Marcel Tabuteau First-Hand

MT era oboe

Tools

The first photo below shows Tabuteau’s grinding machine in his Philadelphia studio. The second photo is of the lower portion that survives in the John Mack Collection; courtesy of Danna Sundet.

The following two photographs show a Graf gouging machine that Tabuteau gave his student, Adrian Gnam, in 1965. It was first manufactured in 1918 by Ernest Graf, a machinist who developed it with the professional input and guidance of Tabuteau. Photographs courtesy of Adrian Gnam.

Graf gouging machine
Notice the French Francs under the bed of the gouging machine! Priceless!!! A. G.

Following Tabuteau’s death in 1966, David Ledet (a former Tabuteau
student) visited Mme. Tabuteau in her Nice Apartment. Because Ledet had
developed a rapport with the Tabuteaus in Philadelphia (see https://marceltabuteau.com/articles/idrs-articles-featuring-referencing/articles-referencing-marcel-tabuteau/david-ledet/), she knew of his interest in reeds and gave him the tools and other paraphernalia that Tabuteau possessed at his death—historic equipment, much of which can be seen in the two photos below. Following that is an item listing.

Tabuteau's tools
David Ledet’s collection of Tabuteau’s tools at the University of Georgia Special Collections Library; courtesy of Peter J. Jutras. Photos by Camille Hayes, University of Georgia

Tabuteau’s reed-making tools and other items in the Ledet Collection:*

  1. Box of 8 small tubes (less than 46 mm? staples) Hunsberger Apothecary
  2. Box of gouged cane marked “T” English Ovals
  3. 4 additional boxes: State Express, Allen & Hanbury, Mr. David A. Ledet, Old Gold.
  4. Piece of gouged cane
  5. 5 Bottle of Lepage liquid glue for coating binding)
  6. Vernier caliper
  7. Micrometer ruler
  8. Feather for cleaning interior of staples
  9. Shaper A
  10. Shaper B
  11. 2 mandrels
  12. 3 reed knives
  13. Knife handle
  14. Unusual knife for cutting tips of reeds
  15. Box marked N[Abr]asives (Norton sharpening stone)
  16. Tuning fork (A= 440)
  17. Finished reed
  18. Piece of tube cane for trying reeds
  19. MISSING: thread; reed cases; plaques; block, easel, (perhaps in boxes above)
  20. Clarinet mouthpiece with cover: use unknown
  21. 3 English horn bocals
  22. Bottle of Poppy Oil for oiling oboe keywork
  23. Household cement for cementing loose oboe pads

*Not pictured is an additional shaper blade and 3 gouging machines.

The above list kindly provided by Charles-David Lehrer.

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What's New!

An audio interview with Joan Browne (Champie), a private Tabuteau student in the early 1950s.

A photograph of the music stand that was in Tabuteau’s private studio in Philadelphia.

An autographed photo of Marcel Tabuteau inscribed to Vladimir Sokoloff.

An autographed photo of Marcel Tabuteau inscribed to Joan Browne Champie.

With the passing of Wilbur Isaac Hilles in August 2023 and now Martha Scherer-Alfee in February 2024, no oboe students of Marcel Tabuteau at the Curtis Institute are still living.

A letter sent to the Curtis Institute by Laila Storch’s mother about Tabuteau not teaching at Curtis—and the reply.