EQUIPMENT
Here are the drums and sticks I am used to playing
with.
DRUMS
Premier copper
timpani
I've mostly played on Premier copper
timpani for years. The orchestras in which I am timpanist often own, borrow
or rent a classical set of Premier ProSymphonic (former Mark III). So many
French timpanists have learned playing timpani on them ! But who can explain
why Premiers are now so expensive ??
Once, during a tour through Spain, I had the
pleasure to play on a set of Elite timpani (pic on the right), with an
extended collar and a full octave range. I think they are the only serious
alternative to Ludwigs, although I prefer these.
Premier timpani are very easy to use, because
of their pedal and their robustness. Unexperienced timpanists won't be
disappointed. But one may reproach their neutral sound, sometimes too
small, and the lack of overtones.
Ludwig copper
timpani
Nowadays, I prefer to play on Ludwig
Professional. Whether I work with my master Kurt - Hans Goedicke (former timpanist
of the London Symphony Orchestra) in London or I play in Paris, I have the
luck to find a set of Ludwig with copper polished bowls, similar to these
above, but with white heads.
Ludwigs are so fantastic ! Warmth, big sound
with many overtones, excellent tone projection... A dream for timpani players,
and, of course, for me... I don't understand why many people in France
don't like them. You have only to take care with the pedal system and check
the instruments have been well-maintained : I personnally remember a bad
surprise during a performance of Dvorak 9th because of a crazy pedal !
Others
I don't want to mention all the timpani I've
played on.
But every timpanist, unfortunately,
has to play on horrible instruments one day or another in his life. So
I prefer to forget all the fibreglass timpani, and, even worse, Sonor timpani
with plexiglass bowls and Dresden pedals : yes, that exists ! I have played
on them in Berlin. But the worst experience in my life was the day of
a concert in a church : I had to play Sibelius' Finlandia on...
baroque timpani with tuning keys ! F... rubbish instruments! I would have
wanted to disappear... it was a real devil of a job.
STICKS
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My sticks are hand-made by my master,
Kurt - Hans Goedicke.
They are in the purest old German fashion,
with a traditional European felt head, and a beautiful varnished bamboo
handle. Mr. Goedicke has created, perhaps, hundreds of combinations, so
you can choose the exact pair for the sound you have in your head or you
want to obtain. They also have an exceptional long time life, due to the
finest quality of both materials and craftmanship. It's always a pleasure
to have them in the hand.
I also tried Hinger sticks with aluminium
handles, a few years ago. I am not really enthusiastic about American
sticks, but I would like to try the mallets producted by California Percussion
Technology : they are designed by David Herbert, principal timpanist with
the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, and seem very interesting.
Other European-style timpani sticks I would like to try are David
Morbey's and Jens - Peter Kappert's (J - P Kappert is principal timpanist
with the Berlin Symphony Orchestra). Randy Max, principal timpanist with
the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, also designs very exciting timpani
sticks (among them, a true replica of original Saul Goodman's wooden sticks
!) and a fantastic complete set of bass drum mallets : I will probably
purchase one of them for my orchestra. Here are pics of them, and a direct
link to their website.
When I nextly update this page, I will add
better photos of my KHG sticks and other sticks and mallets I own.
