Schnellar Classical
Inspired by Hans Schnellars original salon timpani, owned by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, are these replicas equipped with a new bottom and a refined crank technique. The Adams Schnellar Classical timpani stand for the highest quality in sound and perfect functionality.
For anyone looking for a set of timpani for repertoire from the late Baroque, Classical or early Romantic period, these instruments are a feast for the eyes and ears.
The handmade bowls have a diameter of 550, 610, 650 and 690 mm. The instruments come with Sonnberg goat skins. These goat parchments are made from rawhide and thus provide a richer variety of overtones. In addition, they have a very pronounced fundamental note, which gives the perfect bass foundation, especially for larger drums.
Specifications Schnellar Classical
Base: Brass Laquer, Grey Powder Coat, or High Gloss Nickel
Bowl: Narrow pointed bowl design
Tuning: Kurbel hand-crank tuning, Schnellar bowl-activated tuning system
Heads: Sonnberg goat skin or Super Kalfo heads w/ clamps
Sizes: 21.6" (55cm), 24" (61cm), 25.6" (65cm), 27.1" (69cm)
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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