Clarinet, nominal pitch: B♭

J.G.H. Backofen

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Instrument

Clarinet/Clarinets/Wind/Musical Instrument ; Clarinet

Instrument Family

Wind

Maker

J.G.H. Backofen

Place Made

Europe ; Germany ; Central Europe

Date Made

Circa 1825

Description

Technical description: Boxwood with unusual grain, brass keys and ivory ferrules. Five pieces: mouthpiece [replaced], barrel, upper section, lower section, bell. Mouthpiece ebonite or epoxy, of modern German type grooved for cord. Barrel bi-conical with two ivory ferrules. Upper section with key rings of rectangular section, strengthened with pins. Speaker ring complete, that of A♮ and A♭ keys recessed for the speaker's touch. Straight speaker; speaker liner projects c 5mm into bore. Lower section: levers for L4, tone-hole and key for R4 mounted in a fusiform swelling. Thumb-rest wood, integral, shaped. Touches of R1 keys curved and overlapping; those of L4 side keys shaped so as to clear the prominent ferrule. Bell with integral wooden rim, flare somewhat wider than usual. Ferrules ivory, half-round on bell and lower section, tapered on barrel, the upper one with ring. L0: T; speaker. L1: T; throat A♮. L2: T. L3: T. L4: F₄/C♮₆; C♯₄/G♯₅; E₃/B♮₄; F♯₃/C♯₅. R1: T; E♭₄/B♭₅; trill key for throat A-B♮. R2: T. R3: T; B♭₃/F♮₅; B♮₃/F♯₅. R4: T; G♯₃/E♭₅. Keymount type: blocks, swelling. Keyhead type: round flat. Signature marks: Upper section stamped "BACKOFEN / DARMSTADT"; barrel stamped "2"; new mouthpiece stamped "B. ACKERMAN". Usable pitch: Plays at A₄ = c 450 Hz. Tip of surviving mouthpiece broken. Surviving mouthpiece a replacement; new F♯ key for R4 and new mouthpiece made by Brian Ackerman, 1986. Specific literature references: G.S. p.93; Restle and Fricke 2004, item 54. (Rendall Collection).

Notes

T.K. Dibley, August 1992, 1990; R. Neil, 1986; H. Fricke, July 2005.

Measurements

652; 583 to top of barrel.

Collection

MIMEd ; Rendall Collection

Accession Number

0108

Audio

Video

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