). The extreme length of the remanufacture was made either to hide the repair by extending it to the turned bead, or to make the repair as solid as possible. It is not possible to discern when this was done.

• there is a flared finial rather than a brass ferrule where the crook is inserted; • the upper quarter of the wing consists of a baluster with a bead at either end; • the lower bead of the baluster is embellished with several turnings on either side; • the épaule does not stand separate from the wing and, as it extends outward from the wing, it is roundedoff toward the end; • there is no pedestal at the bottom tenon.

Photo 3: Schell wing joint detail of original bore and removed remanufactured overlay (Photo by D. Rachor) The physical qualities and characteristics of the Schell wing, which are typical of many late seventeenth- or early eighteenth-century bassoons, are as follows (the later manufactured cap will be discussed along with the original portion of the wing):

The dimensions of the Schell wing are as follows: • in total it is 53.6 cms total in length (this is the length including the newly manufactured cap); • the original wing joint with the cap removed is 48.5 cms;

• the later manufactured cap is 13.8 cms in length; • the bore diameter at the bottom tenon is 14.0 millimetres, and the diameter where the crook is inserted (in the newly manufactured cap) is 13.3 mms.12 Knowing the physical characteristics and dimensions of the Schell wing, it would be beneficial to compare these to wing joints of Johann Christoph Denner, whom we know was Schell’s colleague. Firstly, comparing the turning features of the Schell wing and four Denner wings (Musikinstrumenten-Museum Berlin Nos.2970 and 2969; Musée Instrumental, Brussels M427; St. Petersburg Sheremetev Palace Museum of Music No.528), the only noticeable difference is in the construction of the épaule: the Denner épaule stands separate from the wing as opposed to the Schell wing, which does not. All the other turning details are similar: flared finial; a baluster with a bead on either side; no pedestal at the bottom (see photo No.4).13 Next, using three JC Denner bassoons to compare total length (Musikinstrumenten-Museum Berlin Nos.2970 and 2969; Musée Instrumental, Brussels M427), the wings range from 48.4 to 51.9 cms, and the Schell wing is 53.6 cms in length.14 The length measurements can be misleading, since the Schell wing cap could have been made longer than the original, and the length of the three Denner wings could have been altered over time to help adapt to changing pitch standards. Lastly, the bore diameter at the bottom tenons of the three Denner wings range from 14.0 to 15.3 mms. This places the Schell wing,

Photo 4: Two wing joints of Johann Christoph Denner: Musikinstrumenten-Museum Berlin Nos. 2969 (top) and 2969 (bottom). (Photo courtesy of Dr. Mathew Dart)

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 24

at 14.0 mms, in the range of the Denner wings. The similarity of many details of the Schell and Denner wing joints begs the question whether Denner made this wing. We know few details of the working relationship between Schell and his colleague J C Denner; Schell might have simply placed his stamp on a Denner instrument. We know that in some cases this was done because the tools needed to make a bassoon were much larger, more expensive and more difficult to make than for the smaller woodwinds (recorders, flutes and oboes). Since we only have examples of smaller Schell woodwinds, could it be possible that when Schell received a rare order for a bassoon, he simply placed his stamp on a J C Denner instrument? Might it be that Schell actually made the bassoon, but used Denner’s large reamers to manufacture the bore? I present these suppositions because, in all probability, if bassoons were truly a large portion of Schell’s instrument production, more would have come down to us. Regrettably, unless another Schell bassoon, or portion of a bassoon, comes to light, this is all speculation. 1

Mr. Lawrence Ibisch is a French system bassoonist and restorer living in New York City (USA). After a quick examination of the entire bassoon, one can see that the wing was not made by the same maker as the boot joint and long joint (the bell is missing). All three joints of

the bassoon have maker’s stamps, but it is obvious that the wing stamp was different from the stamps on the other joints. The boot and long joint was manufactured by the same maker since the stamps are similar. However, to date, the maker’s stamps have not been identified. William Waterhouse, The New Langwill Index: A Dictionary of Musical Wind-Instrument Makers and Inventors (London: Tony Bingham, 1993) 352. Günter Dullat, Verzeichnis der Holzund Metallblasinstrumentenmacher auf deutschsprachigem Gebiet von 1500 bis Mitte des 20. Jahrhunderts (Tutzing: Schneider, 2010) 408. Manfred H. Grieb (ed.), Nuremberger Künstlerlexikon: Bildende Künstler, Kunsthandwerker, Gelehrte, Sammler, Kulturschaffende und Mäzene vom 12. bis zur Mitte des 20. Jahrhunderts (München: K.G. Saur, 2007) 1316. Waterhouse, The New Langwill Index, 86, 352. Dullat, Verzeichnis der Holz-und Metallblasinstrumentenmacher, 109, 408. Grieb, Nuremberger Künstlerlexikon, 1316. By 1684, Schell had finished the required journeyman time period, but he had to wait twelve years to be granted masters’ rights because the number of licensed masters was limited to twelve. Masters’ vacancies rarely occurred since widows often married their husbands’ journeymen. Phillip T. Young, 4900 Historical Woodwind Instruments: An Inventory of 200 Makers in International

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

Collections (London: Tony Bingham, 1993) 205, 206. ‘In erster Linie dürfte Schell Flöten, Oboen und Fagotte gebaut haben’. Ekkehart Nickel, Der Holzblasinstrumentenbau in der Freien Reichsstadt Nuremberg (München: Emil Katzbichler, 1971) 273. The letter H was frequently used as an abbreviation on maker’s stamps for Johann. The Schell maker’s stamp has been authenticated in June 2017 by Dr. Gunther Joppig, former curator of the Musical Instrument Collection of the Münchner Stadtmuseum. Waterhouse, The New Langwill Index, 352. See two bass recorders MU 10 and MU 11 in Young, Die Holzblasinstrumente im Oberösterreichischen Landesmusem, 63, 65. 13.3 millimeters is very large bore diameter for a bocal receiver. The bocal receiver may have been enlarged in diameter at some point, or it was intended for a rather large bocal. Mathew Dart, ‘The Baroque Bassoon: form, construction, acoustics, and playing qualities’, Ph.D. diss. (London Metropolitan University, 2011) 113. Dart, ‘Baroque Bassoon’, 404, 408, 412.

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 25

OBOE REED MAKING EQUIPMENT A large amount of Oboe reed making equipment for sale; almost brand new or barely used. 1 Howarth Router: 1 Glotin Mandrel 1 unlabelled Mandrel (larger so possibly Cor Anglais) 1 Easel Oboe: 1 Easel Cor Anglais Assorted reed knives ( Right Handed) 5 rolls of coloured nylon assorted thread 1 Cutting Block 1 Smith’s Fine/Medium Combination Stone

Wonderful Winds *Inspirrational music for woodw wind* A unique collection of ensemble music for groups of all sizes and abilitiies. With its commitment to musical excellence and dedication to customer service, Wonderful Winds is fast becoming one of the leading woodwind publishers worldwide. ³1RERG\ FRXOG IDLO EXW WR EH delighted by all you do - 7KDQN <RX ´ Liz Childs, Bedfordshire W oodwind Academy

³, FDQ WUXO\ VD\ WKDW \RX KDYH WUDQVIRUPHG P\ ZRUNLQJ OLIH ´ Liz Fyfe, W ells Cathedral School

1 Smith’s Honing Oil 2 Black Reed Cases (each fit 12 reeds): 1 Black Cor Anglais Reed Box All with Red velvet interior 5 plaques (3 metal, 1 plastic and 2 ebony) 1 copy of Evelyn Rothwell’s Guide to Reedmaking Nova Music Some cut cane and shaped cane and cork bases for free. Double Oboe and Cor Anglais Stand: large worn Case. A huge selection of Oboe/Wind Quintet music for sale. Some of it has barely been used.

Shop online @

www..wo onderffulwinds.com ³UHGHILQLQJ WKH UHSHUWRLUH´

Contact Sophie Milton on 07788 750391 or sophie.milton@sky.com for further details.

IAN WHITE

Paul Carrington

BASSOON & CONTRA REPAIRS

Woodwind Instrument Repair Specialist

Also accessories & used bassoons

Pease Hill Cottage Town End Lane Flintham Newark Nottinghamshire NG23 5LT

for

01865 873709 ian@ianwhiteww.co.uk www.ianwhiteww.co.uk Wheatley, Oxford. (Nr. J8 M40)

Tel: (01636) 525397 Email: carringtonflintham@hotmail.co.uk

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 26

Music at Christ’s Hospital by Jenni Britton, Molly Sellors, Charlotte Suckling.

Reading through the Spring 2018 edition of DRN, I was surprised and interested to see Jim Gowers mention Christ’s Hospital School. In his article – an addendum to the obituary tribute for Jonathan Steward – he recalled that former pupil Jonathan would always have, ‘...prepared [his] part and then rehearse without fuss.’ He added that these attributes were, ‘ ...by no means universal at the school at the time!’ I am happy to say that I now teach oboe at Christ’s Hospital, or ‘CH’ as it is known, and can vouch for the enthusiasm and hard work of the students. Music is an integral part of the school and has been for over 400 years. The pupils march into lunch everyday accompanied by the Band, which is conducted and led by Bandmaster and bassoon teacher Terry Whittingham. It is for the Band that the music department of CH is most well known. Outside of music, the pupils of CH can be easily identified by their distinctive uniform, which has hardly altered since Tudor times: a long blue coat, white neck band and yellow socks. The boys wear knee breeches and the girls wear a skirt.

In the music department there are over 600 individual lessons a week, around 50% of which are free of charge and the rest extensively subsidised, according to family income. Many students borrow instruments, accessories and sheet music, free of charge, during their time at the school. There is also a prestigious scholarship in memory of former CH student Sir Colin Davies. Around a quarter of the students in the school play in one of the major ensembles including the Band, Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Intermediate Band and the Swing Band. There are also opportunities to perform as soloists or in smaller ensembles, including a weekly lunchtime concert which is open to the public. The oboes and bassoons of CH are well represented in the larger school ensembles. There are currently five oboists and four bassoonists who march in the Band, including a pair of sisters who play oboe and bassoon. Chamber music experiences come from the double reed ensemble and the wind quintet, as well as duo performances with pianists. In recent times students of an advanced level have performed movements from Poulenc’s Trio for Oboe,

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

Bassoon and Piano (at St John’s, Smith Square), Mozart’s Oboe Quartet, the Saint-Saëns Oboe Sonata and Gordon Jacob’s Concerto for Bassoon and Strings among others. On a larger scale, some ‘Grecian’ (Upper 6th) students are selected for the annual Symphonic Concert to play concerto movements or short pieces with an orchestra made up of professionals, students and former students (or ‘Old Blues’ as they are known). In the last few years there have been performances of the first movements of the Vaughan Williams and Haydn concertos for oboe and Weber’s Andante e Rondo Ongarese, Op.35 for bassoon. There are also many opportunities for younger, less experienced players to perform solos to the public. Many students perform exam pieces as a warm-up to the main event in lunchtime concerts. Students at all levels are encouraged to perform. At school most of the students borrow an instrument. At the moment we have a collection of student Howarth, Buffet and Yamaha oboes. There are currently eleven oboes loaned out to students, alongside

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 27

instruments owned by the students themselves. Some of the oboists borrow two instruments because they march outdoors in all conditions and need both a wooden oboe for playing indoors and a plastic oboe for marching. In order to play and march, the oboists attach a metal lyre to their bells, which would damage the wooden oboes. This academic year music scholar Molly Sellors, who is in ‘UF’ (Year 10), has been generously loaned the Headmaster’s daughter’s Howarth S45c oboe while she is at CH. I asked Molly her thoughts about music at CH: ‘Musical life at CH can be very busy! There are many ensembles, including a double reed ensemble, bands, choirs and orchestras. Band is a daily occurrence, with marching parades happening every Monday through to Saturday at lunchtime. Concert Band rehearsals happen during the Michaelmas and Lent terms and beating retreat rehearsals occur in the Summer term, every Tuesday evening and Sunday morning. The lunchtime marching parades, in my opinion, are very useful as quite often we have to sight-read and most of the marches have 5 or 6 flats. I would definitely say this has improved my sight-reading ability hugely!

‘The school also holds weekly lunchtime concerts which have benefitted me immensely, as performing experience is invaluable for the future and you wouldn’t get such a wealth of it at many schools.’ What was it about the oboe that made Molly want to learn it? ‘The first instrument I learned to play was a descant recorder. After a while I wanted to progress to an orchestral instrument. I came across a website that played Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on every instrument. I really liked the sound of the cor anglais and knew that that was the instrument I wanted to play. However, I found I had to play the oboe as my hands were too small for a start and the local music centre didn’t have a cor. To this day, I have still not had the chance to play the cor anglais as CH currently doesn’t have one either, but I hope one day that may change. You never know what someone may find lurking in their cupboard! ‘I enjoy playing the oboe as it’s not a common instrument and I like being different! I think the sound is far nicer than single reed instruments, most of which just sound squeaky! I like the fact that in many pieces the oboe often has the melody. This I am thankful for as it means you aren’t sitting around for ages staring into space or just counting bars rest.’ Molly recently gave a very musically mature performance of the first movement of the Poulenc Oboe Sonata in the inaugural Scholars’ Concert, when she was able to show off the graduate oboe that she has been loaned. The two sisters at CH who play double reed instruments are oboist Lovedae Roberts, also in ‘UF’, and bassoonist Angelle who is a ‘Deputy Grecian’ (Lower 6th). Angelle decided to play the bassoon after researching the instrument and thinking it was, ‘unique looking!’ Lovedae started the oboe at primary school. Her parents gave her the choice of which instrument to choose and she was drawn to the oboe.

Molly Sellors

The career path for musicians at CH is varied. Former double reed students have gone on to study Law, Classics, History of

Charlotte Suckling Art, Costume Design, Archaeology and Medicine, as well as Music at music college and university. Current Grecian bassoonist Charlotte Suckling will be continuing with the bassoon after CH. She started off playing the clarinet at the school, but was offered the chance to try the bassoon. Initially, she found producing a sound more difficult than on the clarinet, but has thrived from those early beginnings and took her Grade 8 exam at the end of last year. I asked her about her plans after CH: ‘As I am now in my final term I have had to think about life beyond the bubble that is CH. I am joining the Corps of Army Music and have been given a place to study Bassoon and Music at the Royal Military School of Music at Kneller Hall, upon completion of a 14-week basic training course. This should see me play bassoon in various capacities for the foreseeable future.’ As we make our way through the Summer Term and the evenings get lighter I will enjoy hearing the Band rehearse outside in the distance as I walk to the train station on my way home. The future of music in schools currently feels like a perilous one, but at CH everything is being done to provide opportunities for students to learn an instrument and become well-rounded, experienced musicians.

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 28

Reports & News Double Reed Day in Portadown, Northern Ireland by Krista Gallagher The Education Authority of Northern Ireland held its Double Reed Day on Sunday 25th March in Portadown Music Centre. The event was run in association with Howarth of London and guest players from the Ulster Orchestra. It was a well-attended day with over 40 players taking part. There were masterclass sessions with Christopher Blake, oboe and Vahan Khourdoian, bassoon for senior students, whilst junior players had a rehearsal with Colin Stark, oboe and Greg Topping, bassoon. There were also full sectional rehearsals held in preparation for the massed ensemble at the end. Howarth offered a ‘try a cor-anglais and contra bassoon’ session, which was particularly great fun for some of the younger players! Ben Couldwell from Howarth’s writes: ‘It’s a long drive from Chiltern Street to Portadown, but the friendly reception from the keen double reed players in Northern Ireland meant the trip was a pleasure to make. It was great to see so many young players have the chance to work with the Ulster Orchestra’s double reed players. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves as much as we did, and we’re looking forward to doing it again in two years’ time.’ The lunchtime recital was the highlight of the day for many as Vahan and Christopher performed pieces individually then, with piano, playing the Trio by Poulenc. Afterwards they were joined by Greg and Colin for a selection of fun performances: bassoon duets, a bassoon and oboe trio, and finally a double reed quartet!

BDRS in 2019 Following the success of this year’s 5-day BDRS Course and DR Day, the dates for next year’s event have now been announced: April 30th – May 4th. Four days of oboe and bassoon simultaneous courses will be followed by a Double Reed Day, again at Park Place, Wickham, Hampshire. Further details will be distributed via social media and the BDRS website www.bdrs.org.uk

Pracownia Fagocisty by Roger Birnstingl When I was visiting professor at the Royal College of Music in the early years of this century, I had the chance to hear a student called Arek Adamczyk who was studying with Andrea di Flammineis and Martin Gatt. By 2006 he was in the Southbank Sinfonietta and since then has freelanced with many English orchestras from Cardiff to the Royal Opera House passing by the Royal Philharmonic. In 2010 he was appointed professor at the Paderewski Music Academy in Poznan where he lives with his wife, Agata and their two small sons. Arek and Agata, realising the interest that there is in Poland for this instrument, decided early in 2017 to host a Pracownia fagocisty, or bassoon workshop, in the Paderewski Academy, (Ignacy Jan Paderewski was a great Polish pianist and statesman). The star of the workshop was Ole Kristian Dahl, who has a

Another big draw for many attendees was having access to the instrument technician for minor repairs on the day: a specialist facility that is not readily available for many players in Northern Ireland. Comments from the Ulster Orchestra double reed players: ‘It’s always rewarding and great fun taking part in a Double Reed Day. With Howarth experts and pop-up shop, it’s such a great opportunity for players of all ages and abilities to try instruments, different styles of reeds, and maybe even have a little technical problem solved by repair wizard Neil Clark!’ ‘It is particularly rewarding to see players come together, share problems and solutions, and enjoy the unique pleasure of a massed blow-in!’ ‘A huge thank you to the Education Authority for organising the event and to Howarth of London for their world-class support to double reeders in Northern Ireland.’ ‘We’ve all enjoyed it very much.’

Arek with Ruben, aged 4, playing a very small bassoon

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 29

YouTube site, Meet a Pro, and is rightly renowned as a performer and pedagogue. This February was the second of these workshops and I had the good fortune to be invited. Most of the publicity was done on Facebook which seems to be the favoured way to promote any event to the young. Arek told me that 30 minutes after the site was opened to applications, all the 21 places were taken. There were some 47 bassoonists on the stage for the full ensemble playing Fućik’s Thunder and Blazes (arranged by our own Nick Hunka). The big attraction was that each of the lucky 21 participants who requested was able to have a one-to-one lesson with Ole Kristian and another with myself. An excellent idea was to have a concert on the very first evening. This was in the very modern concert hall of the Academy, which is beautiful to look at and has an excellent acoustic. The concert, entitled ‘Ole Kristian Dahl & Co.’, was a revelation for me. The ensemble had Ole with his former student Sebastian Stevensson, winner of the Gillet Competition at the NYC IDRS convention in 2014 and now in the Danish National Symphony Orchestra; Arek and one of his students, Mateusz Nowicki; Topias Kiiskinen on contra and Kristian Oma Rønnes, a Norwegian bassoonist whose father, Robert, studied with me in Geneva.

Tereglio International Oboe Course Chris O’Neal writes to invite BDRS members to join ECO Principal Oboe John Anderson, London Mozart Players Co-Principal Oboe Christopher O’Neal and Südwestdeutsches Kammerorchester Principal Oboe Nigel Treherne for a very special music course in the heart of Tuscany from 8th to 14th September. Tereglio is a beautiful mediaeval village perched on top of a hill high above the river Serchio, 30 minutes from Lucca. The course directors will lead a programme of tuition and oboe ensemble work, with plenty of time to relax, enjoy the late summer and sample local produce. Non-playing guests are also very welcome and the course price includes all accommodation and meals. The course will culminate with a concert in the beautiful Church of Santa Maria Assunta. For more information visit www.chrisoneal.co.uk/oboe-course-tereglio/index.html or email Chris on tereglio@chrisoneal.co.uk

All the arrangements in the programme were made by Kristian Oma and ranged from Vivaldi to Grieg via an amazing first movement of Mozart’s Symphony No.40 in G minor. The standard of the playing was quite exceptional, showing lightening fast staccato to effortless high gs and musically always exciting. Putting this concert on the first day was clearly an inspiration to all. Every day had a feature such as Dahl lecturing on Bassoon Fundamentals, an excellent recital from Sebastian Stevenson, Kristian Oma demonstrating ‘the summit of the bassoon scale’ where he played up to the c, an octave above the opening of The Rite of Spring, with all the semitones in between. I fear that there is a danger we shall all have to learn how to attain this summit. Topias Kiisknen talked about the contrabassoon and finally I gave a talk about experiences with conductors, most of whom were deceased before these young players were even born! After my talk I was honoured by a visit from the Deputy Mayoress of Poznan who presented me with a coffee table book of photos of the city and an elegant letter of thanks.

Recommended classical oboe video from the OAE

The five-day event terminated with a mock audition with thirteen candidates, all of whom played really well. As a jury member I was very relieved that we did not have to choose a winner.

The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment has prepared a new oboe video to complement its previously announced baroque oboe and bassoon videos, all of which they are happy to share with members of BDRS. This one features the OAE’s co-principal oboist Dan Bates playing on a classical oboe. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oAjCirkZjc&t=108s

During these days and indeed, the much needed evening imbibing, there was a universal feeling of joy and I was confirmed in my belief that there is a special relationship between Poland and England. My Polish is non-existent but on no single occasion did I meet anybody without a firm knowledge of English, now the first foreign language to be studied in schools. Certainly this anglophilia was shown by the Adamczyk family in whose home English seems to be used as much as Polish. The real success of this Pracownia was due to the inexhaustible enthusiasm of Agata and Arek, and the massive amount of organisation from them and their many helpers. I thank them all for having let me be a part of such a Fagottfest.

Zen Grisdale, Digital Content Officer

Michel Crocquenoy the great French oboist (solo oboe with L’Orchestre National de France), engineer and pilot, died in February aged 74. It was he, working with the Marigaux company for 30 years, who redesigned and developed the Marigaux 901 and produced the patents in 2005 for the complete design of the Marigaux M2 oboe. He will be greatly missed.

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 30

Liszt’s Élégie for Cor Anglais Jeremy Polmear meets Dr Leslie Howard to talk about the original version of the Élégie S.130.

pieces of all time’, an opinion he still holds. But what about the piano music, how does that retain its spell? ‘What I find, playing Liszt, is that in every piece he does something unpredictable: he was a fearless experimenter. He never stopped trying new things, and he rarely repeated himself.’ This experimentation prompts another gripe that Leslie has with music editors: some of Liszt’s more avant-garde writings were toned down by the more conventional editors. Leslie Howard is a virtuoso pianist, composer and arranger, a conductor, teacher, writer and editor: but most of all he is a Liszt fanatic. He is the only pianist to have recorded all of Franz Liszt’s solo piano music, a project of 94 CDs that earned him not only the accolade of being the finest living exponent of Liszt, but also getting him into the Guinness Book of Records. This was evident when I met him in his Edwardian London home, lined with scores, books and CDs. By far the most scores were by Liszt, and there were also photographs around the piano. ‘Liszt loved to be photographed,’ said Leslie ‘and look at this one; he is just walking off a step. Holding that pose must have been very difficult, given the technology of the time.’ Leslie’s enthusiasm continues unabated, and that total of 94 CDs has now become 99 thanks to his explorations of libraries and collections from Europe to the US to New Zealand. ‘Shortly to become a century, though that was never the purpose.’ Noticing a stack of box sets of Inspector Morse on the table, I asked Leslie if there was something of the detective about him. ‘Yes’, he replied. ‘I’m amazed that so many pianists buy a printed edition of a piece of music and accept it as the definitive version; so a note badly written by the composer or copyist gets misinterpreted by the engraver, and stays wrong, sometimes for centuries. The only way to see what the composer might have meant is to look at the manuscript.’

But down to brass tacks: what about this Élégie? ‘I had recorded a version for piano solo, but I knew from his letters that there were earlier, unpublished versions, so I went looking and eventually found it in a folder in the library in Nuremberg. It was dated earlier than the ‘official’ version of the Élégie which was scored for cello and piano, with optional harp and harmonium. But underneath the final bars is a note in Liszt’s writing saying Cor Anglais, and indicating the transposition needed for the part. We don’t know why a cor anglais version never got printed, but that is a standard way of indicating an instrumental part. I am certain that this is what Liszt had in mind. If you look at the music, it works really well on the cor; there is no pizzicato or double-stopping whereas the later published version has a mini-cadenza for cello at the beginning that just wouldn’t work on a wind instrument.’ Pretty good evidence then, but since nineteenth-century chamber music for cor anglais is so rare, we looked around for supporting factors. The instrument had already been given major orchestral roles by Rossini, Berlioz and Wagner, and Liszt

I was beginning to see that Leslie Howard is something of a Liszt figure himself, but I asked what appealed to him about the music. Strangely, it was not a piano piece but the Faust Symphony at the age of 13 that he decided was ‘one of the ten best 30

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

Franz Liszt

might have known the solo works of Carlo Yvon and Antonino Pasculli. But Leslie felt no need of this. ‘Liszt himself wrote beautifully for cor anglais in Orpheus and in the Dante Symphony. His writing for oboe is great, too, in Les Préludes and the Faust Symphony also for bassoon. He evidently preferred double reeds to single.’ I began to feel that Leslie was talking more like an oboist than a pianist. ‘That’s because I played the oboe: a Louis thumb-plate. When I was about 13, an inspired teacher decided it was about time I became a proper musician!’ And was it useful? ‘Yes, it was a useful source of income in the early days, playing the likes of Kismet and Kiss Me, Kate in pit bands. But more importantly, it taught me how to phrase, and how to breathe. No pianist should start the Hammerklavier without taking a breath.’ We then considered the other instruments, the harp and harmonium: they are marked ad libitum, but add an extra dimension to the recording that Leslie and Nicholas Daniel have made. The harp is perhaps not unexpected, but Leslie pointed out that Liszt was the first composer to annotate music for the new pedal harp, a system copied by other composers. But what about the Harmonium? ‘Liszt had one: a huge one with a piano inside and two keyboards. They were used a lot in the nineteenth century, and were a useful portable substitute for an organ.’ So there we have it: a piece by a major nineteenth-century composer conceived for the cor anglais, which has now re-surfaced alongside the existing cello version. One final question for Leslie: did he like the piece? ‘Yes, I like it; it is always interesting harmonically. It is straightforward, in the sense that it has eight and sixteen-bar phrases, which is rather unusual for Liszt; he normally started and then went where his imagination took him. But that also gives it an advantage over some of his other pieces: it is easier to hum!’ The premier recording has been made by Nicholas Daniel under the auspices of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Details are at www.oboeclassics.com/digital. The sheet music may be obtained from www.juneemersonwindmusic.com.

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 31

Reviews MUSIC REVIEW

BOOK REVIEW

Sonatina for Oboe and Piano by Alan Bullard pub. Colne Edition www.spartanpress.co.uk

Marcel Tabuteau: How do you expect to play the oboe if you can’t peel a mushroom? by Laila Storch pub. Indiana University Press ISBN 978-0-253-03267-6

This piece was originally written early in the composer’s career in 1971, and many oboists will already be familiar with this work. It has this year undergone a re-print with the publishers Colne Edition and it is an ideal opportunity to re-introduce this charming piece to more oboists. The Sonatina falls into a conventional three-movement fast, slow, fast structure. The first movement is set at a brisk allegro tempo with a lyrical legato oboe melody and some lilting duple-time syncopation. It is in the key of C major but with gently dissonant harmony throughout creating some interesting tonal passages. The melody is supported by quietly sustained, continuous minim chords in the piano accompaniment. Following this the piano takes over as the soloist with a chromatically moving melody accompanied by rising and falling arpeggios. The oboe and piano join together to create a contrapuntal texture with melodies passed between the two instruments. The music builds up to a climax in the middle of the movement with ascending melodic lines, rising in pitch and a long gradual crescendo to reach the loudest point of the movement. The musical ideas from the opening return as a sense of calm is restored and the movement comes to a gentle and quiet close. The Adagietto second movement has a darker atmosphere in the key of C minor. The piano provides an accompaniment of hypnotic pulsating quaver chords whilst the oboe presents a legato and expressive melody over the top with characteristic scotch snap rhythms. The initial simplicity gives way to increasing counterpoint as an elaborate texture evolves. The movement ends dramatically with a quasi-recitative section. The final movement is spirited and vibrant with the tempo indication con moto, and the original bright key of C major returns. The piano starts with a lively scalic staccato melody in imitative two-part counterpoint, then the oboe joins with an energetic melody featuring dotted rhythms and running semiquavers with edgy dissonance. Lively rhythms continue to be a feature of this movement with areas of time signature changes between duple and triple metre. Alan Bullard writes really effectively for the oboe, showing genuine understanding of the idiomatic sonorities of the instrument in these stylised movements. Sarah McClure

Laila Storch in the 1940s studied with Marcel Tabuteau at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and was the first woman he ever accepted into his class. She became a renowned American oboist who has been Principal Oboe in the Houston and New American Symphony Orchestras amongst others, in many festival ensembles such as Tanglewood Music Festival in Vermont and at the Casals Festival in Prades. For many years she was professor at the Washington University where she was a member of the Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet. However, not only did she study with Tabuteau, who usually was never very close to his pupils, but, with time, was accepted as a friend. On several occasions, he invited her to visit him in France and in his latter years Laila spent holidays in Provence seeing her old teacher as much as possible. It is largely because of this close contact that she could gather the necessary information to write a massive biography which not only recounts his life, but also gives much insight into the history of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Tabuteau was born in France in 1886 into a musical family much involved with the local Harmonie Municipale in which he became the oboist in his early teens. He later studied at the Paris Conservatoire with George Gillet as his teacher, and for his entire life would refer to Gillet as his greatest musical influence. Shortly after receiving his premier prix he was given the chance to work in the United States and in 1905 was already in the New York Symphony Orchestra as 2nd oboe and cor anglais. In 1908 he was appointed to the Metropolitan Opera in its ‘Golden Years’ as first oboe when it was conducted by Toscanini and Gustav Mahler. Over the next few years his exceptional abilities on his instrument enabled him to be appointed principal in the Philadelphia Symphony. It was there, from 1915, that he remained until his retirement in 1954, a period covering the fiefdom of Leopold Stokowski and Eugene Ormandy. In his valedictory speech to the orchestra at which Ormandy was present, Tabuteau said; ‘You know Maestro, it has been my experience that the more the men hate a conductor, the better they play for him. Maestro, your orchestra has been sounding very good recently’. Ormandy turned white with rage. When the Curtis Institute of Music was founded in 1925, most of the professors were members of the Philadelphia Orchestra including Tabuteau. He was passionately interested in teaching and any talented oboist would

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 32

hope to get into his class. It can be said that he created the American school of oboe playing of which notable pupils were later enriching orchestras such as Mark Lifschey and later John Mack (Cleveland), Harold Gomberg and later Joseph Robinson (New York), Ralph Gomberg (Boston), John de Lancie (Philadelphia) and Laila Storch (Houston). I am allowing myself to digress on the subject of oboists’ appreciation of other oboists. For instance, John de Lancie, principal of the Philadelphia Orchestra, was invited to London by André Previn where he recorded Jean Français’ l’Horloge de Flore with the London Symphony Orchestra. Naturally the LSO oboists were very interested in this performance and they appreciated his musicality and technique. However, they found it very difficult to like his tone quality, which was so different from what they were used to. Years later, when I was playing in Geneva with the Suisse Romande, I asked an oboist if he had heard Sir Thomas Beecham’s oboist, Terry MacDonagh with the RPO. ‘Yes, and I turned off the radio as quickly as I could get to it; dégueulasse (lousy)’. Thank goodness there are these schools because it would be so boring if all oboists sounded the same. At Curtis, Tabuteau had a tremendous following, not only with oboists and other wind players who played for him in chamber music classes, but also string players. He was extremely rude to students but they put up with this because his musical ideas were so right. Unlike his near contemporary, Léon Goossens, he never thought of himself as a concert soloist, although he did play concertos fairly frequently with the Phildelphia Orchestra. Fortunately, it is possible to hear him on YouTube where a concerto by Handel and the Mozart Oboe Quartet can be found. It should not be forgotten that nearly 70 years have passed since these recordings were made. How would one describe his tone as heard on these examples? Musically they are very satisfying, with excellent technique and intonation. The vibrato is fast and the tone clear and a little thin, but they are performances that gave me great pleasure with the desire to listen to the end. He was greatly admired by music critics. For instance, in 1919, after a concert conducted by Richard Strauss with a programme of several of his tone poems: ‘Anyone who heard Tabuteau play the oboe solos in Don Juan, Tod und Verklärung and Don Quixote will never forget those nostalgic phrases and the almost bittersweet tone quality with which he brought Strauss’s heroes to life’. Apart from the oboe and his love of music, Tabuteau had three passions, fishing and cooking being innocuous enough. His wife was kept out of the kitchen when visitors were expected and nothing was too much trouble in the preparation of a dinner for which he sought out the main ingredients from his favourite shops. Thus we have the sub-title of this book. As for the third passion, gambling, I think it was mainly on long train journeys when the orchestra was on tour and this never involved a huge

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

amount of money. Nevertheless, he found it difficult to resist visits to casinos when the opportunity presented itself. Notwithstanding, he cannot have lost too much money because on retiring to Provence, he bought a large property on the sea-front. Summing up I would say that this is a really interesting book for any oboist interested in historical players of the instrument. In the ‘60s ‘70s and ‘80s when I was in the States talking to orchestral musicians, invariably Marcel Tabuteau would be mentioned. If one were to meet one of his former students one realised that he was positively revered as indeed Tabuteau himself revered his teacher, George Gillet. Roger Birnstingl BDRS members may purchase this book at a 30% discount off the paperback list price if ordered online. Enter the code FMG3XX in the shopping cart. www.iupress.indiana.edu

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 33

Noticeboard Items – both for this page in DRN and for ‘Events’ on the website – can be sent to noticeboard@bdrs.org.uk Use the entries below as a guide to suitable length.

Sunday 17th June at 6.15pm: Robin Miller Memoriam Fundraising Concert in Burgh House, New End Square, London, NW3 1LT presented by the Lonarc Foundation www.lonarcfoundation.com

Sunday 1st July: Gloucestershire Double Reed Day. Our guests this year are Jessica Mogridge and Gareth Twigg along with masterclasses, big band, reed making, instrument maintenance, chamber music coaching, great food and LOTS of cake! All ages and standards welcome. All details and the application form at www.glosdrd.org.uk

Sunday 8th – Friday 13th July: Summer course at Higham Hall – Advanced wind chamber Summer School* tutored by Philippa Davies, Jan Willem Nelleke and Laurence Perkins, for diploma-standard players (diploma level 1 minimum). An outstanding new wind chamber course for advanced players wishing to work in-depth on substantial repertoire with tuition at the highest level. Repertoire to include original works by Richard Rodney Bennett, Irving Fine and Nielsen; all works will be performed complete in informal concerts on the final day. See www.laurenceperkins.com/wind-serenades

Tuesday 28th August – Saturday 1st September: IDRS 2018 Spain Come and enjoy 5 wonderful days in Granada in Southern Spain, one of the most beautiful cities in the world! Granada is situated only one hour away from the Mediterranean coast and the Sierra Nevada, and is renowned for the beautiful and monumental Alhambra Palace. www.idrs.org For general information please email: info@idrs2018.org

8th – 14th September: Tereglio International Oboe Course, Tuscany. John Anderson, Oboe, Christopher O’Neal and Nigel Treherne are the course directors for a programme of tuition and oboe ensemble work with plenty of time to relax. Non-playing guests are also very welcome and the course price includes all accommodation and meals. For more information go to www.chrisoneal.co.uk/oboe-course-tereglio/index.html or email Chris on tereglio@chrisoneal.co.uk

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 34

Thursday 18th – Sunday 21st October: Autumn course at Higham Hall* for intermediate-standard (grades 6 to 8) players, tutored by Laurence Perkins. Set works will include colourful music by Rossini, who died 150 years ago in November. See www.laurenceperkins.com/wind-serenades

*For details of these and other Wind Serenades events in 2018 see www.laurenceperkins.com/wind-serenades For 2018, the popular ‘Wind Serenades’ courses will be expanding with some exciting new events for amateur wind players, notably at the wonderful Higham Hall near Bassenthwaite Lake in the beautiful northern area of the Lake District. There will be three courses at Higham, all of which will include help and advice on musical and technical aspects of ensemble playing.

2019 April 30th – May 4th: BDRS will be holding its next 5-Day Course – four days plus a Double Reed Day as this year – at Park Place, Wickham, Hampshire. Further details will be distributed via social media and the BDRS website in due course. www.bdrs.org.uk

For oboe and bassoon courses in 2018/19 at the Jackdaws Music Education Trust, Great Elm, Frome, Somerset, BA11 3NY. Telephone 01373 812383 or email music@jackdaws.org

For oboe and bassoon courses in 2018/19 at Benslow Music, Benslow Lane, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG4 9RB. Telephone 01462 459446 or visit www.benslowmusic.org

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 35

Classified Bassoonists! Free your hands and neck and use a spike. Tel: 01206 382567.

Nissen Bassoon Crooks made for professional players. Order with full details from www.nissenbassooncrooks.co.uk on a sale or return policy.

Billerbeck Oboe Reeds Hand crafted reeds made by Marjorie Downward. Oboe, oboe d'amore, cor anglais and bass oboe. Gouged & shaped oboe cane. Tel: 01343 835430 www.billerbeckoboereeds.co.uk

Oboe and Cor Anglais Reeds David Cowdy. www.reedmaker.co.uk Tel: 07905 322381 Email: davidcowdy@gmail.com

Various Heckel Crooks and absolutely comprehensive scale books for Bassoon up to high E. Contact Deirdre Dundas-Grant Tel: 020 8946 6875.

Unique Trios and Quartets for Bassoon! javalinapress.com

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

DRN 120 Summer 2018 Text_Double Reed 75.qxd 31/05/2018 18:23 Page 36

Advertising in the Double Reed News Next copy deadline: 15th August 2018

The following rates apply for camera-ready copy. Any additional artwork will be charged at cost. To place an advertisement or obtain further information please contact Miles Nipper, email: advertising@bdrs.org.uk

Whole page Half page

(265mmH x 190mmW) (130mmH x 190mmW or 265mmH x 92mmW) Quarter page (130mmH x 92mmW or 62mmH x 190mmW)

Eighth page

(62mmH x 92mmW)

Single £210

Series £188

£135

£120

£77 £49

£69 £44

Special positions add 10% £125

Loose inserts Up to 8grams

Classified

Over 8grams

by arrangement

Pre-paid only, first 12 words Extra words

£5.00 £0.40 (per word)

Please make cheques payable to British Double Reed Society.

Copy requirements: If sending by email please enquire first to discuss format. Photographs can be sent digitally or as prints or negatives. Layout and text is acceptable but the publishers reserve the right to charge for artwork. Advertisers will be notified if this is necessary.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS. The society reserves the right to refuse or withdraw any advertisement at its discretion wihout stating a reason, nor does it accept responsibility for omissions, clerical errors, or the statements made by advertisers, although every effort is made to check the bona fides of advertisers and avoid mistakes. The Society welcomes articles, letters and other contributions for publication in this magazine, and reserves the right to amend them. Any such contribution is, however, accepted on the understanding that its author is responsible for the opinions expressed in it and that its publication does not necessarily imply that such opinions are in agreement with the Society. Articles submitted for publication in this magazine should be original unpublished work and are accepted on the basis that they will not be published in any other magazine, except by permission of the Editor. However, the BDRS has agreements with like-minded societies with whom the sharing of published items does from time to time take place. Acceptance of material for publication is not a guarantee that it will in fact be included in any particular issue. No responsibility can be accepted by the Double Reed News, the Editor (or the British Double Reed Society committee) or contributors for action taken as a result of information contained in this publication. © Copyright 2018 British Double Reed News. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying and recording and the Internet, without the written permission of the publishers. Such written permission must also be obtained before any part of the publication is stored in a retrieval system. The Society’s membership list is held on a database. The policy adopted by the Society is that the list will not be disclosed to any third party and is maintained solely for the purposes of administering the Society. The individual name and address of any member who is on the Teachers’ Register may be given in answer to a query from someone wishing to take up music lessons. Any organisation wishing to circulate the membership is free to ask to place an advertisement in Double Reed News or make a leaflet insertion in the next issue on payment of an appropriate fee.

Double Reed News 120 l Summer 2018

Membership Standard membership £25.00 Student membership £15.00 Additional charge for postage of Double Reed News outside the UK: Europe (including Eire) as above plus £5.00 Rest of the world as above plus £10.00 Fees will be payable in Sterling only. Membership Enquiries: Guy Thomas (Membership Secretary) email: membership@bdrs.org.uk

Re-order Services Back copies of DRN (where available) can be obtained by sending £4.50 to the Membership Secretary. Single articles are available from the Editorial Office. Post/fax/email the details. Copies will be sent out with an invoice for 50p per page.

Concessions 10% discount on music, accessories and insurance from the following and various concert discounts as advertised in DRN: Howarth of London 31/33 Chiltern Street, London W1U 7PN 020 7935 2407 J Myatt Woodwind 55 Nightingale Road, Hitchin, Herts SG5 1RQ 01462 420057 Crowther of Canterbury 1 The Borough, Canterbury, Kent CT1 2DR 01227 763965 Allianz Musical Insurance 6 Vale Avenue, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1EH 0870 240 0303 Crook and Staple 2-4 Monnow Street, Monmouth NP25 3EE 029 2078 9335 www.crookandstaple.com The British Double Reed Society is a non profit-making organisation established to further the interests of all involved with the oboe and bassoon. The BDRS acts as a national forum for debate and the exchange of ideas, information and advice on all aspects of double reed instruments. It also fulfils an important role in encouraging greater interest in the instruments, and securing their place in the wider cultural and educational environment. Registered Charity No. 1080461

DRN 120 Summer 2018 cover_Double Reed 75.qxd 29/05/2018 20:11 Page 3

DRN 120 Summer 2018 cover_Double Reed 75.qxd 29/05/2018 20:12 Page 4

"EM F S "NBU J #VG G F U 'PY )F Z EBZ T )PXBS U I "D BEF NZ .PM M F OIBVF S .Ã&#x161;OOJ H .PPT NBOO 1Ã D IOF S 3F OBS E 4 D IS F J CF S 8PM G 8PM G )J T U PS J D BM :BNBIB # DG8 I K @ 8 C 8 ;M @ : < 9< J GFB< I < G8 @ I J 8 E; < M < I P K ?@ E> 8 98 J J FFE@ J K E< < ;J

IPXB S U I VL D PN