{"id":27488,"date":"2025-04-10T09:27:52","date_gmt":"2025-04-10T07:27:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vichy-encheres.com\/?p=27488"},"modified":"2025-11-25T17:36:19","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T16:36:19","slug":"basson-grenser","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vichy-encheres.com\/en\/2025\/04\/10\/basson-grenser\/","title":{"rendered":"Un rare basson \u00e0 neuf cl\u00e9s d\u2019Heinrich Grenser (1764\u20131813)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Le 10 mai 2025, Vichy Ench\u00e8res pr\u00e9sentera un rare basson \u00e0 neuf cl\u00e9s de Heinrich Grenser, l\u2019un des plus grands facteurs d\u2019instruments \u00e0 vent de la fin du XVIII\u1d49 si\u00e8cle. T\u00e9moignage remarquable d\u2019une \u00e9poque de profondes mutations organologiques, cet instrument se distingue autant par la finesse de sa facture que par son excellent \u00e9tat de conservation. Marqu\u00e9 de la couronne royale de Saxe, ce basson incarne tout le savoir-faire d\u2019un atelier qui a durablement marqu\u00e9 l\u2019histoire de la facture instrumentale.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Catalogue<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Vente du 9 mai 2025<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Vente du 10 mai 2025<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Contact<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Experts<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
English version<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Biographie de Heinrich Grenser<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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Origines familiales et formation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"Bernardo<\/a>
Bernardo Bellotto, Dresde vue de la rive droite de l’Elbe, 1748, Gem\u00e4ldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresde<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Peter<\/a>
Peter Jakob Horemans, Famille de Saxe et de Baviere en 1761, Munich<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Grenser est n\u00e9 le 5 mars 1764 dans une famille de facteurs d\u2019instruments \u00e0 Dresde, en Saxe. Son oncle est August Grenser (1720\u20131807), \u00e9tabli \u00e0 Dresde depuis les ann\u00e9es 1740. D\u00e8s l\u2019\u00e2ge de 15 ans, Heinrich se forme dans l\u2019atelier familial. Il est apprenti aupr\u00e8s d\u2019August Grenser de 1779 \u00e0 1786[1]<\/sup><\/a>. August Grenser \u00e9tait \u00e0 cette \u00e9poque l\u2019un des facteurs les plus r\u00e9put\u00e9s d\u2019Europe et avait obtenu en 1753 le prestigieux statut de Hof-Instrumentenmacher<\/em> (facteur attitr\u00e9 de la cour \u00e9lectorale de Saxe).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Albert R. Rice, \u201cThe Earliest Bass Clarinet Music\u201d, in The Clarinet<\/em>, juin 2011.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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A ce titre, il fournissait en instruments la cour de Dresde mais \u00e9galement les plus grands virtuoses de son temps, \u00e0 l\u2019image de Mozart[1]<\/sup><\/a>. Cette primaut\u00e9 de l\u2019atelier Grenser a eu une influence d\u00e9cisive sur la formation du jeune Heinrich, qui resta dans l\u2019atelier de son oncle \u00e0 la fin de son apprentissage et \u00e9pousa, en 1789, sa cousine Henrietta Regina Grenser, la fille d\u2019August\u200b. Ce mariage a d\u00e8s lors consolid\u00e9 sa position dans l\u2019entreprise familiale et, lorsque August prit sa retraite vers 1796, Heinrich reprit officiellement la direction de l\u2019atelier de Dresde\u200b[2]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> The Clarinets of Heinrich Grenser (1769\u20131814)<\/em>, \u00e9tude de collection<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[2]<\/sup><\/a> The Clarinets of Heinrich Grenser (1769\u20131814)<\/em>, \u00e9tude de collection<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Corps<\/a>
Corps sup\u00e9rieur de hautbois en buis, trois clefs carr\u00e9es laiton, estampill\u00e9 A.GRENSER
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 10 novembre 2018
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Corps<\/a>
Corps sup\u00e9rieur de hautbois en buis, trois clefs carr\u00e9es laiton, estampill\u00e9 A.GRENSER
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 10 novembre 2018
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Barbara<\/a>
Barbara Krafft, Mozart, 1819<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"August<\/a>
August Grenser, fl\u00fbte, Mus\u00e9e de la Musique, cr\u00e9dits photo Jean-Claude Billing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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L\u2019atelier Grenser \u00e0 Dresde sous Heinrich<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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D\u00e8s la fin des ann\u00e9es 1780, Heinrich Grenser s\u2019affirme comme un facteur prosp\u00e8re et innovant. Il emploie plusieurs ouvriers et g\u00e8re un atelier en plein essor\u200b. En d\u00e9cembre 1793, \u00e0 seulement 29 ans, il publie dans la presse une annonce pr\u00e9sentant une nouvelle invention, attestant de son assurance et de son d\u00e9sir de se faire conna\u00eetre pour son propre travail. Dans cette annonce dat\u00e9e du 19 d\u00e9cembre 1793, il d\u00e9clare : \u00ab J\u2019ai invent\u00e9 un instrument auquel j\u2019ai donn\u00e9 le nom de clarinette basse. Cet instrument [\u2026] descend jusqu\u2019au si grave<\/em> \u00bb\u200b[1]<\/sup><\/a>. Grenser souligne \u00e9galement qu\u2019il a \u00e9t\u00e9 l\u2019\u00e9l\u00e8ve et le collaborateur de sonbeau-p\u00e8re August Grenser,revendiquant ainsi une prestigieuse filiation conjugu\u00e9e \u00e0 une volont\u00e9 d\u2019innover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sous la direction de Heinrich, l\u2019atelier continue de jouir d\u2019une grande renomm\u00e9e. En 1806, lorsque le royaume de Saxe est \u00e9tabli par Napol\u00e9on, Grenser obtient le titre de facteur de la Cour royale et adapte son estampille en rempla\u00e7ant les \u00e9p\u00e9es crois\u00e9es (symbole de l\u2019\u00e9lectorat de Saxe) par une couronne, attestant de son statut officiel[2]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Albert R. Rice, \u201cThe Earliest Bass Clarinet Music\u201d, in The Clarinet<\/em>, juin 2011.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[2]<\/sup><\/a> The Clarinets of Heinrich Grenser (1769\u20131814)<\/em>, \u00e9tude de collection <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Durant la p\u00e9riode 1797\u20131813, l\u2019estampille \u201cH. GRENSER \/ DRESDEN\u201d<\/em> figure aussi sur ses instruments, d\u2019abord avec les \u00e9p\u00e9es jusqu\u2019en 1806, puis accompagn\u00e9e de la couronne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heinrich Grenser meurt pr\u00e9matur\u00e9ment le 12 d\u00e9cembre 1813 \u00e0 Dresde, \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e2ge de 49 ans, en pleines guerres napol\u00e9oniennes. Il laisse derri\u00e8re lui un fils en bas \u00e2ge, Heinrich Otto, n\u00e9 de son second mariage, trop jeune pour reprendre l\u2019atelier (il n\u2019a que cinq ans en 1813). Durant les quelques ann\u00e9es suivant sa mort, c\u2019est son principal ouvrier, Samuel Wiesner (1791\u20131868), qui maintient l\u2019activit\u00e9 en \u00e9pousant sa veuve en 1817. Wiesner continue de fabriquer des instruments sous le nom de Grenser jusqu\u2019\u00e0 l\u2019obtention de son propre brevet en 1823[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> The Clarinets of Heinrich Grenser (1769\u20131814)<\/em>, \u00e9tude de collection <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Blason<\/a>
Blason de l’\u00e9lectorat de Saxe <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Corps<\/a>
Corps sup\u00e9rieur de hautbois en buis, trois clefs carr\u00e9es laiton, estampill\u00e9 A.GRENSER
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 10 novembre 2018
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Estampille<\/a>
Estampille couronne sur une fl\u00fbte piccolo de Heinrich Grenser
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 14 d\u00e9cembre 2013
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Charge<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Contexte historique de la facture instrumentale
(fin XVIIIe<\/sup> – d\u00e9but XIXe<\/sup> si\u00e8cle)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"Rare<\/a>
Rare clarinette alto en fa, vers 1830, estampill\u00e9e SIMIOT & BRELET \u00e0 Lyon
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 15 d\u00e9cembre 2007
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Basson<\/a>
Basson de Simiot et Brelet \u00e0 Lyon
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 11 d\u00e9cembre 2010
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Clarinette<\/a>
Clarinette en buis en La, treize clefs laiton, estampill\u00e9e SIMIOT et BRELET
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 9 novembre 2024
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Heinrich Grenser est actif \u00e0 une \u00e9poque charni\u00e8re pour la facture des instruments \u00e0 vent. Les ann\u00e9es 1780-1810 sont le th\u00e9\u00e2tre de grandes avanc\u00e9es dans la conception des bois, en particulier de la clarinette\u200b. Invent\u00e9e au d\u00e9but du XVIIIe si\u00e8cle (le premier mod\u00e8le est attribu\u00e9 \u00e0 Johann Christoph Denner vers 1700), la clarinette n\u2019avait \u00e0 l\u2019origine que deux cl\u00e9s et ne pouvait jouer que dans quelques tonalit\u00e9s. Tout au long du XVIIIe si\u00e8cle, les facteurs ajoutent progressivement des cl\u00e9s pour \u00e9largir l\u2019ambitus et faciliter le jeu chromatique. Vers le milieu du XVIIIe si\u00e8cle, les clarinettes \u00e0 quatre ou cinq cl\u00e9s deviennent la norme dans les grands centres musicaux – c\u2019est le type d\u2019instrument qu\u2019August Grenser fabriquait durant sa carri\u00e8re pour les \u0153uvres de Vivaldi, Stamitz ou Rameau\u200b. Malgr\u00e9 ces am\u00e9liorations, la clarinette reste limit\u00e9e \u00e0 certaines tonalit\u00e9s, d\u2019o\u00f9 l\u2019usage courant de clarinettes en Ut, Si\u266d, La, etc., que l\u2019instrumentiste change selon le morceau).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Autour de 1800, la demande des musiciens et compositeurs \u00e9volue. On aspire \u00e0 des clarinettes plus agiles chromatiquement, capables de jouer dans un plus grand nombre de tonalit\u00e9s sans changer d\u2019instrument\u200b. C\u2019est ainsi que s\u2019amorce une course aux innovations techniques : multiplication du nombre de cl\u00e9s, perfectionnement des tampons pour une meilleure \u00e9tanch\u00e9it\u00e9, am\u00e9lioration de la perce et de l\u2019intonation. Plusieurs facteurs europ\u00e9ens vont rivaliser d\u2019ing\u00e9niosit\u00e9 durant les premi\u00e8res d\u00e9cennies du XIXe si\u00e8cle. Parmi les plus importants, on compte Fran\u00e7ois Simiot (actif \u00e0 Lyon) et Iwan Johann M\u00fcller \u2013 ce dernier travaillant entre l\u2019Allemagne, la Russie et Paris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

M\u00fcller mettra au point vers 1810\u20131812 une clarinette \u00e0 13 cl\u00e9s munie de coussinets sp\u00e9ciaux \u00e0 tampons en cuir et carton viss\u00e9s (pads \u00e0 vis) qui am\u00e9liorent consid\u00e9rablement l\u2019intonation. De son c\u00f4t\u00e9, Simiot d\u00e9veloppe d\u00e8s les ann\u00e9es 1800 un syst\u00e8me de barillet et de cl\u00e9 de registre novateur : il d\u00e9place l\u2019orifice du registre sur le devant de l\u2019instrument (au lieu du dos) pour \u00e9viter qu\u2019il ne se bouche avec la condensation, il ins\u00e8re un petit tube de laiton dans le trou du pouce (syst\u00e8me dit b\u00e9quet<\/em>) pour le m\u00eame objectif, et il con\u00e7oit des barillets doubl\u00e9s de m\u00e9tal permettant un accord fin\u200b. Ces perfectionnements pr\u00e9figurent certains aspects des clarinettes modernes[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Informations provenant en partie de The Clarinets of Heinrich Grenser (1769\u20131814)<\/em>, \u00e9tude de collection<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Parall\u00e8lement, l\u2019extension vers le registre grave des clarinettes suscite de l\u2019int\u00e9r\u00eat. Depuis le milieu du XVIIIe si\u00e8cle, on a invent\u00e9 des clarinettes plus grandes, en Fa ou en Sol, appel\u00e9es cors de basset<\/em>, capables de descendre plus bas que la clarinette soprano (jusqu\u2019au do ou au si\u266d). Dans le prolongement de ces recherches, l\u2019id\u00e9e d\u2019une clarinette basse (d\u2019une octave plus grave que la clarinette ordinaire) \u00e9merge \u00e0 la fin du XVIIIe si\u00e8cle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

En 1811, Grenser publie un article dans l\u2019Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung<\/em>[1]<\/sup><\/a> (grand journal musical germanique) o\u00f9 il se montre critique envers certaines inventions r\u00e9centes visant \u00e0 ajouter toujours plus de cl\u00e9s aux instruments, notamment aux fl\u00fbtes\u200b. Il y pr\u00e9conise de soigner d\u2019abord la conception acoustique de l\u2019instrument avant d\u2019ajouter des m\u00e9canismes suppl\u00e9mentaires. Cette prise de position r\u00e9v\u00e8le le point de vue pragmatique de Grenser. Favorable aux progr\u00e8s organologiques, il reste n\u00e9anmoins attach\u00e9 \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9quilibre et \u00e0 la simplicit\u00e9 fonctionnelle des instruments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> The Clarinets of Heinrich Grenser (1769\u20131814)<\/em>, \u00e9tude de collection <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Iwan<\/a>
Iwan Johann M\u00fcller, M\u00e9thode pour la nouvelle clarinette et clarinette alto d\u00e9di\u00e9e \u00e0 sa Majest\u00e9 Georges IV, vers 1821
Ouvrage mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 1er mai 2021
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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La production instrumentale de Heinrich Grenser<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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Un facteur polyvalent<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\"Fl\u00fbte\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>
Fl\u00fbte en buis \u00e0 quatre clefs carr\u00e9es Fl\u00fbte en buis \u00e0 quatre clefs carr\u00e9es dont une rebouch\u00e9e, bagues corne par GRENSER

Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 16 d\u00e9cembre 2006
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Fl\u00fbte\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 avril 2918

\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Fid\u00e8le \u00e0 la tradition des ateliers de l\u2019\u00e9poque, Heinrich Grenser fabriquait toute la gamme des bois d\u2019orchestre et quelques cuivres naturels. Un grand nombre de ses fl\u00fbtes traversi\u00e8res et de ses bassons subsistent aujourd\u2019hui, ce qui t\u00e9moigne de leur succ\u00e8s. August Grenser s\u2019\u00e9tait surtout illustr\u00e9 dans la facture des fl\u00fbtes et Heinrich continua d\u2019abord sur cette lanc\u00e9e. Ses fl\u00fbtes en bois \u00e0 une cl\u00e9 ou \u00e0 plusieurs cl\u00e9s \u00e9taient pris\u00e9es des musiciens de cour. De m\u00eame, ses hautbois et cors anglais (instruments \u00e0 anche double) \u00e9taient fabriqu\u00e9s pour r\u00e9pondre aux besoins des orchestres de l\u2019\u00e9poque, m\u00eame si ces instruments restent moins document\u00e9s que les clarinettes et bassons.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Grenser excellait particuli\u00e8rement dans la fabrication des clarinettes et des instruments de la famille des clarinettes. Ses clarinettes soprano (en Ut, Si\u266d, La) t\u00e9moignent d\u2019une \u00e9volution rapide du cl\u00e9tage pendant sa carri\u00e8re. Il s\u2019est \u00e9galement illustr\u00e9 dans la facture du cor de basset (clarinette alto en Fa, \u00e0 tessiture \u00e9tendue vers le grave). On en conserve notamment un exemplaire tardif fabriqu\u00e9 vers 1820 par son successeur Wiesner, visible au Mus\u00e9e des Beaux-Arts de Boston\u200b. En outre, Grenser pourrait avoir \u00e9t\u00e9 l\u2019un des premiers \u00e0 concevoir une clarinette alto en Mi\u266d (appel\u00e9e plus tard clarinette alto, interm\u00e9diaire entre la clarinette soprano et la clarinette basse) d\u00e8s 1808, bien que cette paternit\u00e9 soit moins bien \u00e9tablie.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Cor\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>
Cor de basset en mi b\u00e9mol Par Grenser & Wiesner (allemand, 1817-1826) vers 1820, MFA Boston<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Clarinette\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>
Clarinette en si b\u00e9mol, en bois teint\u00e9, bagues en corne, huit clefs laiton \u00e0 plaques carr\u00e9es mont\u00e9es sur blocs, estampill\u00e9e (apocryphe) sur le corps du haut et celui du bas H. GRENSER.

Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 novembre 2020
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Clarinette\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>
Clarinette ut, en buis, \u00e0 huit clefs laiton Clarinette ut, en buis, \u00e0 huit clefs laiton, bagues ivoires de H. GRENSER \u00e0 Dresden

Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 10 d\u00e9cembre 2005
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\"Clarinette\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>
Clarinette en si b\u00e9mol, en bois teint\u00e9, bagues en corne, huit clefs laiton \u00e0 plaques carr\u00e9es mont\u00e9es sur blocs, estampill\u00e9e (apocryphe) H. GRENSER

Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 1er mai 2021
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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En un peu plus de trois d\u00e9cennies de carri\u00e8re, Heinrich Grenser a produit un nombre remarquable d\u2019instruments. Un inventaire d\u00e9nombrait en 1978 pas moins de 127 instruments subsistants, parmi lesquels une majorit\u00e9 de bassons et de fl\u00fbtes, mais aussi des cors de basset, clarinettes, hautbois, fagottini (petits bassons), ainsi qu\u2019un mod\u00e8le de clarinette basse, de cor anglais, de hautbois d\u2019amour, de contrebasson, de trompe de chasse et m\u00eame de fl\u00fbte \u00e0 bec\u200b. Cet inventaire t\u00e9moigne de la diversit\u00e9 et de la qualit\u00e9 de sa production. La p\u00e9rennit\u00e9 de ces instruments et leur pr\u00e9sence dans de grandes collections publiques et priv\u00e9es attestent de leur excellence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Fl\u00fbte\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>
Fl\u00fbte en buis, bagues ivoire, quatre clefs argent, par H. GRENSER, Dresden. XVIII\u00e8me.

Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 14 d\u00e9cembre 2013
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Fl\u00fbte
Fl\u00fbte piccolo en buis, bagues ivoire, une clef argent par H. GRENSER, Dresden. XVIII\u00e8me.
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 14 d\u00e9cembre 2013
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Les bassons de Heinrich Grenser<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Henrich Grenser, Basson, 1801, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Parmi les 127 instruments recens\u00e9s de Heinrich Grenser, les bassons sont les plus nombreux, avec environ 50 exemplaires connus\u00b9. Ce chiffre t\u00e9moigne de l\u2019importance de l\u2019instrument dans la production du facteur et de sa renomm\u00e9e dans ce domaine. Certains de ses bassons sont aujourd\u2019hui conserv\u00e9s dans des institutions prestigieuses et sont fr\u00e9quemment utilis\u00e9s comme r\u00e9f\u00e9rences pour la reconstitution de copies modernes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grenser a fabriqu\u00e9 de nombreux bassons dits \u201cclassiques\u201d, \u00e0 6 ou 8 cl\u00e9s, selon le mod\u00e8le en usage \u00e0 la fin du XVIIIe si\u00e8cle. Ses bassons \u00e9taient r\u00e9put\u00e9s pour leur justesse et la rondeur de leur son. On consid\u00e8re d\u2019ailleurs que les bassons de Grenser ont constitu\u00e9 un point de d\u00e9part important pour l\u2019\u00e9volution du basson allemand moderne, influen\u00e7ant la facture qui m\u00e8nera au syst\u00e8me Heckel au milieu du XIXe si\u00e8cle\u200b. Ses instruments atteignirent une justesse et un timbre remarquables pour l\u2019\u00e9poque. Un basson de Grenser dat\u00e9 de 1801, \u00e0 8 cl\u00e9s, est expos\u00e9 au Museu Nacional da M\u00fasica (MNM) de Lisbonne et le Rijksmuseum <\/em>d\u2019Amsterdam conserve un basson Grenser vers 1800 (8 cl\u00e9s \u00e9galement)\u200b.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Le basson de la vente du 10 mai 2025<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Si les bassons de Grenser \u00e0 6 ou 8 cl\u00e9s sont les plus fr\u00e9quents dans les collections actuelles, il existe \u00e9galement des exemples de mod\u00e8les \u00e0 9 cl\u00e9s, qui t\u00e9moignent d\u2019une volont\u00e9 d\u2019\u00e9largissement progressif de la tessiture et de la flexibilit\u00e9 de jeu. Ces instruments, d\u2019une grande raret\u00e9, sont l\u2019illustration de l\u2019\u00e9volution continue de la facture du basson \u00e0 la charni\u00e8re des XVIIIe et XIXe si\u00e8cles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Le 10 mai 2025, Vichy Ench\u00e8res pr\u00e9sentera un rare exemple d\u2019un basson en \u00e9rable \u00e0 9 cl\u00e9s en laiton, estampill\u00e9 \u201cH. GRENSER<\/em>\u201d sur chacun des corps et surmont\u00e9 de la couronne royale de Saxe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ce mod\u00e8le illustre parfaitement le grand savoir-faire de Heinrich Grenser, que ce soit par ses qualit\u00e9s intrins\u00e8ques ou acoustiques. La pr\u00e9sence de la couronne indique une fabrication post\u00e9rieure \u00e0 1806, \u00e9poque \u00e0 laquelle Grenser adopte cette marque suite \u00e0 sa reconnaissance comme facteur de la cour royale. Ce basson constitue un t\u00e9moin unique de l’apog\u00e9e de son art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conserv\u00e9 dans son \u00e9tui d\u2019origine, il s\u2019agit d\u2019un mod\u00e8le exceptionnel tant par son \u00e9tat de conservation que par la qualit\u00e9 du montage de ses cl\u00e9s. La pr\u00e9sence de 9 cl\u00e9s offre en effet au musicien une plus grande souplesse pour les doigt\u00e9s complexes et un meilleur acc\u00e8s aux alt\u00e9rations dans les registres graves et m\u00e9diums. Ce mod\u00e8le incarne une phase transitoire vers le basson romantique allemand \u00e0 cl\u00e9tage \u00e9largi, tout en conservant les proportions classiques.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Basson en \u00e9rable \u00e0 neuf clefs laiton, estampill\u00e9 sur tous les corps H. GRENSER surmont\u00e9 d’une couronne, avec corps de rechange petite branche

Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 10 mai 2025
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Basson en \u00e9rable, neuf clefs en ivoire, estampill\u00e9 d’une paire d’\u00e9p\u00e9es Saxon entrecrois\u00e9es, H. GRENSER Dresden

Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 16 juin 2012
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Un autre exemple remarquable de basson \u00e0 9 cl\u00e9s de Grenser \u00e9tait pass\u00e9 en vente \u00e0 Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 16 juin 2012. Ce mod\u00e8le avait la particularit\u00e9 de poss\u00e9der des cl\u00e9s en ivoire. \u00c9galement estampill\u00e9 \u201cH. GRENSER Dresden I\u201d<\/em>, il \u00e9tait conserv\u00e9 dans son \u00e9tui d\u2019origine et portait l\u2019estampille aux \u00e9p\u00e9es saxonnes crois\u00e9es – permettant de le dater avant 1806.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Ces bassons \u00e0 9 cl\u00e9s se situent \u00e0 mi-chemin entre les mod\u00e8les classiques \u00e0 6 ou 8 cl\u00e9s et les futurs bassons \u00e0 10, 11, voire 13 cl\u00e9s du XIXe si\u00e8cle. Ils t\u00e9moignent de la capacit\u00e9 d\u2019adaptation de Grenser pour r\u00e9pondre aux besoins des musiciens de son temps, tout en conservant une facture rigoureuse et un style identifiable. Leur raret\u00e9 en fait aujourd\u2019hui des pi\u00e8ces de collection particuli\u00e8rement recherch\u00e9es.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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La clarinette-basson de 1793 : une innovation hybride<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Ses recherches sur le basson et la clarinette l\u2019ont amen\u00e9 \u00e0 fabriquer un instrument hybride entre la clarinette et le basson : la clarinette-basse. Invent\u00e9 en 1793, cet instrument exceptionnel est un basson \u00e0 anche simple, ou clarinette-basson, aujourd\u2019hui consid\u00e9r\u00e9 comme la premi\u00e8re clarinette basse fonctionnelle. Cet instrument est de forme verticale, avec une perce cylindrique, un bocal courb\u00e9 et une anche simple. Il poss\u00e8de huit cl\u00e9s et une tessiture de plus de quatre octaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Command\u00e9 pour la cour de Su\u00e8de, il est jou\u00e9 pour la premi\u00e8re fois en 1794 \u00e0 Stockholm par Johann Ignaz Stranensky. Ce concert constitue la premi\u00e8re apparition document\u00e9e d\u2019une clarinette basse dans un orchestre. L’instrument, envoy\u00e9 de Dresde par le duc Carl d\u2019\u00d6sterg\u00f6tland, fut mis \u00e0 l\u2019honneur dans trois \u0153uvres de Stranensky aujourd\u2019hui perdues : une Romance avec rondo \u00e0 la polonaise<\/em> pour clarinette-basson solo, un Quintette<\/em> avec deux fl\u00fbtes et deux cors, et un Terzetto<\/em> d\u2019apr\u00e8s Z\u00e9mire et Azor<\/em> d\u2019Andr\u00e9 Gr\u00e9try, arrang\u00e9 pour clarinette-basson et deux cors. L\u2019\u00e9v\u00e9nement, annonc\u00e9 dans la Gazette de Stockholm<\/em> (Dagligt Allehanda<\/em>), marque la premi\u00e8re apparition document\u00e9e de la clarinette basse dans un programme de concert. L\u2019instrument est aujourd\u2019hui conserv\u00e9 au Musikmuseet de Stockholm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cet instrument hybride repr\u00e9sente une tentative audacieuse de cr\u00e9er une alternative au basson dans l\u2019orchestre classique, en combinant les avantages de la clarinette et du basson. Cette invention, bien que sans post\u00e9rit\u00e9 imm\u00e9diate, pr\u00e9figure l\u2019apparition des clarinettes basses modernes de Buffet et Sax au XIXe<\/sup> si\u00e8cle.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Instruments \u00e0 vent en bois, Catalogue de la collection d’art du Museum Christian Hammer \u00e0 Stockholm (Cologne DuMont-Schauberg, 1893)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Clarinette-basson, Heinrich Grenser, Catalogue de la collection d’art du Museum Christian Hammer \u00e0 Stockholm (Cologne DuMont-Schauberg, 1893)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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R\u00e9sultats des ventes des 9 et 10 mai 2025<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Pi\u00e8ce rare et embl\u00e9matique, ce basson sign\u00e9 Heinrich Grenser est le t\u00e9moin de l\u2019excellence du savoir-faire de ce facteur \u00e0 la crois\u00e9e entre traditions et innovations. Sa mise en vente constitue un \u00e9v\u00e9nement de premier plan pour les collectionneurs, musiciens et historiens. Alors ne manquez pas la vente aux ench\u00e8res du 10 mai 2025 pour d\u00e9couvrir ce t\u00e9moin pr\u00e9cieux d\u2019une \u00e9poque fondatrice pour le basson moderne.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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A RARE NINE-KEYED BASSOON BY HEINRICH GRENSER (1764\u20131813)<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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On 10 May 2025, Vichy Ench\u00e8res will auction a rare nine-keyed bassoon by Heinrich Grenser, one of the greatest wind instrument makers of the late 18th<\/sup> century. This instrument, which is a remarkable testimony to a period of a major changes in musical instrument technology, stands out as much for the quality of its manufacture as for its excellent condition. It bears the royal crown of Saxony, and all the hallmarks of the superior craftmanship of a workshop that has left a lasting mark on the history of instrument making.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Catalog<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Sale on 9 May 2025<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Sale on 10 May 2025<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Biography of Heinrich Grenser<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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Family origins and training<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Bernardo Bellotto, Dresde vue de la rive droite de l’Elbe, 1748, Gem\u00e4ldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresde<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Peter Jakob Horemans, Famille de Saxe et de Baviere en 1761, Munich<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Grenser was born on 5 March 1764, into a family of instrument makers in Dresden, Saxony. His uncle was August Grenser (1720\u20131807), who was established in Dresden since the 1740s. From the age of 15, Heinrich trained in the family workshop. He was apprenticed to August Grenser from 1779 to 1786 [1]. August Grenser was, at that time, one of the most renowned instrument makers in Europe, and he was granted the prestigious title of Hof-Instrumentenmacher (official instrument maker of the Electoral Court of Saxony) in 1753.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Albert R. Rice, \u201cThe Earliest Bass Clarinet Music\u201d, in The Clarinet<\/em>, juin 2011.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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In this capacity, he supplied instruments to the Dresden court as well as to the greatest virtuosos of his time, including Mozart[1]<\/sup><\/a>. The prominence of the Grenser workshop had a decisive influence on the training of young Heinrich, who remained in his uncle’s workshop after completing his apprenticeship, and, in 1789, he married his cousin Henrietta Regina Grenser, August’s daughter. This marriage consolidated his position in the family business, and when August retired around 1796, Heinrich officially took over the running of the Dresden workshop\u200b[2]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> The Clarinets of Heinrich Grenser (1769\u20131814)<\/em>, \u00e9tude de collection<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[2]<\/sup><\/a> The Clarinets of Heinrich Grenser (1769\u20131814)<\/em>, \u00e9tude de collection<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Corps<\/a>
Corps sup\u00e9rieur de hautbois en buis, trois clefs carr\u00e9es laiton, estampill\u00e9 A.GRENSER
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 10 novembre 2018
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Corps<\/a>
Corps sup\u00e9rieur de hautbois en buis, trois clefs carr\u00e9es laiton, estampill\u00e9 A.GRENSER
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 10 novembre 2018
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Barbara Krafft, Mozart, 1819<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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August Grenser, fl\u00fbte, Mus\u00e9e de la Musique, cr\u00e9dits photo Jean-Claude Billing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Grenser workshop in Dresden under Heinrich<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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By the late 1780s, Heinrich Grenser had established himself as a prosperous and innovative maker. He employed several workers and ran a thriving workshop. In December 1793, aged only 29, he published an advertisement in the press presenting a new invention, demonstrating self-confidence and his wish to be known for his own work. In this advertisement, dated 19 December 1793, he stated: “I have invented an instrument to which I have given the name of bass clarinet. This instrument [\u2026] goes down to the low B<\/em>“\u200b[1]<\/sup><\/a>. Grenser also pointed out that he was the student and collaborator of his father-in-law August Grenser, placing himself in the continuation of this prestigious lineage, whilst putting forward his interest in innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under Heinrich’s direction, the workshop continued to enjoy great success. In 1806, when the Kingdom of Saxony was established by Napoleon, Grenser was given the title of maker to the Royal Court and, accordingly, changed his stamp by replacing the crossed swords (symbol of the Electorate of Saxony) with a crown, to denote his new official status[2]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Albert R. Rice, \u201cThe Earliest Bass Clarinet Music\u201d, in The Clarinet<\/em>, juin 2011.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[2]<\/sup><\/a> The Clarinets of Heinrich Grenser (1769\u20131814)<\/em>, \u00e9tude de collection <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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During the period 1797\u20131813, the stamp \u201cH. GRENSER \/ DRESDEN<\/em>\u201d also appeared on his instruments, first with the swords until 1806, and then with a crown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heinrich Grenser died prematurely on 12 December 1813, in Dresden, at the age of 49, during the Napoleonic Wars. He left behind a young son, Heinrich Otto, from his second marriage, who was too young to take over the workshop (he was only five years old in 1813). For a few years following his death, his principal worker, Samuel Wiesner (1791\u20131868), kept the business going after marrying his widow in 1817. Wiesner continued to manufacture instruments under the Grenser name until he obtained his own patent in 1823[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> The Clarinets of Heinrich Grenser (1769\u20131814)<\/em>, \u00e9tude de collection <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Blason de l’\u00e9lectorat de Saxe <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Corps sup\u00e9rieur de hautbois en buis, trois clefs carr\u00e9es laiton, estampill\u00e9 A.GRENSER
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 10 novembre 2018
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Estampille<\/a>
Estampille couronne sur une fl\u00fbte piccolo de Heinrich Grenser
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 14 d\u00e9cembre 2013
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Instrument making in the late 18th<\/sup> \u2013 early 19th<\/sup> century<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Rare clarinette alto en fa, vers 1830, estampill\u00e9e SIMIOT & BRELET \u00e0 Lyon
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 15 d\u00e9cembre 2007
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Basson de Simiot et Brelet \u00e0 Lyon
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 11 d\u00e9cembre 2010
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Clarinette en buis en La, treize clefs laiton, estampill\u00e9e SIMIOT et BRELET
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 9 novembre 2024
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Heinrich Grenser was active at a turning point in the history of wind instrument making. The period 1780\u20131810 saw major advances in woodwind instrument design, in particular the advent of the clarinet. It was invented in the early 18th century (the first model being attributed to Johann Christoph Denner around 1700), and originally it only had two keys and could only play in a few keys. Throughout the 18th century, makers gradually added keys to expand the range and facilitate chromatic playing. By the middle of the 18th century, clarinets with four or five keys had become the norm in major musical centres; this is the type of instrument August Grenser made during his career for the performance of works by Vivaldi, Stamitz and Rameau. Despite these improvements, the clarinet remained limited to certain keys, hence the frequent use of a combination of clarinets in C, B\u266d, A, etc., which the musician switched to suit the requirements of the piece of music played.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around 1800, the demands of musicians and composers evolved. Clarinets were required to be more chromatically agile, capable of playing in a greater number of keys without having to change instruments. This was the starting point for a number of technical innovations, including an increase in the number of keys, improvement of the pads for a better seal, and improvements in the bore and intonation. Several European makers competed against each other in developing these innovations during the first decades of the 19th century. Amongst the most important were Fran\u00e7ois Simiot (active in Lyon) and Iwan Johann M\u00fcller, who worked in Germany, Russia, and Paris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Around 1810\u20131812, M\u00fcller developed a 13-key clarinet fitted with special screw-on leather and cardboard pads (screw-on pads) that significantly improved intonation. Meanwhile, Simiot developed an innovative barrel and register key system in the 1800s: he moved the register hole to the front of the instrument (instead of the back) to prevent it from clogging with condensation, inserted a small brass tube into the thumbhole (known as the bequet<\/em> system) for the same purpose, and designed metal-lined barrels allowing for fine tuning. These improvements foreshadowed certain features of the modern clarinet[1]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> Informations provenant en partie de The Clarinets of Heinrich Grenser (1769\u20131814)<\/em>, \u00e9tude de collection<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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At the same time, the expansion of the clarinet\u2019s range into the lower register was generating a lot of interest. In the mid-18th century, larger clarinets, in F or G, called basset horns<\/em>, were invented; they were capable of producing notes lower than the soprano clarinet (as low as C or B\u266d). The idea for a bass clarinet (one octave lower than the standard clarinet) was a continuation of this research, and the resulting instrument emerged at the end of the 18th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1811, Grenser published an article in the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung<\/em> (a major German music newspaper)[1]<\/sup><\/a> in which he criticized certain recent inventions aimed at adding ever more keys to instruments, particularly to flutes. He advocated focusing first on improving the acoustic design of the instrument before adding extra keys. This point of view reveals Grenser’s pragmatic views: whilst he was open to innovation, he nevertheless remained concerned with the balance and ease of operation of instruments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup><\/a> The Clarinets of Heinrich Grenser (1769\u20131814)<\/em>, \u00e9tude de collection <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Iwan<\/a>
Iwan Johann M\u00fcller, M\u00e9thode pour la nouvelle clarinette et clarinette alto d\u00e9di\u00e9e \u00e0 sa Majest\u00e9 Georges IV, vers 1821
Ouvrage mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 1er mai 2021
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The Instrument production of Heinrich Grenser<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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A versatile maker<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Fl\u00fbte en buis \u00e0 quatre clefs carr\u00e9es Fl\u00fbte en buis \u00e0 quatre clefs carr\u00e9es dont une rebouch\u00e9e, bagues corne par GRENSER

Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 16 d\u00e9cembre 2006
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 avril 2918

\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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In keeping with traditions of the time, Heinrich Grenser manufactured the full range of orchestral woodwind, as well as some natural brass, instruments. A large number of his transverse flutes and bassoons survive today, which is a testament to their success. August Grenser had primarily distinguished himself as a flute maker, and Heinrich initially continued along this path. His single-keyed and multi-keyed wooden flutes were sought after by court musicians. Similarly, his oboes and English horns (double-reed instruments) were made to meet the needs of the orchestras of the time, although there are fewer records of these than of his clarinets and bassoons.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Grenser particularly excelled in the making of clarinets and instruments of the clarinet family. His soprano clarinets (in C, B\u266d, and A) demonstrate a rapid evolution in keywork during his career. He also distinguished himself in the making of basset horns (alto clarinets in F, with an extended range toward the lower register). A late example, made around 1820 by his successor Wiesner, can be seen at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Furthermore, Grenser may have been one of the first to design an alto clarinet in E\u266d (later called the alto clarinet, an intermediate instrument between the soprano and bass clarinet) as early as 1808, although this attribution remains in doubt.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Cor de basset en mi b\u00e9mol Par Grenser & Wiesner (allemand, 1817-1826) vers 1820, MFA Boston<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Clarinette en si b\u00e9mol, en bois teint\u00e9, bagues en corne, huit clefs laiton \u00e0 plaques carr\u00e9es mont\u00e9es sur blocs, estampill\u00e9e (apocryphe) sur le corps du haut et celui du bas H. GRENSER.

Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 7 novembre 2020
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Clarinette ut, en buis, \u00e0 huit clefs laiton Clarinette ut, en buis, \u00e0 huit clefs laiton, bagues ivoires de H. GRENSER \u00e0 Dresden

Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 10 d\u00e9cembre 2005
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Clarinette en si b\u00e9mol, en bois teint\u00e9, bagues en corne, huit clefs laiton \u00e0 plaques carr\u00e9es mont\u00e9es sur blocs, estampill\u00e9e (apocryphe) H. GRENSER

Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 1er mai 2021
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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In a career spanning just over three decades, Heinrich Grenser produced a remarkable number of instruments. An inventory in 1978 listed no fewer than 127 surviving instruments, including a majority of bassoons and flutes, but also basset horns, clarinets, oboes, fagottini (small bassoons), as well as a bass clarinet, English horn, oboe d’amore, contrabassoon, hunting horn, and even a recorder. This inventory attests to the diversity and quality of his production. The longevity of these instruments and their presence in major public and private collections attest to their excellence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fl\u00fbte en buis, bagues ivoire, quatre clefs argent, par H. GRENSER, Dresden. XVIII\u00e8me.

Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 14 d\u00e9cembre 2013
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Fl\u00fbte piccolo en buis, bagues ivoire, une clef argent par H. GRENSER, Dresden. XVIII\u00e8me.
Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 14 d\u00e9cembre 2013
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The bassoons of Heinrich Grenser<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Henrich Grenser, Basson, 1801, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Among the 127 recorded instruments by Heinrich Grenser, bassoons are the most common, with approximately 50 known examples [1]. This number demonstrates the importance of this instrument in the maker’s production and his reputation in this field. Some of his bassoons are now preserved in prestigious institutions and are frequently used as references for recreating modern copies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grenser made many so-called “classical” bassoons, with six or eight keys, based on the model in use at the end of the 18th century. His bassoons were renowned for their accurate pitch and rich sound. Grenser’s bassoons are considered to have been an important starting point for the development of the manufacture of the modern German bassoon, which ultimately led to the Heckel system in the mid-19th century. His instruments achieved remarkably accurate pitch and tone for the time. A Grenser bassoon dated 1801, with eight keys, is on display at the Museu Nacional da M\u00fasica<\/em> (MNM) in Lisbon, and the Rijksmuseum<\/em> in Amsterdam contains a Grenser bassoon from around 1800 (also with eight keys).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The bassoon for sale on 10 may 2025<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Whilst Grenser’s six- or eight-keyed bassoons are the most common in current collections, there are also examples of nine-keyed models, which demonstrate a desire to gradually expand the range and playability. These extremely rare instruments illustrate the continuous evolution of bassoon making at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 10 May 2025, Vichy Ench\u00e8res will auction a rare example of a maple bassoon with nine brass keys, stamped “H. GRENSER<\/em>” on each body and bearing the royal crown of Saxony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This example perfectly demonstrates the great quality of Heinrich Grenser’s craftsmanship, both from a visual and acoustics perspective. The presence of the crown indicates it was made after 1806, when Grenser started using this symbol after being appointed as a maker to the royal court. This bassoon is a unique example from the maker at the height of his powers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This bassoon, which is preserved in its original case, is exceptional for both its state of preservation and the quality of its keywork. The presence of nine keys offers the musician greater flexibility for complex fingerings and better access to accidentals in the lower and middle registers. This model attests to a transitional phase towards the German Romantic bassoon with enlarged keywork, whilst retaining classical proportions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Basson en \u00e9rable \u00e0 neuf clefs laiton, estampill\u00e9 sur tous les corps H. GRENSER surmont\u00e9 d’une couronne, avec corps de rechange petite branche

Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 10 mai 2025
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Basson en \u00e9rable, neuf clefs en ivoire, estampill\u00e9 d’une paire d’\u00e9p\u00e9es Saxon entrecrois\u00e9es, H. GRENSER Dresden

Instrument mis en vente par Vichy Ench\u00e8res le 16 juin 2012
\u00a9 C. Darbelet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Another remarkable example of a nine-keyed bassoon by Grenser was auctioned at Vichy Ench\u00e8res on 16 June 2012. This example had the distinction of having ivory keys. It was also stamped \u201cH. GRENSER Dresden I<\/em>\u201d, was preserved in its original case, and bore the stamp with crossed Saxon swords, dating it from before 1806.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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These nine-keyed bassoons are a transition between the classic six- or eight-key models and the later 10-, 11- and even 13-key bassoons of the 19th century. They demonstrate Grenser’s ability to adapt to the needs of the musicians of his time, whilst retaining his high standards of manufacturing and his unique style. Their rarity makes them particularly sought-after by collectors today.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The bassoon-clarinet of 1793: a hybrid innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Grenser\u2019s research on the bassoon and clarinet led him to create a hybrid instrument, the bass clarinet, which is a cross between the clarinet and the bassoon. This exceptional instrument, invented in 1793, is a single-reed bassoon, or bassoon clarinet, now considered to be the first functional bass clarinet. This instrument is vertical in shape, with a cylindrical bore, a curved neck and a single reed. It has eight keys and a range of over four octaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commissioned for the Swedish court, it was first played in public in 1794 in Stockholm by Johann Ignaz Stranensky. This concert constitutes the first documented appearance of a bass clarinet in an orchestra. The instrument, sent from Dresden by Duke Carl of \u00d6sterg\u00f6tland, featured in three now-lost works by Stranensky: a Romance with rondo \u00e0 la polonaise<\/em> for solo clarinet-bassoon, a Quintet<\/em> with two flutes and two horns, and a Terzetto<\/em> after Andr\u00e9 Gr\u00e9try’s Z\u00e9mire et Azor<\/em>, arranged for clarinet-bassoon and two horns. This performance, advertised in the Stockholm Gazette<\/em> (Dagligt Allehanda<\/em>), marked the first documented appearance of a bass clarinet in a concert. The instrument is now in the collections of the Musikmuseet in Stockholm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This hybrid instrument represents a bold attempt at creating an alternative to the bassoon in the classical orchestra, by combining the advantages of the clarinet and the bassoon. Although it did not succeed in creating a long-term legacy, this invention foreshadows the emergence of modern bass clarinets by Buffet and Sax in the 19th century.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Instruments \u00e0 vent en bois, Catalogue de la collection d’art du Museum Christian Hammer \u00e0 Stockholm (Cologne DuMont-Schauberg, 1893)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Clarinette-basson, Heinrich Grenser, Catalogue de la collection d’art du Museum Christian Hammer \u00e0 Stockholm (Cologne DuMont-Schauberg, 1893)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Sales results for 9 and 10 May 2025<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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This bassoon by Heinrich Grenser is a rare and iconic piece, and a testament to the excellence of this maker’s craftsmanship, at the crossroads of tradition and innovation. Its auction on 10 May 2025 will be a major event for collectors, musicians and historians. Don\u2019t miss it if you wish to discover this precious testimony into the evolution of bassoon manufacturing, which ultimately paved the way for the modern bassoon.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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\ud83d\ude80 Suivez-nous !<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n