TromboneChat

I’ve heard of him on numerous occasions over the years and know he produced some really darn good instruments, but I don’t know all that much about him.

Any and all information regarding Pfretzschner and his history is very much appreciated!

derekcgullett wrote: ↑Fri Jul 02, 2021 7:02 pm I’ve heard of him on numerous occasions over the years and know he produced some really darn good instruments, but I don’t know all that much about him.

Any and all information regarding Pfretzschner and his history is very much appreciated!

There is not much known about him:
Born in Siebenbrunn (near Markneukirchen) on Sept. 13, 1926; died Feb. 1,1957. He apparently didn't live long enough to really build up any kind of reputation.

Howard

As far as I know, the last trombones made under the Pfretzschner name were made by Thomas Jahn, who now has his own company Throja. I met him at an ITF many years ago.

Howard,

i think you are wrong. As i know he died 2014. After your posting he died with 31 years.

heinzgries wrote: ↑Sun Jul 04, 2021 3:47 am Howard,

i think you are wrong. As i know he died 2014. After your posting he died with 31 years.

Confirming this. I do not know the exact year, but he still built trombones until maybe 10 years ago.
I have met quite a few people playing and loving them, especially the altos.
I think he also used to built as part of Migma, which was an eastern German Instrument brand with from my knowledge many different people building their instruments.

Thomas Robert Jahn from Berlin also from my knowledge learnt/worked with Pfretzschner before developing bis own line which does share some visual and playing characteristics with the Pfretzschner trombones. If you wann to know something about Pfretzschner, Jahn is probably Most knowledgeable, but not always very talkative.

In my opinion, the Pfretzschner and Jahn trombones have a distinct and special character that clearly separates them from other German makers.
They are German trombones, but clearly different than e.g. Kruspe. But they are also not German/American hybrids as many others are building today.

i have a large bore F - alto from Pfretschner, realy bore .525/.547 ! Nice alto with a good 7th position.

Joachim Pfretzschner definitely did not pass away in 1957. I spent a few hours with him in his Marneukirchen shop in 1999. Very nice man and he was generous in how much time he spent with me. He was also patient with me as we worked through our German/English language barriers!

I was extremely interested in his craft because of his ability to make large bore alto trombones that played effortlessly. That is a topic that is presently active on another thread.

HowardW wrote: ↑Sat Jul 03, 2021 1:13 pm

derekcgullett wrote: ↑Fri Jul 02, 2021 7:02 pm I’ve heard of him on numerous occasions over the years and know he produced some really darn good instruments, but I don’t know all that much about him.

Any and all information regarding Pfretzschner and his history is very much appreciated!

There is not much known about him:
Born in Siebenbrunn (near Markneukirchen) on Sept. 13, 1926; died Feb. 1,1957. He apparently didn't live long enough to really build up any kind of reputation.

Howard

Sorry, Howard, could you please tell me the sources for your claims?

First, he died at December 4, 2014. Here is a link to his death notice published in the local newspaper (Freie Presse): https://gedenken.freiepresse.de/trauera ... retzschner

Second, Pretzschner trombones had an excellent reputation among professional players in East Germany. He was one of the legendary trombone builders among Horst (later Helmut) Voigt, Karl Mönnich, and Kruspe. Throja built Pretzschner trombones when Pretzschner got too old and sick to built them and the Throja design today is essentially the Pretzschner design. Olaf Ott from the Berlin Philharmonie plays such trombones.

Pretzschner is a common name in that region. Maybe you refer to a different Pretzschner. But quite frankly, I am not aware of a different trombone builder named Pretzschner.

bcschipper wrote: ↑Sun Jul 04, 2021 7:21 pm

HowardW wrote: ↑Sat Jul 03, 2021 1:13 pm
There is not much known about him:
Born in Siebenbrunn (near Markneukirchen) on Sept. 13, 1926; died Feb. 1,1957. He apparently didn't live long enough to really build up any kind of reputation.

Howard

Sorry, Howard, could you please tell me the sources for your claims?

First, he died at December 4, 2014. Here is a link to his death notice published in the local newspaper (Freie Presse): https://gedenken.freiepresse.de/trauera ... retzschner

I stand corrected. My source was Günter Dullat, Verzeichnis der Holz- und Metalblasinstrumentenmacher auf deutschsprachigem Gebiet (Tutzing: Schneider, 2010). Dullat's source was Mario Weller, who is quite knowledgeable about brass instrument-making in Vogtland. But as you said, Pfretzschner is a very common name in the region, so perhaps Mario got him mixed up with another Joachim P.

Howard