harryandoval Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 After reading and pondering and worrying for the last month, I've listed the Wheatstone Bass/Baritone you've all helped me get to know. I pick it up every hour or so and have listened to it sing to me and have talked to it as I played. No, I'm not looney, yet, but probably will be some day if I keep finding interesting estate sale instruments. My ebay feedback should tell you some things about my selling abilities. Please check out my auction and know that I would never intentionally mislead. The item number is: 220183678211. I'm not sure how to put a link in here to it. I hope it will find a new welcoming home. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Drinkwater Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 After reading and pondering and worrying for the last month, I've listed the Wheatstone Bass/Baritone you've all helped me get to know. I pick it up every hour or so and have listened to it sing to me and have talked to it as I played. No, I'm not looney, yet, but probably will be some day if I keep finding interesting estate sale instruments. My ebay feedback should tell you some things about my selling abilities. Please check out my auction and know that I would never intentionally mislead. The item number is: 220183678211. I'm not sure how to put a link in here to it. I hope it will find a new welcoming home. Enjoy! Another gorgeous instrument! What a shame I am lacking sufficient funds to place a bid. I hope it finds a good home too and doesn't end up with a collector. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 I've just noticed in the eBay photos that the bellows has "gills". So it's a single-action instrument. That's important to know, though it's not necessarily bad. It means reduced weight. And with a 4½-octave range, that instrument was clearly intended for serious performing, not just marching-band work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harryandoval Posted December 15, 2007 Author Share Posted December 15, 2007 I've just noticed in the eBay photos that the bellows has "gills". So it's a single-action instrument. That's important to know, though it's not necessarily bad. It means reduced weight. And with a 4½-octave range, that instrument was clearly intended for serious performing, not just marching-band work. Jim, Thanks for the information. I have spent a few hours this evening answering questions on the auction and a few emails to my accounts. I have posted what I think are some pretty good pictures. Check out my auction and let me know what you think. Thank you for your encouragement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 What a lovely instrument. And what a beautifully put together eBay page, well worth spending a few minutes reading. Thank you, I hope the auction goes well for you. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 Thanks for the information. I have posted what I think are some pretty good pictures. Check out my auction and let me know what you think. That's where I found the pictures that showed the "gills". If I were able to right now, I'd probably be bidding, though I already have a very nice bass (not bass-baritone). Instead, I've directed a couple of friends to your auction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Jowaisas Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 Chester has posted a layout of notes. Mike Acott, in the listing's questions to seller, seems to think this instrument might be a C bass.(?) It appears to have only 4 notes lower than a Aeola baritone/treble according to Geoff Crabb's diagram of concertina ranges. So, Jim, Geoff, and other experts, what would you call this instrument? The newly posted internal pictures are great! The chambers are quite different than the more conventional treatment of the above mentioned Aeola baritone/treble. Is this because of Aeola longer scale reeds? Or is this an acoustic enhancement? Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 It appears to have only 4 notes lower than a Aeola baritone/treble according to Geoff Crabb's diagram of concertina ranges. Greg, It goes down to C2, the bottom note of a cello (the bass member of the violin family), so that makes it a bass, or perhaps you could call it a "cello concertina". The string instrument commonly referred to as the "bass" is more correctly called the "double bass", and a contra-bass concertina would be required for that range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Jowaisas Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 Thank you, Stephen. Cello concertina helps me understand its range. I'm still curious as to the why of it's construction, chamber arrangement as compared to a more conventional but nearly as low in range Aeola baritone/treble. Experts? Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 (edited) I'm still curious as to the why of it's construction, chamber arrangement as compared to a more conventional but nearly as low in range Aeola baritone/treble. Greg, There are different ways of coming at instruments of this kind of range, depending on what you want it to do - whether it's double- or single-action, basically a treble extended downwards, or (like this one) you want to emphasise the rich bass tone of it (with those big reeds and tone chambers). I would expect this instrument was built to take the cello parts in classical quartets, something very dear to the heart of Edward Chidley senior (the owner of Wheatstone's at the time this was made) who played in such groups. I have his own copies of two such quartets, in manuscript arrangements by Regondi. Edited December 15, 2007 by Stephen Chambers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Jowaisas Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 Thank you again, Stephen. It would be a treat and an education to be able to examine the construction of the instrument. Regards, Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 Chester has posted a layout of notes. Mike Acott, in the listing's questions to seller, seems to think this instrument might be a C bass.(?) As I indicated in this post, the "bass" and the "bass-baritone" both have "cello C" -- two octaves below middle C -- as the lowest note. The posted note layout confirms that this is a "bass-baritone". I have previously elaborated on the range-classification naming system for Englishes, as I understand it, in this post. As far as I know, the terms "C bass" and "G bass"were never used by Wheatstone. They were used by Dave Elliott later in the above-linked thread, but as I read his description, I'm not sure how he would distinguish between the "bass" and the "bass-baritone" in my classification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harryandoval Posted December 16, 2007 Author Share Posted December 16, 2007 Chester has posted a layout of notes. Mike Acott, in the listing's questions to seller, seems to think this instrument might be a C bass.(?) As I indicated in this post, the "bass" and the "bass-baritone" both have "cello C" -- two octaves below middle C -- as the lowest note. The posted note layout confirms that this is a "bass-baritone". I have previously elaborated on the range-classification naming system for Englishes, as I understand it, in this post. As far as I know, the terms "C bass" and "G bass"were never used by Wheatstone. They were used by Dave Elliott later in the above-linked thread, but as I read his description, I'm not sure how he would distinguish between the "bass" and the "bass-baritone" in my classification. This is the reason I have found cnet an invaluable research tool! I hope that some time in the future I will be able to thank you in person. When a person in France said on the auction questions "I would like photos of the inside and the plan of keyboards", I was at a loss. Then I thought about the pound of paper I had gotten with the 3 concertinas, figuring there might be a clue. When I found the written notes of the professor, life got easier. The manila folder full of correspondence still has more information, not only on the Wheatstone, but on the Crabb, The Crane Duet, and 3 more purchased from Matusewitch in New York in the 1990's. I think you might enjoy the scanned in letter from Boris Matusewitch. If you look at the date, you will find it was shortly after the professor bought the bass/baritone. It's not of importance, but has a humorous aspect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirge Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 How are you getting on with the ones you're keeping then? Got your practice regime in place? (I love your Bass tenor contrary thingy; makes me ALMOST wish I played English...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Jowaisas Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 Thank you for the clarification, Jim. I have reread your previous post and saved it for future reference. It is a good explanation of different classifications, overlapping ranges and why position and which sides the octaves occur make a difference. Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harryandoval Posted December 16, 2007 Author Share Posted December 16, 2007 How are you getting on with the ones you're keeping then? Got your practice regime in place? (I love your Bass tenor contrary thingy; makes me ALMOST wish I played English...) My bass/baritone is a joy to play! I play a little bit of cello and have set this "thingy" on my knee many times. Every time, I play a little bit better. It's going to be hard to let the "old girl" go, but, go she must. The instrument makes me think of some old female jazz singer with a deep register singing "laments". Of course that "laments" thing could be coming from inside me. She does have to go! I wish you could play her, also! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harryandoval Posted December 16, 2007 Author Share Posted December 16, 2007 Thank you for the clarification, Jim. I have reread your previous post and saved it for future reference. It is a good explanation of different classifications, overlapping ranges and why position and which sides the octaves occur make a difference. Greg http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...E:IT&ih=012 Trying to figure out how to link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harryandoval Posted December 16, 2007 Author Share Posted December 16, 2007 Thank you for the clarification, Jim. I have reread your previous post and saved it for future reference. It is a good explanation of different classifications, overlapping ranges and why position and which sides the octaves occur make a difference. Greg http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...E:IT&ih=012 Trying to figure out how to link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now