Order book has been closed for this year, due to high demand and time needed to develop new instruments.
Chalumeaux
Instrument origin:
The chalumeau is a member of a family of instruments the early development of which is unfortunately not well documented, even by the standards of other woodwinds in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. This may be due to its low social status during those periods. Single reed instruments with a cylindrical bore may have been around from as far back as the 12th century, the term chalumeau is found in 16th century French dictionaries where it refers to such instruments. Use of the instrument seems to have spread from France through the rest of Europe during the course of the 17th century and by around 1700 the instrument maker J C Denner began adapting the instrument, adding keys until eventually the Baroque clarinet was achieved.
Soprano Chalumeau in C
The instruments are keyless, parallel bore and fitted with a modern Yamaha Eb mouthpiece. The sound is mellow and an octave lower then a recorder of the same size (overall length is approx. 325mm).
The wood used is sycamore (stained&oiled or just oiled), but other woods are available. (the purple Chalumeaux in the picture were made using Purple Heart).
Price: £130 (sycamore)
£140 (other woods*)
A chalumeau is supplied with 1 Eb clarinet reed. Leather cord is used to hold the reed onto the mouthpiece, as it would have been done on the original instruments.
* Previous woods have included: Olive, Purple heart, American red cherry, Padauk, English walnut, Wild mango and Fig.
Soprano Chalumeau in C (a=415)
The soprano chalumeau is also available in a=415 pitch (baroque pitch). This instrument does come with 2 keys. It's range can be found on the fingering chart.
Unless an other wood is specifically requested, the wood is oiled sycamore (stained or unstained).
Price £250
Other wood: Please ask for the price
The instrument will be supplied with 1 reed, a bag and a cap. The reed is secured onto the mouthpiece with a leather cord.
Alto Chalumeau in F
The Alto is available with or without keys. Please have a look at the fingering charts for the range of each instrument. As with the soprano chalumeau, the alto is fitted with an Yamaha Eb mouthpiece.
Unless an other wood is specifically requested, the wood is oiled sycamore (stained or unstained).
Price without keys £250
Price with keys £350
Other wood: Please ask for the price
The instrument will be supplied with 1 reed, a bag and a cap. The reed is secured onto the mouthpiece with a leather cord.
Books with tunes for the Chalumeau
32 Tunes for the Soprano chalumeau
Duets for soprano and alto chalumeau
Selected and arranged by Lizzie Gutteridge.
Price: £6