for a beautiful oboe tone; a good oboe reed is
equally imperative.
Thus, two oboists after a short while usually
come to the same topic: the oboe reed.
In the field of oboe reed making, hardly anybody
likes being watched too closely for
fear of giving away the secrets of the “magic
oboe reed”.
During my numerous courses on oboe reeds making
I have again and again been encouraged to commit my many years of experience (22
years of reed making) to paper.With this illustratet book (meant for both
beginners and professional reeds makers) I hope to be making a contribution
towards enabling you to make your own oboe reeds. While compiling this book I
benefited gratly from the fact that I earnet my “pocket money” as a hobby
photographer when I was a student. So I could take all photos myself and process
them in my own photographic laboratory.
I took great care to show each working phase from an opotimum point of view of
the reed maker, both concerning manual work and the more elaborate machine
version.
Most of machines – except planing machines and
shapers are “ home – made “, designet on the basis of “ Sunday
intuitions”.
This rule is still valid: The better the cane
quality, the better ar your chances of obtaining a more beautiful tone –
providet you follow the instructions minutely.
I myself and my costumers can benefit from my very good relations with the
French suppliers of cane.
Concerning my photographic illustrations I
assume that it is known that this special cane, named “arundo donax”, grows
both wild and cultivated on plantations in the region of the French
Mediterranean coast. It can be orderet the kilo or by the sack ( as I order it
). At home, the correct way of seasoning is very important.
Everything else you can observe through the lens
of my Leica camera, following the motto: “ Please turn over the page – carry
on “.
Just like musik, pictures don’t have to be
translated. Thus all language barriers are removed.
I wish you all a lot of succes making your own
oboe reeds, and also great fun copying the work-facilitating machines shown.
Michael U n t c h
Maria – Thann / Germany
Oboist,
Oboe-teacher, Oboe reed maker
Summer 2000
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