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WINSTON CHURCHILL MEMORIAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA

Report by - ANDREW DOYLE - 2016 Churchill Fellow

THE MR AND MRS GERALD FRANK NEW CHURCHILL FELLOWSHIP TO LEARN HOW TO

MAKE 18TH CENTURY CLARINETS FOR AUSTRALIAN CLARINETTISTS - NL and UK.

I understand that the Churchill Trust may publish this Report, either in hard copy or on the internet or both, and consent to such publication.

I indemnify the Churchill Trust against any loss, costs or damages it may suffer arising out of any claim or proceedings made against the Trust in respect of or arising out of the publication of any Report submitted to the Trust and which the Trust places on a website for access over the internet.

I also warrant that my Final Report is original and does not infringe the copyright of any person, or contain anything which is, or the incorporation of which into the Final Report is, actionable for defamation, a breach of any privacy law or obligation, breach of confidence, contempt of court, passing-off or contravention of any other private right or of any law.

Signed: ANDREW DOYLE Dated: 02 Nov 2017

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Name: Andrew Doyle

Address: 56 Bombala St, PENDLE HILL NSW 2145

Occupation: Clarinettist and Clarinet Maker

Phone: 0404 868 497

Project Description: Working with a master clarinet maker to make historical clarinets, including

chalumeau and 5-key classical clarinets. In addition to clarinet making, research into the measurements

and characteristics of original 18th century clarinets was undertaken in English museums and the collection

of The Coldstream Guards Band.

Locations and People: The bulk of my project took place in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, under the expert

tutelage of clarinet maker, Soren Green, of Soren Green Historical Clarinets. I studied with Mr Green from

29 Jul - 22 Aug 2017 at his workshop, learning the relevant techniques and tools required to make

historical clarinets. The remainder of my Fellowship was spent in London, viewing and measuring early

clarinets at the Horniman Museum, and with Lance Sergeant Ben Hull of The Coldstream Guards Band,

playing and measuring historical clarinets in the collection of The Coldstream Guards.

Methods to disseminate and implement this information in Australia: The types of tools that are

required to make historical clarinets are available for purchase in Australia, and since returning I have set

up a workshop and have commenced making clarinet barrels for modern clarinets, as well as work on an

historical clarinet. The wood that I am using is locally sourced Australian timber, and a local music store

has agreed to distribute my clarinets. My performances are on the instruments that I have built, and I am

developing a school education program to further disseminate the knowledge of historical clarinets, and

the process of building them. The clarinet students at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music are expressing

interest in learning historical clarinet, my projects have the support of the Head of Clarinet at the

University of Auckland, and there is a student interested in learning instrument making techniques. I will

approach schools and other tertiary music institutions and provide seminars to raise awareness of

performance on historical clarinets.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To be able to travel to the other side of the world to learn the fine skills of early clarinet making was a

great honour and privilege, and would not have been possible without the generosity of some amazing

and generous people.

First and foremost, my most sincere thanks to Mrs Patricia New for her generosity in providing this

Fellowship each year, and for her support of classical music and the arts. Without Mrs New’s patronage, it

would not have been possible for me to learn how to make historical clarinets, and make it possible for

Australian clarinettists to play these instruments locally.

Thanks must be also be afforded to Soren Green, the master historical clarinet maker that hosted me and

passed on to me a great many of his secrets. I and all Australian clarinettists with an interest in these

instruments have already benefitted from such masterful and generous tutelage, and I will be sure to use

what you have taught me to continue your legacy for the benefit of clarinettists world-wide.

A long-time friend and colleague, Lance Sergeant Ben Hull of The Coldstream Guards Band not only took

me into his home to dine with his wonderful young family, but provided me with a piece of history that

will help to define the development of the clarinet in Australia.

Of course none of this would have been possible without the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust. I will be

sure to pass on all that I have learned to all Australians and clarinettists around the world, and perpetuate

the legacy that Winston Churchill and the Churchill Trust have left to further educate and develop all areas

of society.

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PROGRAMME

My Fellowship involved learning how to make a tenor chalumeau and a 5-key Greisbacher replica clarinet

from Soren Green, and conducting further research in London.

29 July - 06 August 2017 - Learn the tools and techniques needed to build woodwind instruments, and this

time was used to build a tenor chalumeau.

07 - 22 August 2017 - Following the successful build of the tenor chalumeau, the next 3 weeks was spent

building a more complex 5-key classical clarinet, copied from the measurements of an original Viennese

clarinet built by the maker Greisbacher.

22 - 27 August 2017 - Time spent in London measuring original English clarinets. The extensive collection in

The Horniman Museum provided a great deal of material and inspiration to measure and record. The

generosity of Lance Sergeant Ben Hull to host me in his home, provided me with the opportunity to play

and measure one of The Coldstream Guards’ original 18th century clarinets.

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THE FELLOWSHIP

My journey began by travelling from Sydney, Australia to Rotterdam, The Netherlands. My initial

impressions of The Netherlands upon arrival was the ease of travel by public transport from Amsterdam,

Schipol Airport to Rotterdam Centraal Station, then tram to the workshop and residence of the historical

clarinet maker that I would be studying with, Soren Green, of Soren Green Historical Clarinets.

The view out the front of the Workshop of Soren Green Historical Clarinets

Mr Green’s workshop is located on a picturesque canal in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, in a small district

of boutique workshops. Mr Green is a well-renowned master maker of historical clarinets and chalumeau,

and was extremely accommodating in helping me to organise all of the items associated with travelling to

and staying in another country, such as organising accommodation, and taking me sight-seeing, and the

best places to eat and drink in Rotterdam.

The primary aim of my Fellowship was to learn the tools and techniques required to make historical

clarinets and chalumeau, and my first impression of Mr Green’s workshop revealed that I would be

learning everything that I needed to know. His range of machinery is impressive, and the workshop is

spacious and sun-filled, providing an ideal environment for crafting musical instruments.

Before commencing any work on making clarinets, I needed to re-acquaint myself with some basic wood-

turning techniques, and with the master maker ensuring that I was suitably prepared, provided me with

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my first taste of wood-turning on a large metal lathe, by turning a small piece of mahogany that had been

acquired from the leg of a bed. I realised from this that all timber is precious to a craftsman, and a

fundamental change in my approach to timber and renewal materials was ignited. My previous wood-

turning experience had been on simple wood lathes, and the level of customisation and tooling that was

present on the metal lathe was impressive and intimidating.

Initial wood-turning on a metal lathe

The first day was spent practising my wood-turning skills, and ensuring that I was suitably equipped to

handle the precious timber that would be used to create clarinets and chalumeau. The mahogany bed leg

was softer than the Grenadilla that I would be turning for the tenor chalumeau, and was perfect to

practise my skills with a chisel.

Final results from practising my wood-turning

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With the basic skills acquired, Mr Green seemed satisfied that I would be able to commence work on the

precious Grenadilla, and work began on three separate pieces of timber that would join together to create

a tenor chalumeau. Extensive research and experience has been undertaken and obtained by Mr Green,

and the measurements required to make the instrument play in tune are well documented, to ensure that

the process can be repeated. I have no doubt that with my own work at home, I will be honing my

measurements for some time to come, but with the accurate template that I built under Mr Green’s

tutelage, I have an exceptional instrument to copy, and an historically accurate replica that can be

confidently used by professional performers on period instruments.

The boring, drilling, milling, turning, final sanding and polishing of the chalumeau took roughly 5 days,

which for the purposes of study and learning was a suitable time frame, however, the wood requires rest

between steps to avoid any warping or cracking, and this process would ideally take place over a much

longer period of time.

Tenor chalumeau without keys

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The next step of the process is to make the keys. The keys are made of a brass sheet, and the shape of the

keys is cut from the sheet to the desired shape. The cut brass is then folded into the necessary shape, and

various heating techniques are applied to be able to manipulate the metal to the desired shape. Filing and

fitting is then attempted with the instrument, and the task of ensuring a perfect fit must not be rushed,

and is required one tenth of a millimetre at a time.

The initial cut of a brass key

Once the fitment is secure, a leather pad is added to ensure that the key and pad seal over the hole to

ensure no air escapes. Once this is completed, the chalumeau is ready for fine tuning. The shape of the

holes is modified to make each note play as accurately in tune as possible, and once this is completed, the

instrument is ready for performance.

The completed tenor chalumeau

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Needless to say, being able to play an instrument that I made myself was immensely satisfying, especially

being able to play on such a beautiful instrument. The instruction that Soren Green provided to build this

chalumeau was exceptional, however he provided me with a degree of caution that the 5-key classical

clarinet would provide a much greater challenge, and require a much higher level of expertise to be

successful. Nevertheless, I was incredibly eager to get started and even the simple process of selecting the

wood kept me up throughout the night in anticipation.

The wood that is needed for European classical clarinets is Boxwood, a light-coloured wood that is much

easier to turn than the Grenadilla that I used on the chalumeau, but is much less stable, and is more prone

to cracking and warping. Boxwood was traditionally used for making clarinets in the 18th century, and in

order to make historically accurate replicas, the type of wood used is an essential consideration, and one

that I will discuss later in this paper with the relevance to making these instruments in Australia.

Pre-treated Boxwood ready for making a clarinet

Once the wood is selected, the basic concept is identical to that of making the chalumeau, however there

is more keywork and more intricate milling and elaborate turning. The most difficult piece of the classical

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clarinet to create is the Stock, which requires advanced turning and milling techniques, however the basic

concepts are the same as with the less-advanced chalumeau. As such, I will not delve into the process

again, but will provide illustrations to show the difference in technology between the chalumeau and the

classical clarinet, which can be seen best in the image of the completed instruments.

Classical clarinet complete without keys

Key learning outcomes that I learnt from my studies with Soren Green were the types of tools that are

required to build woodwind instruments and the types of wood used. Also of critical importance were the

techniques required to use these tools, and an awareness of the level of accuracy required. Until these

studies, I was unaware of the amount of difference that 0.1mm makes to the intonation of a clarinet, and I

have definitely developed a significantly increased level of respect for instrument makers of all kinds. In

order to establish a successful local workshop, I must be able to put all of these new-found skills into

action, as well as be able to source appropriate timbers.

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The completed tenor chalumeau (left) and 5-key classical clarinet (right)

Not all of my time in Rotterdam was dedicated to making clarinets. Mr Green and I share a love of playing

football, and I was privileged to train with his team, and meet his teammates who are members of the

Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. This shared enjoyment of football between a group of musicians has

led to forming new friendships, and further sharing of music around the world. I was privileged enough

whilst I was in The Netherlands to travel to Amsterdam to see the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra’s

season opening concert at the Royal Concertgebouw. It was a such a joy to meet such fine musicians and

be able to experience familiar music performed by a different orchestra, and hear the different

approaches. By forming friendships outside of the orchestra, we have since had musical discussions,

sharing experiences and further developing personally and professionally.

Following my clarinet making course in Rotterdam, I travelled to London to conduct further research on

18th century English clarinets. My interest in English clarinets is directly related to the history of the

clarinet in Australia, particularly those used by our military bands. As our military bands evolved directly

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from the English military bands, as an Australian clarinettist, I feel that all Australian clarinettists should

understand the local history and evolution of the instruments that we play.

A significant collection of historical clarinets is at the Horniman Museum in London, England.

Unfortunately it was not possible to arrange to handle the instruments, and conduct accurate

measurements, however my main goal with these instruments was to view the external characteristics,

and to determine how different they are from the characteristics of the Viennese clarinets that I had built

in Rotterdam. This museum trip was very successful, as in my personal collection I have two original

English clarinets, and I was able to confirm that the models that I own are by the same maker as some of

the clarinets in the museum collection. By confirming this, I will be able to successfully replicate 18th

century English clarinets in my workshop in Australia, as I have instruments to copy, and these will be

accurate to the period to ensure faithful historically informed performance.

A selection of historical clarinets from the Horniman Museum

Another important meeting while I was in London was with Lance Sergeant Ben Hull, a saxophonist in The

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Coldstream Guards Band. Ben and I have worked together previously in Australian Services bands as well

as in a Big Band in Western Sydney. Ben had advised me that The Coldstream Guards Band has a collection

of its original wind instruments, and they still play 18th century band music with a dedicated 18th century

band. He was generous enough to host me at his home, and bring home one of these early clarinets for me

to examine and play. While the instrument is roughly 200 years old, it was still in playable condition, and I

was able to demonstrate to him the sound of the clarinet, and provide him with the details of its pitch,

maker, construction and key configuration. I took measurements of this clarinet, and will be able to cross-

reference these measurements with the English clarinets from my collection, further adding to the

authenticity of the instruments that I will be able to make.

Original C clarinet from the collection of The Coldstream Guards

By virtue of being in London in August, I was able to experience The Proms, the world-famous concert

series that attracts the world’s most prestigious musical artists and ensembles, performing at least one

concert per day in the Royal Albert Hall in London. The concert that I attended was the Orchestra of The

Hallé performing Dvorak’s 9th Symphony ‘The New World’. The whole concert experience was of the

highest standard, and the artistry on display was simply breathtaking. The ability to attend any music of

this standard for the meagre cost of £6 is incredible, and in Australia, we can only dream of this level of

support for the Arts.

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CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The primary aim of my Fellowship journey was to learn the tools and skills required to be able to make

historical clarinets in Australia. Currently there aren’t any Australian early clarinet makers, and there are

no instruments available in the tertiary music institutions for students to be able to learn early clarinet.

While it is advantageous in my current situation that students can lease instruments from me and employ

me to teach them, it is not sustainable, and is not suitable to develop any long-term projects involving

early clarinets. I will address my primary goals separately, and how they are able to be achieved in

Australia.

Tools

All of the required tools for making clarinets are available in Australia, and since returning I have been able

to purchase these tools and have set up a workshop with a very similar set of tooling to that of Soren

Green. Where possible, I have purchased tools from small workshops, but have made sure that at all times

I support local industry.

Wood

This has caused some consternation, as Grenadilla and other Palisander timbers are very difficult to source

in Australia due to importation restrictions as a result of many years of illegal timber poaching. Similarly,

Boxwood is very difficult to source. In consideration of historical practice, and in discussions with early

clarinet specialists, it is considered to be accurate to the period to build instruments from local timbers.

With this consideration satisfied, I have spent a great deal of time discussing possible timbers with various

importers and timber suppliers, and have selected several timbers that share similar qualities to Grenadilla

and Boxwood.

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A selection of timbers in my workshop for early clarinets

Work has begun with these different woods, and over the next few months, I will have sufficient material

that has been worked into clarinets and accessories to ascertain which timbers will make the best

instruments.

Disseminating information

Upon my return from my Fellowship, I was provided with the opportunity to perform Mozart’s Clarinet

Concerto with the Early Music Ensemble at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music as the guest soloist,

performing on historical clarinet. Although the instrument that I crafted was not the historically correct

type to perform this concerto1, I was able to perform with the mouthpiece that I made with an existing

instrument that I own. This alone created a great deal of interest in my studies in making historical

clarinets, and to be able to showcase even this small part of my newly-acquired skills was a great honour.

I am the Artistic Director of the period instrument chamber ensemble, Classicum Australis, and I am

currently developing an education program to travel to schools and other education institutions to

increase interest in classical music performed on the instruments that it was composed for. Naturally I will

1 The Mozart Clarinet Concerto in A Major was composed for the Basset Clarinet pitched in A. On my course, I made a B clarinet.

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perform on my own instruments, and in time hope to host short-courses in my workshop to teach

clarinettists about how to make early clarinets, and even components of modern instruments.

Of course social media is the easiest way to disseminate information, and accordingly I have set up a page

that will display my work as it develops, and also add performance and education projects to this page.

While the Historically Informed Performance (HIP) movement in Australia has gained significant

momentum, and there are several performance opportunities and some amazing ensembles,

opportunities for early clarinettists with these ensembles is limited due to the relatively late development

of the clarinet and its subsequent inclusion in compositions. With Classicum Australis, I am hoping to

develop further awareness for clarinettists that there are opportunities for performance on early clarinets,

and potentially a career specialising in these instruments in Australia. By building instruments locally,

clarinettists will be able to learn to play these instruments without the initial time and expense of sourcing

clarinets from overseas.