Simply put, playing to a tuner will produce completely arbitrary results. It is not possible to separate the observer from the observed when playing to an electronic tuner. However, please know that my reviews of Puchner instruments below reflect my genuine assessments.Ī note about tuners – I will offer the advice of my late friend Wally Bhosys, oboist with the Metropolitan Opera
The English horn I felt was (by far) the “best in show” at IRDS 2011 is by Puchner, and I have contracted to represent Puchner oboes, oboes d'amore, and English horns in North America. However, at the 2011 IDRS convention, I came across a make English horn that is in a league of its own, far superior to any other English horn by any other present day maker. “Your air” is not “my air,” “your scale” is not likely to be “my scale,” your compensations will differ from my compensations, your reed will not be my reed, and your own “personal resonance” will be different from anyone else's “personal resonance” when playing an oboe instrument.įor many years past, collecting and trading oboe instruments, I have had opportunity to take on various makers Please keep in mind that how an oboe “takes the air” is different, often vastly different, from player to player. The opinions expressed below represent only my experience with various makes and models of oboe family instruments so far.
