w o r k s h o p
 
biography
material
location

 
 

My interest in early keyboard instruments dates back to 1978 when I was still at school. After a training with Ferguson Hoey and Philip Smart in Oxford from 1983-1984 I returned to Austria. Since 1985 I have been making harpsichords, spinets, virginals and clavichords in my own workshop in the northwest of Austria.
Haslach is situated at the southern edge of the Bohemian Forest between two little streams.
In my spare time - if i had any - I sometimes go for a ride on my Puch DS50 (built in 1979) or my Yamaha XJ 600 S Diversion (built in 1992).
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material
Most of my timber, above of all the fir (abies alba) and spruce (picea abies) used for the soundboards, comes from the Bohemian Forest which has for many centuries been a major source of wood for the instrument making trade, especially for the Viennese piano builders.
Due to the excellent quality and the growing demand at the end of the 18th century, the soundboard wood was soon exported worldwide from here. At least every second winter I select one or more trees and fell them by myself. They are then sawn to my specifications and afterwards are air-dried and seasoned for up to twenty years, depending on the wood species.

Italian instruments are sometimes made from cypress or cedar, instruments of other traditions are normally also made with the same materials as the originals. In addition to locally grown fruitwoods like plum, cherry, pear and apple I use maple, cypress, ebony, boxwood, yew and bone for the naturals of my keyboards.
In some instances I recycle old piano keyplates, but absolutely no freshly cut ivory is used. The sharps are often topped with bone or made from a variety of hardwoods which can be stained or left untreated. The plectra are of delrin (black or white) or on request from real quill. Paintwork is done on an underlying gesso primer. Casein, oilpaint, egg-tempera or glue-paint are all made up in my shop using traditional pigments and painting media.
Natural wood finish is mostly oiled and waxed (linseed oil and beeswax polish) or polished with shellac.

Flemish papers are printed from my own specially cut wood blocks. For all glueing operations I use only hot glue. Occasionally I cooperate with a professional painter and restorer who does for instance the soundboard painting and case marbling.
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location

I live and work in the historic centre of Haslach, a remote medieval village an hour north of the city of Linz/Austria.
The building dates from the 16th century and consists of a weaver´s house and a farmhouse next to it where the actual workshop is. From 1990-96 it has been restored and adapted to serve the new purpose as a living house and instrument-making workshop.

Haslach has five museums, one of which is a large collection of mechanical musical instruments. The Mühlviertel is a region with a century-old textile tradition and there is an international festival along with a symposium and textile fair in Haslach every year.

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