Howarth of London is a company specialising in the manufacture and retail of
woodwind instruments and associated accessories. The company was formed in 1948 when its first
oboe
The oboe ( ) is a type of double reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range.
...
was produced, and continues to produce instruments today.
The first oboe, serial number 1001, was purchased by Edward Selwyn, who at the time was principal
oboist
An oboist (formerly hautboist) is a musician who plays the oboe or any oboe family instrument, including the oboe d'amore, cor anglais or English horn, bass oboe and piccolo oboe or oboe musette.
The following is a list of notable past and pres ...
for the
BBC Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBC SO) is a British orchestra based in London. Founded in 1930, it was the first permanent salaried orchestra in London, and is the only one of the city's five major symphony orchestras not to be self-governing. T ...
. Today the Howarth XL, the professional model, is played by soloists and orchestral players around the world, including
Gordon Hunt,
Roy Carter,
Richard Woodhams,
Elaine Douvas
Elaine Douvas (born 1952) has been Principal Oboe of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in New York City since 1977. She is also Instructor of Oboe and Chairman of the Woodwind Department at The Juilliard School. She also serves on the faculty of Man ...
, Martin Schuring and Emily Pailthorpe.
The retail shop and repair workshops are based in Chiltern Street,
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, whilst the manufacture of instruments takes place in
Worthing
Worthing () is a seaside town in West Sussex, England, at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of Chichester. With a population of 111,400 and an area of , the borough is the second largest component of the Brighton and Ho ...
on the south coast of England. The London shop is divided into three sections: the oboe and
bassoon specialists;
saxophone
The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...
and
flute specialists; and
clarinet specialists. There is also a small retail outlet attached to the Worthing factory. The company is owned by Jeremy Walsworth.
The company is renowned chiefly for its manufacture of oboes, but it is also a maker of the
clarinet,
cor anglais and
oboe d'amore. It has become the largest oboe manufacturer in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
and continues to expand into other fields. It has developed F and G
tenoroon
The tenor bassoon or tenoroon is a member of the bassoon family of double reed woodwind instruments. Similar to the alto bassoon, also called octave bassoon, it is relatively rare.
Nomenclature
Many debates have been had on the nomenclature of t ...
s (the G instrument is dubbed a "mini-bassoon"), smaller versions of the bassoon, designed for younger players.
Howarth of London sells both thumbplate and conservatoire system oboes. They also sell oboes from other manufacturers such as Loree and Marigaux. The shop sells accessories, sheet music and gifts for all woodwind instruments. It has been the manufacturer of choice among many teachers, students, professionals and amateurs.
References
External links
*
{{authority control
Musical instrument manufacturing companies of the United Kingdom
Clarinet manufacturing companies