- Collector gives away 450 wind instruments
With Trumpets and Trombones: A private collector has amassed an immense number of wind instruments over decades near Cologne and is now donating 450 of them. The Bachhaus Eisenach in Thuringia announced it will take over the rarities.
"This is likely the largest private instrument collection in Germany," the museum explained on Thursday, just before the instruments were transported from North Rhine-Westphalia to Eisenach. The Bachhaus will take over the most valuable pieces of the collection.
The collector and donor is 82-year-old Günter Hett, who was once professionally involved in the construction of analysis automata, which might not initially sound like much to do with music. But Hett's father was a trombone player, and the son himself learned to play the trumpet as a child and was a member of a trombone choir in Essen. After his professional career, the engineer pursued his hobby and became a self-employed instrument restorer.
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Over 30 years, Hett collected rare old wind instruments, including well-known ones like trumpets, trombones, horns, and tubas, as well as unusual pieces like giant ophicleides (historical brass wind instruments), which he stored in his house in Bergisch Gladbach northeast of Cologne. Now, due to his age, he wants to part with his treasures.
Initially, they were only interested in some pieces, reported Bachhaus director Jörg Hansen. "But when our instrument curator Uwe Fischer and I were there last year, it was clear: This collection tells the story of the development of wind instruments better than anything else." In the future, 150 instruments will be publicly displayed in a newly designed room of the museum. Another 300 will be stored in the museum's depot.
The museum estimates the financial cost at around 150,000 euros. According to the information, the federal government and the Free State of Thuringia will jointly contribute 130,200 euros.
After the museum's visit and evaluation, they decided to take over the most valuable pieces from Günter Hett's collection in Bergisch Gladbach, located northeast of Cologne in Germany. Upon the completion of the transfer from North Rhine-Westphalia, these priceless instruments will reside in the Bachhaus in Eisenach, Thuringia.
