Featured Maker Interview • Mollenhauer
During August, our popular recorder event Recorder31 shines a light on all aspects of the instrument from professional players to those at the start of their journey. Of course, none of this would be possible without the brilliant people who actually make the instruments we play on! So, we're adding to our Featured Maker series with some interviews introducing you to some of our most popular recorder manufacturers.
Today, we speak to Nik Tarasov about Mollenhauer. As well as being an accomplished performer himself, Nik works in research and development for Mollenhauer, and acts as Head of Quality Control. His insight and knowledge of their instruments is astonishing, and we're grateful that he took the time to answer our questions.
The Early Music Shop: Mollenhauer celebrated its 200th Anniversary in 2022. In your mission statement you talk about “supporting traditional craftsmanship with sensible technology and appropriate application of digital methods…but without neglecting the emotional aspects which the recorder involves.” How does this work in practice, and what do you mean by “emotional aspects”?
Nik Tarasov: Modern turning machines work super precisely and can be mathematically programmed to accuracies of thousandths of a millimetre. In our manufactory, this machinery is used for the prefabrication of instruments. On the other hand, finishing an instrument and waking its soul deserves a lot of experience, taste, intuition plus manual working skills. In consequence, it is the mixture of these two apparently opposing worlds what defines our company. The organised balance between automatisation and craftsmanship makes the challenge. Actually, four of us are also studied recorder players, perform regularly ourselves, and raise the bar through our personal musical expectations. Our open workshop and our seminars welcome regularly many guests and allow us to create a steady exchange of ideas. So, this interaction of a multi-level team of people with different skills under one roof makes us a special and exciting company.
EMS: You’re a family-owned business which places a great deal of importance on teamwork and co-operation. Do you consider everyone in the Mollenhauer team as part of that family and how important is teamwork to the company?
NT: This organisation is prospering if all parts are sound and well-balanced. For example, our location is in the middle of a busy and economically structured commercial area. But we are the only company holding a lovely garden with a meadow, flowers, bushes and trees which are carefully maintained and enjoyed by our staff during breaks and by our visitors. It may be a symbol of respect for our environment and ourselves as parts of this mosaic depict a recorder.
EMS: You also talk about cultivating a dialogue with customers and the importance of the link between customers and dealers. How and when did your relationship with The Early Music Shop begin and do you feel that we, and your other dealers, are also part of your family?
NT: Our collaboration with The Early Music Shop has lasted for over 50 years and we are delighted that this has become an increasingly lively partnership on equal terms for the benefit of many recorder players and orchestras. In terms of presentation, selection, advice and service, nothing is left to be desired. The establishment of the festival of early music in London, which prospers since 1973, and the presence at countless summer courses are truly unique. The Early Music Shop is therefore also a role model for many specialist shops worldwide in this sector and has made a significant contribution to manufacturers, dealers and instrumentalists coming together to form an early music scene. All these merits make The Early Music Shop a welcome guest of our family, and we support many of these activities in close coordination with The Early Music Shop.
EMS: Although your company has associations with other instruments, particularly the Csakan, the recorder is your biggest focus. Why is the recorder so special to you, and have you ever been tempted to start making other instruments?
NT: We consider the Csakan not as a curiosity but as a recorder of the 19th century. Every epoch had its own understanding of the instrument. And we, as heirs of our recorder history and ambassadors of recorder culture are eager to discover all its various beauties. Apart from that, there is also another impulse at the cradle of our company: Although Johann Andreas Mollenhauer, who founded our workshop more than 200 years ago, made all sorts of woodwind instruments, he was apprentice himself of two prominent makers (Carl Doke – from Linz/Austria and Franz Schöllnast – from Bratislava/Slovakia) responsible for recorder making in the first half of the 19th century. In those days, these recorders, Csakans and various flageolets have been part of the portfolio of several woodwind makers. Today, in times of specialisation and highest technical and musical standards, it makes sense to concentrate in a single domain of musical instruments. As we now produce up to 150 different models in the large field of the recorder made for beginners up to professionals, we are more than happy with our profession. Please remember that we have launched a new genre on the palette with the so called modern harmonic recorders, like the Helder, Modern Soprano and Alto and the electro-acoustic Elody. And there is still much more to come and to discover yet!
Photos: Mollenhauer Elody electro-acoustic recorder (top) and Mollenhauer Helder Evo mouthpiece cross-section (bottom)
Click here to discover Mollenhauer's Helder, Modern and Elody ranges.
EMS: Some of our best-selling Mollenhauer recorders are the Dream range of instruments which were developed with the late, great Dutch recorder maker Adriana Breukink. How did this collaboration come about and why do you think these recorders are so popular?
NT: It was the idea to create to an alternative recorder concept at an affordable price. Formerly, there were just soprano instruments available in the baroque manner or as simplified and resistant school models. Conceptually, both are generally using narrow and inverted conical bore concepts which are elegant, but surely not always the best choice for starters on the instrument deserving a good amount of tonal stability in several aspects. The Dream is based on models from the Renaissance but equipped nevertheless with standard fingering. Its wider and less conical bore gives it a wide and pleasing sound and is less vulnerable to tonal fluctuations by the unexperienced player. The finger holes are easier to feel. And its attractive appearance (in its shape, colouring and gilded parts motivates young learners. The collaboration with Adriana started when she was searching for a partnership to realize something exciting and motivating for the younger recorder generations for a reasonable price. The concept became popular quickly and was expanded to a set consisting of a soprano, alto, tenor and bass. Becoming attractive even for advanced and adults, the series was expanded by an elaborated version which worked out its characteristics even more. All these kinds of instruments are driven by the desire to play the recorder in a more expressive personal way. The Dream certainly adds to conventional patterns and widens the musical horizon.
Click here to discover Mollenhauer's Dream and Dream Edition ranges.
EMS: The Denner Edition range could be considered your flagship instruments. What makes these instruments so special?
NT: Basically, due to the great repertoire, baroque copies are a must for every player, may she or he play in modern 442 Hz pitch or in the standard old baroque 415 Hz pitch. Since the relevant originals from Jacob Denner’s workshop in Nuremberg rank among the best of its kind and perfectly suitable as generalists for any kind of baroque style up to the most demanding musical structures, they became inspiration and models for several copies launched by Mollenhauer through several decades. Since our increasing number of makers and studied players (in personal union) raised the bar yet again for quality and performance of these instruments, it was quite logical to top the series by a high-standard version which practically is manufactured like a common hand-made copy. But there is significant difference. While individual makers must work out their instruments step by step, we can profit from teamwork: we have specialists for every stage of production, and at the end, our makers get well prepared and accurate bodies on which they can concentrate totally and tease the best possible. And every single instrument is tested and played in before leaving the workshop.
Photo – MOLDE1111 Denner Edition Soprano in Satinwood (click to view)
Click here to discover Mollenhauer's Denner Edition range.
EMS: What plans do you have for the next 200 years?!
NT: Looking back on the long history of our company, the many interesting people who worked here in the past, it becomes clear that the future is in the new generation. We are trying to support our young apprentices in many fields related to our profession. Together with our long-established colleagues, we have encouraged them to form an own ensemble which rehearses regularly and plays concerts in the area. So they can make experiences with the instruments they are making themselves and judge on their own or in meetings what could eventually be improved next.
