Instruments
Isaac’s work often requires him to perform on various different instruments depending on the repertoire and ensemble. Below is an overview of the instruments he has to use, ranging from historical instruments from early 18th Century through to the present day.
Egger Corno da Tirarsi ca. 2022
Richard Seraphinoff Baroque Horn ca. 2019-2020, after Johann Leichnambschneider, Vienna, 1710-1735
Courtois neveu aîné rue des vieux augustins a Paris Natural Horn (Cor d’orchestre), ca.1813-1838
Courtois neveu aîné rue des vieux augustins a Paris Natural Horn (Cor d’orchestre), ca.1813-1838 - Painted Bell
Anonymous English Piston Horn, possibly by Hawkes & Son, late 19th Century
Millereau 'Cor Raoux' Piston Horn with Ascending 3rd Valve, late 19th Century
Anton Dehmal (Vienna, active 1883-1907) Viennese Rotary Horn in F, late 19th Century
Eduard Kruspe (Erfurt, 1831-1919) German Rotary Horn in F, early 20th Century
Gebr. Alexander (Mainz) Model 200 Double Horn with Ascending 3rd Valve, ca.1980s. Instrument formerly owned by Francis Orval and Spiros Kessaris
Gebr. Alexander (Mainz) Model 103 Double Horn, ca. 2021. Instrument formerly owned by Claire Briggs
Mouthpieces
Isaac uses various appropriate mouthpieces depending on the instruments he is performing on. Whilst he generally believes in staying on one setup (especially on modern horn), using different mouthpieces for specific instruments contribute towards a performance practice that is not only historically informed, but the responses and feels of the mouthpieces also highlight the different responses, sounds and attentions needed for those instruments.
Below is an overview of the mouthpieces he uses, ranging from original to replicas of historical original mouthpieces.
Baroque Horn Mouthpieces:
L-R: Egger HBE 7 (primary mouthpiece); Franz Windhager Br/B3 Cup, M3 Rim
Natural Horn Mouthpieces
L-R: Seraphinoff T, French classical mouthpiece copied from an original possibly by Tabard, ca. 1810 (used primarily for virtuosic cor basse playing); L’Olifant Paris JJ. Rodolphe, Collection Claude Maury, with medium adaptor (primary all-round mouthpiece); Franz Windhager N/B3 Cup, M3 Rim
Rotary and Vienna Horn Mouthpieces
L-R: Anonymous 19th Century German mouthpiece; Franz Windhager WT7 Cup, M7 Rim, mouthpiece from Wolfgang Tomböck; Anonymous late 19th Century German mouthpiece
Piston Horn Mouthpieces
L-R: Antoine Courtois, Paris; Couesnon, Paris
Modern Horn Mouthpiece
L’Olifant Paris, Model 1789 A12 Cup, AW Rim
Primary Mouthpieces:
Baroque Horn: Egger HBE 7
Natural Horn: L’Olifant Paris JJ. Rodolphe, Collection Claude Maury
Modern Horn: L’Olifant Paris, Model 1789 A12 Cup, AW Rim
Note:
Windhager mouthpieces are used primarily to match colleagues who play on modern mouthpieces
Most mouthpieces contain an inner diameter of around 17mm
Mutes
Isaac’s work occasionally requires him to use mutes, for practice and for performance. Below is an overview of the mutes he uses.
Straight Mute: GrBrass Painted Mute, American walnut tree wood, Angle 1
Straight Mute: GrBrass Painted Mute, American walnut tree wood, Angle 2
Straight Mute: GrBrass Painted Mute, American walnut tree wood, Angle 3
Straight Mute: GrBrass Painted Mute, American walnut tree wood, Base
Straight Mute: Hawkins Orchestral Straight Mute
Stopping Mute: Hawkins French Horn Stopping Mute
Hawkins Mutes are made using computer design and 3D printing technologies, and are designed to ‘bridge the gulf between the edgy metallic mute and the softer fibre/wood sounds.’
If you would like to learn more about Hawkins Mutes, please click on the link below.
Practice Mutes: Okura+ mute; Sshhmute by Bremner