Historical

crooks, tubes, bits:

standard – seamless tube
historisch – tube with seam

(price incl. 19% VAT.)

crook for natural trumpet

standard 68,- Euro
historisch 136,- Euro

tuning bit

standard 24,- Euro
historisch 36,- Euro

crook for 3hole system

for model “Riedel” and “Klassik”

E, Eb, D, Db, C, Cb, Bb, A

price: 278,- Euro

mouthpiece for baroque trumpet

Edipason “Fantini” (silver plated)
No. 1
No. 3
No. 4

price: 120,- Euro

mouthpiece for baroque trumpet

Josef Klier (silver plated)

3C, 4C, 5C, 6C

3B, 4B, 5B, 6B

price:  97,- Euro

gig bag

long model ( Birckholtz, Hainlein, Riedel, 4-hole system trumpets)
(with bag for music sheets outside)

single bag  price: 111,- Euro

double bag price: 228,- Euro

short model (3-hole system or inventionstrumpet)

price: 158,- Euro

Condition of the trumpet

All parts of the original, with the exception of the mouthpiece, are present and apparently original. The surface of the trumpet is badly corroded and tarnished to a brown color, the bell has been deformed, and the garland is partially unattached from the bell. The cord is brown to black colored, the wooden balls in the knotted tassels have been partially damaged by worms.

One of the rings on the bows, for hanging a banner, is missing, and one ring is detached. The bows are dented and distorted. This deteriorated condition certainly protected the trumpet from theft.

trumpet from Wolf Birckholtz 1650

Measurement and Documentation

With the assistance of my esteemed colleagues Prof. Richard Seraphinoff and Markus Raquet the original was thoroughly inspected, measured, and photographed, and Richard Seraphinoff then produced a full scale workshop drawing which served as the pattern for the reproduction of the instrument.

Among the wealth of information obtained from the instrument, the following important facts came to light from our investigation:

The trumpet was coated with a protective lacquer probably in the 19th century, which had turned a dark yellow to brown color with time.

The garland, ferrules, and ball were silver plated.

The surface of the Instrument was finished by scraping, which can be clearly seen on the protected place under the ball.

Hand engraved inscription on the bell garland.

Hemp was used to make the joints between the yards and bows airtight.

The block under the cord between the bell and yard was made of pressed paper.

Particularly unusual is the method of construction of the ball, which was not made in the usual manner by soldering two half spheres together, but rather built up from a brass strip. The solder joint is diagonal, and the ferrule is made in two pieces.

A material analysis revealed that the zinc content of the brass is 26.8%. This lies exactly within the normal range of the Nürnberg sheet brass manufacturers from 1650-1750. Other trace elements account for less than 0.1% of the alloy.

The average material thickness is 0.4mm.

The sounding pitch of the instrument is D flat (at A=440Hz). Unfortunately, the original trumpet is not playable.

Natural Trumpet

after “Anton Schnitzer 1585” ( “Bendinelli” or “Brezel trumpet”)

Keyed Trumpet

Bells for the Daniel-Herz-Organ

Frauenkirche in Brixen

in order from Hendrik Ahrend, Organmaker (2010) Rekonstruktion the bells from trombone pipes after hostorical techniques

 (price incl. 19% VAT)

Naturaltrumpet

after “Wolf Birckholtz, Nürnberg 1650”
(original from the church in Belitz/Mecklenburg)

Story about the Birckholtz-trumpet here.

Model “exquisit”
bell, bows, tubes with seam, surface scraped
copy original engrave on the garland,
decoration on the ferules and ball, silver plated
pitch in Db, tuning bits and crooks for C, Cb and fine tuning

price: 2.998,- Euro

 Naturaltrumpet

after “Wolf Birckholtz, Nürnberg 1650”
(original from the church in Belitz/Mecklenburg)

Model “historic” (without original engrave, decoration and silver plated)
bell, bows, tubes with seam, surface scraped
pitch in Db, tuning bits and crooks for C, Cb and fine tuning

price: 1.998,- Euro

Naturaltrumpet

after “Hans Hainlein, Nürnberg 1632” 

(original city museum Munich)
after the concept from Dr.Robert Barclay

bell, bows, tubes with seam, surface scraped

pitch in Db, tuning bits and crooks for C, Cb and fine tuning

price: 1.698,- Euro

trumpet after Hans Hainlein, 1632

Baroque trumpet

after ” J.C.Riedel 1752″

(original from “J.C.Riedel, Dresden 1752”  Musikinstrumentenmuseum Leipzig)

long model “historic”  
bell, tubes and bows with seam
pitch in Db, incl. tuning bits and crooks for C, and Cb and fine tuning

price: 1.698,- Euro

trumpet after C.F.Riedel, 1752

Model “Riedel”  3-hole

bell with seam, tubes and bows without seam,
incl. crooks for Db and C  (crooks for E, Eb, D, Cb, Bb, A deliverable)

price: 1.998,- Euro

trumpet “Riedel” 3hole

Baroquetrumpet

Model “Klassik” (after trumpets about 1820)

Model “Klassik”  3-hole

bell with seam, tubes and bows without seam,
incl. crooks for Db and C  (crooks for E, Eb, D, Cb, Bb, A deliverable)

price: 1.998,- Euro

Klassik 3Loch

Model “Klassik ”  4-hole

bell with seam, tubes and bows without seam,
incl. 4 tone-hole yards (+without holes) and separate crooks for D, Db, C, Cb

price: 2.698,- Euro

trumpet “Klassik TS” 4-hole

Naturaltrumpet

after  Schmied (Pfaffendorf 1765)

bell, bows, tubes with seams, surface scraped

pitch in Db, tuning bits and crooks for C, Cb and fine tuning

Inventions trumpet (classical orchestra trumpet)

after “Carl Missenharter, Ulm um 1860”

Model “historic” 
bell, tubes and all bows with seam,
incl. bits and crooks for F, E, Eb, D, C und Bb

price: 2.998,- Euro

Inventions trumpet (classical orchestra trumpet)

Model “standard”
bell with seam, tube and all bows without seams,
incl. tuning and crooks for F, E, Eb, D, C und Bb

 price: 2.698,- Euro

for natural trumpets

long model

for natural trumpets (long) or 4 hole system.

enough space for tubes, crooks, mouthpieces etc.

belt with metal hook, stable zipper and carry handle, bag for music sheets outside (only by double bag)

made in Europe

single, price: 108,- Euro

double, price 228,- Euro

short model

for 3hole system or Inventions trumpet.

enough space for crooks, mouthpieces etc.

belt with metal hook, stable zipper and carry handle

made in Europe

price: 158,- Euro

no dates

English Historical > Birckholtz trumpet >Birckholtz Trumpet

An almost unbelievable story began in March of 2005 in the village church of the tiny town of Belitz (Prebberede) near Rostock, Germany.

I stood speechless in the sanctuary of the church, which is unusually large for the number of residents of the village, staring at a badly tarnished, dented, and easily overlooked trumpet that was hanging from a rusty nail on the wall next to a memorial plaque with a painting.

At first sight, it was immediately clear that this was something special – a long natural trumpet wrapped with cord. A few seconds later, I was certain that this was indeed a rare find.

Engraved on the bell garland was „Wolff Birckholtz, Nürnberg 1650“. An original without question – and in here Mecklenburg – and in 2005! How could this be?

But the story actually began many years earlier.

The Rostock church music director, Hartwig Eschenburg was on a concert tour through Mecklenburg with his choir when he happened to notice the trumpet during a concert in the church in Belitz. It was several years later (!) that he told me of his discovery. The note that I made at the time described it as: “Brown trumpet tied together with cord”. In my mind it seemed obvious – probably a military instrument from the first World War, of which there are many examples on the market. And so I put the note in my calendar, and at the end of the year I transferred it to the new calendar, and so on through 7 years and 7 new calendars.

At this time there were reports in the early instrument world of a sensational find of original musical instruments in the Freiberg cathedral in Saxony. The instrument world was in an excited state over these discoveries, and this brought back into my mind the note in my calendar. If things of this sort happen in Saxony, why not here in Mecklenburg too? The last nudge to check this out was the German ARD Television special series; „Im Gutshaus zu Belitz“ (At the manor house of Belitz).

There was something about a trumpet in Belitz……….

It was astounding to think that just 3 kilometers from Belitz lies the town of Prebberede, where I had been the organizer of a yearly open-air classical concert every summer since 1996, and I can’t say how many times I drove past the church in Belitz without making the connection in my mind.

The Trumpet was made by Wolff Birckholtz, who was a “Trompetenbaumeister” in Nürnberg. There are no records that document the exact year of his birth or where he was born.

He received his training from Hans Hainlein, also a master instrument maker in Nürnberg, and was released from his apprenticeship with the title of “Meister“ in the year 1649.
His maker’s mark is a crown, which harkens back to his connection as workshop successor to the the Schnitzer family, also famous Nürnberg trumpet makers. Evidence shows that his activities as a maker began in 1650.
The Belitz trumpet and a trombone in the Leipzig collection both date from this time. His surviving instruments speak very highly for the level of his experience and artistry. The high level of his work, much more than the scant documentation about his life, places him among the ranks of the most important Nürnberg trumpet makers of his time.

He and his wife both died in June of 1701.
According to the available information, his workshop was not taken over or continued after his death.

One of the very fortunate surpises related to the discovery of this trumpet is the fact that the name of its original owner is known.
In the painting on the the memorial plaque, Jacob Hintze and and his Family, along with scenes from his life, are depicted. Some information about his life, though incomplete and sketchy, is to be found in the old church record books, leaving plenty of room for fantasy and speculation about the details of his life.
From these records it can be established that Jacob Hintze was born in 1624, and held the title of “Stabstrompeters“. In the military, the stabstrompeter’s duty was to communicate through trumpet signals orders in battle such as “charge“ or“ retreat“.
Hintze was the owner and proprietor of the tavern “Neuen Kruges“ in Neu Heinde, which was the last stoping off place for horse drawn commercial traffic on its way to the harbor city of Rostock. In the middle of the 17th century mail service was introduced in Mecklenburg. Beginning in 1644 the mail between Schwerien and Rostock became quite reliable, and the “Neuen Kruges“ was a post office on an important postal route. Obviously only a reliable man of some accomplishment could be entrusted with this post office, and granted the income from it. This source of income was granted to Hinze out of the estate of the Duke.
Jacob Hinze and his wife Elisabeth Bauchen were citizens of high standing, and each had a family coat of arms which appears on the memorial plaque. They had four sons and two daughters, and the family had an unusually large circle of friends.
Hintze died a violent death in 1676 at the age of 52. Insults, a scuffle, and weapons are mentioned as having been involved. The man responsible for his death was Joachim Wadegahte.

For his burial on June 9th, 1676 in the church in Belitz his widow paid the princely sum of 20 Reichstalers, and in 1677 donated the memorial plaque with his trumpet and sword (the sword disappeared sometime after 1970). What was the source of this large sum of money? In this same year she married the wealthy notary Christophorus Schleef of Rostock….. During later renovations of the church, the grave was removed. Inscription on the Memorial plaque: „Der Feind verfolget meine Seele und zerschlägt mein Leben zu Boden.

Psalm 143 V.3“ „Dieses zum Gedächtnis habe ich Elisabeth Bauchen meinem sehl. Mann Jacob Hintzen machen lassen. Seines Alters 52 Jahr, 1677“

“For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground. Psalm 143:3“ “I, Elisabeth Bauchen have made this in loving memory of my blessed Husband Jacob Hintze. In the 52nd year of his life, 1677 “

From the Belitz church record book of 1676: June 9th 1676 „Jacob Hintze, der newe Krueger ! Periit hic verberibus inflictis a Jochim Wadegahte, filio Hinrchß, quem irritaverat emishis globulis e sclopeto ferreo !“

Instruments from Wolf Birckholtz in collections

I know other instruments from Wolff Birckholtz in:

natural trumpet (Germanischen Nationalmuseum Nürnberg, original trumpet from Belitz)
natural trumpet (Musikhistorik Museum, Kopenhagen)
natural trumpet (Museum Kremlin, Moskau)
Alto sackbut (Germanischen Nationalmuseum Nürnberg)
Tenor sackbut (Musikinstrumentenmuseum Leipzig)

Using historical and traditional techniques, and based on the information obtained from our documentation, I was then able to produce a copy of the Birckholtz trumpet.

A copy is necessarily only an imitation of the original, but the entire exercise of documentation and making a copy are worth the effort, and gives us a better understanding of the basic concept that Wolff Birckholtz had in mind for his instrument, what input or suggestions his customers, the trumpet players, might have had, what materials and tools were available to him, which working techniques were in use around 1650, and which conditions and standards, according to the “Nürnberger Handwerksordnung”, the regulations of the trade, he was required to follow.

After cutting the pattern, cutting the teeth for the seam, soldering the seam with silver solder, and hammering into shape at the anvil, the bell slowly begins to take shape.
On a specially made steel madrel, with the exact internal dimensions of the original, the bell is then burnished by hand to its final form. This mandrel was also used for shaping the garland.
The remaining cylindrical tubes were formed from flat sheet brass, the seams soldered, and the tubes drawn through a draw plate to arrive at their final shape and dimensions.
The ferrules and ball are made in a similar fashion from sheet metal, and decorated with various steel stamps copied from the original.
The garland was then engraved by hand by a master engraver, after which the ferrules, ball, and garland were silver plated.
The rings and saddles for the bows were then formed, engraved, and assembled with silver solder.
The tubing for the bows was bent around a wooden form, and the finished rings attached to the bows with lead/tin soft solder.
The surface of the tubes, bows, and bell were all scraped with a sharp scraper to arrive at the final finish.
On each of the long yards and bends, one end was widened and the other end compessed into a taper, so that the joints of the instrument could be assembled without solder using a tapered lap joint.
I normally use beeswax to ensure an airtight fit on these joints.
A wooden block was then used as a spacer between the bell and mouthpipe yard and wrapped with cord.
The bottom bow was attached to the bell by a piece of brass wire twisted around the bow and through a hole in the bell rim.

And then the moment of truth: Will the trumpet play? And if so, how well? The first notes played in my workshop were promising, but necessarily very subjective, after working so intensely with the greatest of expectations.

One of the finest and most experienced natural trumpet players in the world, Jean-Francois Madeuf, was asked to test and evaluate the instrument, and his opinion of the instrument was extemely favorable. The first phase of the project was successfully completed! The next goal was to construct a set of copies to be used in performances of 17th and 18th century compositions.

6 trumpets for the first performance

Original now in Nürnberg

In January of 2009, as part of the “Internationalen Tagung zum Nürnberger Instrumentenbau“, I was able to present the original Birckholtz trumpet to the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nürnberg as a permanant loan from the church in Belitz.
After lengthy discussions with colleagues in the museum collection field, I suggested to the church officials in Belitz that the trumpet, as an irreplaceable cultural treasure, should be given on loan to the instrument collection of the GNM in Nürnberg, where it would be properly cared for and displayed by their highly skilled staff of experts.
This collection enjoys a world wide reputation of excellence among musicians and scholars.

Today the original can be seen at the museum, displayed with a copy in a special case in the musical instrument collection’s main exhibit room. For their decision concerning this instrument, the administration of the church has gained the respect of all of my colleagues in the field, and of musicians everywhere. This entire experience of the Birckholtz trumpet project has been a wonderful example of how we should see our responsibility toward our historical and cultural inheritance.