Saxophone Forum


by Peter Chadwick
(6 posts)
19 years ago

Berg Larsen & Weltklang saxes

I have just started playing again - taking lessons - after a 20 year break! Can anybody tell me something about the instruments I bought second hand back then. The Berg Larsen is an alto, ser no 44780 and the Weltklang is a soprano, ser no 4552, engraved'for Rudall, Carte'. realise these horns are stencils and both are stamped 'made in GDR'. From a beginner's point of view they work fine and are solidly built. I am curious to know who they were made by and whether they are worth hanging on to as I (hopefully) become a better player. I would be grateful for any comments

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  1. by Sopdan
    (1 post)

    19 years ago

    Re: Berg Larsen & Weltklang saxes

    GDR is the former East Germany, which is where your soprano was made. My father who has been playing professionally all his life played on a Weltklang alto, which now belongs to my sister who has been playing it for more than 20 years. She loves it and hasn't found a sax to date that she likes better.

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    1. by Peter Chadwick
      (6 posts)

      19 years ago

      Re: Berg Larsen & Weltklang saxes

      Hi, Many thanks for this interesting story. I certainly haven't got the best out of the soprano yet, so it will probably see me out. I will look out for the alto relative and give it a try if i ever find one

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  2. by sax_maniac
    (984 posts)

    19 years ago

    Re: Berg Larsen & Weltklang saxes

    Weltklangs were made by Keilwerth. That is a good horn and you should keep it if you are happy with how it plays. I'm not sure about the Berg Larsen alto - it might be a Keilwerth as well. If you can send me pictures, I might be able to narrow down it's manufacture based on it's design features.

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    1. by Peter Chadwick
      (6 posts)

      19 years ago

      Re: Berg Larsen & Weltklang saxes

      Thanks for this, I also have your e-mail and will keep it on hand for when the horn needs a doctor. I believe Keilwerth made a huge range of instruments over the years, so as you say, the chances are the alto was also from their outfit - but why call it a Berg Larsen - still puzzles me Thanks again for your interest and help

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      1. by sax_maniac
        (984 posts)

        19 years ago

        Re: Berg Larsen & Weltklang saxes

        Stencil horns were made on contract. So somebody (hopefully with Mr. Larsen's permission) contracted Keilwerth to make a batch for them. The final engraving very possibly was done by the outfit that purchased the batch of horns.

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    2. by cello78
      (1 post)

      12 years ago

      Re: Berg Larsen & Weltklang saxes

      wow....
      i know this post is really old but i cant not reply as it has taken 14 years of scouring the internet to find anyone with the same soprano as mine with the exact same engravings..i have had no luck finding out anything about my soprano as weltklang is not well known in the first instance but the "made for rudall carte" engraving has hit a blank every time.

      The only person who had any information on it told me that Rudall Carte used to be a london company who made instruments for the Queens orchestra (although i am unsure if this is true or relevant), he also said that this specific example could have historical value and to email photos and infor to him so he could research its origin. Unfortunately i lost his contact details soon after and have been left searching for what felt like an invisible instrument all this time...


      I would love to know if you have been able to find out more about yours since this post and maybe shed some light on my own weltklang mystery. However i feel really happy and relieved to just have found one other person experiencing the same problem.


      If anyone can help with this more now i would love to hear from you thanks

      xx      

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      1. by HEART304
        (2 posts)

        9 years ago

        Re: Berg Larsen & Weltklang saxes

        HAVE YOU LEARNED ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR

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      2. by HEART304
        (2 posts)

        9 years ago

        Re: Berg Larsen & Weltklang saxes

        I JUST AQUIRED A SOPRANO SAX , MADE BY WELTLANGER, SER. #88XX, WITH THE ENGRAVING" FOR RUDALL CARTE". ANY INFO WOULD BE WELLCOME.
        JESSE 

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    3. by GFC
      (842 posts)

      9 years ago

      Re: Berg Larsen & Weltklang saxes

      Keilwerth did not make horns for Weltklang and was never a GDR-based company!  

      After WWII Keilwerth was a West German company.  Weltklang was sourced from an East German operation that was not in the same league as Keilwerth.

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