Contraforte
Encyclopedia
The contraforte is a proprietary version of the contrabassoon
produced by Benedikt Eppelsheim
and Guntram Wolf
. It is intended to have improved dynamics and intonation over the distinctive but sometimes reticent sound of the conventional contrabassoon. The contraforte uses a wide bore to produce a distinct tone, voluminous in character.
Wolf and Eppelsheim developed an accurate bore taper and precise keyworks in order to simplify fingerings in spite of the instrument's large size.
In October 2010 Lewis Lipnick, contrabassoonist for the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington DC, played it in a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. According to Lipnick, the other members of the orchestra, who used to make jokes about the sound of his old contrabassoon, praised the sound of the contraforte.
The contraforte has a written range from A1 - G5 (in scientific pitch notation
), which sounds as A0 - G4.
Large toneholes allow for a free response and a very large dynamical range.
The pivot screws lie in synthetic sleeves for silent key actions, and push rods make for easy key action with low friction.
The half-hole mechanism provides a clean, silent octave for F# and G3. There are also well-built automatic octave keys from notes A3 to F4.
Contrabassoon
The contrabassoon, also known as the double bassoon or double-bassoon, is a larger version of the bassoon, sounding an octave lower...
produced by Benedikt Eppelsheim
Benedikt Eppelsheim
Benedikt Eppelsheim is a world-renowned German maker of high- and low-voiced saxophones, the soprillo and tubax , which are available exclusively from him...
and Guntram Wolf
Guntram Wolf
Guntram Wolf is a maker of modern and historical woodwind instruments in Kronach, Germany.-His productions:He specializes in the modern Heckel system bassoon and is one of the better known makers of Wiener oboes...
. It is intended to have improved dynamics and intonation over the distinctive but sometimes reticent sound of the conventional contrabassoon. The contraforte uses a wide bore to produce a distinct tone, voluminous in character.
Wolf and Eppelsheim developed an accurate bore taper and precise keyworks in order to simplify fingerings in spite of the instrument's large size.
In October 2010 Lewis Lipnick, contrabassoonist for the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington DC, played it in a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. According to Lipnick, the other members of the orchestra, who used to make jokes about the sound of his old contrabassoon, praised the sound of the contraforte.
Technical specifications
The contraforte has many technical aspects that have not been associated with instruments like the bassoon and contrabassoon.The contraforte has a written range from A1 - G5 (in scientific pitch notation
Scientific pitch notation
Scientific pitch notation is one of several methods that name the notes of the standard Western chromatic scale by combining a letter-name, accidentals, and a number identifying the pitch's octave...
), which sounds as A0 - G4.
Large toneholes allow for a free response and a very large dynamical range.
The pivot screws lie in synthetic sleeves for silent key actions, and push rods make for easy key action with low friction.
The half-hole mechanism provides a clean, silent octave for F# and G3. There are also well-built automatic octave keys from notes A3 to F4.
External links
- Contraforte page on Benedikt Eppelsheim's web site, includes recordings.
- Contraforte page on Guntram Wolf's web site.
Images
- Contraforte, pictured with a B flat TubaxTubaxThe tubax is a modified saxophone developed in 1999 by the German instrument maker Benedikt Eppelsheim. It is available in both E contrabass and B or C subcontrabass sizes...
