Ebay Suprise

[Michael Marino]

Okay Folks,

 

I broke down and bought a Chemnitzer on Ebay to see what the "other" style of concertina is like as progressing with playing the Anglo and the wife has taken over the English pretty much (I will break down and learn it one of these days).

 

It is a basic 38 button square box Chemnitzer Right.

 

It is marked as a F Lange, okay I know the history, but ......

 

Open it up to start doing a inventory of condition and looking at what might need replacing and/or repair and what do we find???

 

Numbered inside 396 with the stamp of "F. Lange, vorm. Uhlig - next line- CHEMNITZ, Sachen." This is in Purple ink with the hand numbered 396 written what appears to be blue pencil by somebody who passed their handwriting class very well in school.

 

Now comes the fun part is that she is mostly in tune to herself at A=438 and harmonic scale not Equal temperament.

 

Currently contacting a reed maker in the Czech republic to look at making a new set of plates to modern concert pitch as I can't bring myself to destroying history by retuning the plates.

 

Truly interesting piece of history here. Beautiful papers as well and single card construction. I mean the standing reed blocks are thread mounted to the action plate. This was very very well built. and it is only missing two mother of pearl buttons on the outside and a few of the metal end caps. Seriously looking forward to getting her fully up and playable though will not be looking forward to the needed re valve job as need to get a glue that works well with metal and leather and if I remember right hide glue is not the best for it. Will find a solution that doesn't damage it though.

 

Some pictures are attached below. Any and all comments please.

 

Michael

[malcolm clapp]

Currently contacting a reed maker in the Czech republic to look at making a new set of plates to modern concert pitch as I can't bring myself to destroying history by retuning the plates.

 

Michael

 

Sorry, but I fail to understand your concerns here. How will a retune destroy history? A fairly simple task to any competent repairer I would have thought.

 

And can you absolutely guarantee that the present tuning is the original tuning? Reed pitch can change with use (and abuse!), even without the intervention of a tuner.

 

Fitting a new set of Czech reeds I would consider a greater case of destroying history.

 

MC

[Michael Marino]

Currently contacting a reed maker in the Czech republic to look at making a new set of plates to modern concert pitch as I can't bring myself to destroying history by retuning the plates.

 

Michael

 

Sorry, but I fail to understand your concerns here. How will a retune destroy history? A fairly simple task to any competent repairer I would have thought.

 

And can you absolutely guarantee that the present tuning is the original tuning? Reed pitch can change with use (and abuse!), even without the intervention of a tuner.

 

Fitting a new set of Czech reeds I would consider a greater case of destroying history.

 

MC

 

The reeds currently in the instrument match known tuning of the period and are within tune enough that I would not want to do anything but return them to that tuning. Which at A=438 and harmonic scale make them not easily playable with other modern instruments. The firm I am working with will be cutting to fit a set of bayan reeds which are the same type of construction as was used in the original. This allows me to re valve the originals and maintain them as well as have an instrument that will be able to play with other modern instruments. There will be no other changes to the instruments structure or design as that is very unacceptable.

 

Hope that clarifies things. Retuning is not the problem, have and am doing that on a few Lachenals bringing them to concert pitch. Just don't want to do it to an instrument like the Harmonium that I own which is also in near perfect Philharmonic pitch (A=452) as that would be altering in a fashion undesirable to my lady wife who likes it as is and can play with modern instruments with it.

 

Michael

[RatFace]

Philharmonic pitch (A=452) ...and can play with modern instruments with it.

 

What modern instruments are tuned to A=452 these days?! This site suggests that Philharmonic pitch with A=452 expired in about 1846.

[Mark Evans]

[What modern instruments are tuned to A=452 these days?! This site suggests that Philharmonic pitch with A=452 expired in about 1846.

 

I dunno Danny, but in your country of residence, A=440 at least for orchestras is indeed a thing of the past. The standard is being pushed higher each year. My Dominique sang a Messiah in Bonn this past December and the A they tune to is an insane A=448 . She came home speaking a 3rd higher and none too pleased about it!

Edited February 20, 2008 by Mark Evans

[RatFace]

I dunno Danny, but in your country of residence, A=440 at least for orchestras is indeed a thing of the past. The standard is being pushed higher each year. My Dominique sang a Messiah in Bonn this past December and the A they tune to is an insane A=448 . She came home speaking a 3rd higher and none too pleased about it!

 

In Germany the 3 orchestras I played with were higher, that's true. However, I think the fixed-pitch instruments (i.e. pianos etc) that I encountered were A440. Here in England the orchestra back on the Isle of Wight was 440, and the people I play music with now (smaller groups) are also 440.... except for occasional happy forays into 415!

[Mark Evans]

In Germany the 3 orchestras I played with were higher, that's true. However, I think the fixed-pitch instruments (i.e. pianos etc) that I encountered were A440. Here in England the orchestra back on the Isle of Wight was 440, and the people I play music with now (smaller groups) are also 440.... except for occasional happy forays into 415!

 

That is good news indeed. Although I suppose the pianos used for concerti are tuned up and then of course need to stay there. This high pitch sounds like crazed chipmucks to my ears.

 

Now if I could just get a certain hammered dulcimer player to tune to 440 and not 442, the excuse being that pitch goes sharp as an evenings session progresses. She's not wrong on that in our case and last night as the pitch rose, we came to a reel in D that made my teeth feel itchy playing along. I started scat singing the reel and put down the tina. The flute player asked if they hand gone a bit high after the set came to a close. I grinned and offered my A=440. Ah the relief!