Denner, Johann Christoph Bassoons

The Hichwa-Rachor database contains three original bassoons of Johann Christoph Denner (b.1655 in Leipzig-d.1707 in Nürnberg) and one copy based on the Berlin originals in the Hichwa-Rachor database. He is known as the inventor of the clarinet, although some scholars refute this claim. I.C. Denner is written on his maker’s stamp since “I” was a common abbreviation for Johann in German-speaking countries at that time.

Johann Christoph Denner Literature
[Revised 7 February 2025]

Dart, Mathew. The Baroque Bassoon: form, construction, acoustics, and playing qualities, 401-404, 405-410. PhD thesis, London Metropolitan University, 2011.

Dullat, Günter. Verzeichnis der Holz- und Metallblasinstrumentenmacher auf deutschsprachigem Gebiet von 1500 bis Mitte des 20. Jahrhunderts. Tutzing: Scheider, 2010.

Hofer, Achim, et al. Lexikon der Holzblasinstrumente, 205-207. Laaber: Laaber-Verlag, 2018.

Jansen, Will. The Bassoon: Its History, Construction, Makers, Players and Music, Vol. 1, 355. Buren: Frits Knuf, 1978.

Otto, Irmgard. Musik Instrumenten Museum Berlin, Ausstellungsverzeichnis mit Personen- und Sachregistern. Berlin, 1965.

Pollens, Stewart. “Musical Instrument Makers Listed in Johann Gabriel Doppelmayr’s Historische Nachricht von den Nürnbergischen Mathematicis und Küstlern (Nuremberg, 1730)”, Galpin Society Journal LXXVII (March 2024), 37.

Rendall, Geoffrey. The Clarinet, 67, 68. 3rd ed. New York: Norton, 1971.

Sachs, Curt. Sammlung Alter Musikinstrumente dei der Staatlichen Hochschule für Musik zu Berlin, 285. Berlin, 1922.

Waterhouse, William. The New Langwill Index. London: Tony Bingham, 1993.

Werr, Sebastian. Geschichte des Fagotts, 108, 109. Augsburg: Wißner-Verlag, 2011.

Young, Phillip. 4900 Historical Woodwind Instruments. London: Tony Bingham, 1993.

Young, Phillip. The Look of Music, 67, 68. Vancouver Museums Assoc., 1980.