Schnellar Amsterdam
Experience world-class sound. The instruments are developed with Marinus Komst and Nick Woud, timpanists of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
The Adams Schnellar Amsterdam timpani were painstakingly developed based on the original Schnellar timpani used by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam for over a century while utilizing modern Adams innovations to optimize the power and complexity of these magnificent instruments.
“
These are the best timpani in the world
— Marinus Komst
Specifications
Kettle: 1 mm handmade copper, ellipse form
Kettle sizes: 20"-23"-25"-26"-28"-29"-32"
Base: Vanadium Steel
Struts: None
Suspension ring: None
Counterhoop: None, Brass claws
Number of tension rods: 6
Pedal: Replica ratchet in Dresden and Berlin style
Tuning: Traditional finetuner
Finish: Nickel plated
Heads: Super Kalfo
Extra: Padded wooden head Cover, Drop Cover, Tuning key, Felt mute, and Flight cases
One of a kind
Adams Schnellar Amsterdam Series Timpani feature a unique base with only three legs to enhance the tonal character of its distinct tuning system in which the tension rods and head remain stationary, while the bowl itself moves vertically to change pitch.
The Super Kalfo natural heads are tucked on special flesh hoops with cutouts, eliminating the use of counterhoops which helps produce the pure tones of the pointed, copper kettles.
Hans Schnellar
Hans Schnellar (1865-1945) began his career as solo timpanist with the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra. He was the guest timpanist with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam for one year before becoming the solo timpanist with the Vienna State Opera and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra until 1932.
Schnellar experimented with timpani making, and produced many different types of drums. Many of his instruments are still being used today because of the instrument’s sound quality. Schnellar initiated the concept of pushing the kettle upwards instead of pulling the rim down to change head tension. His kurbel instruments are still being used (in a revised edition by Hochrainer) in the Weiner Philharmoniker. The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra has the only pair of original Schnellar pedal timpani, mentioned in the Berlioz/Strauss instrumentation book.
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