Here’s a photo from the Christmas Oratorio performance, Saturday December 14th, 2024 -part of the weekend debut for the drums with the MN Bach Society.

Trumpets from left:

Roman Govolanov, Lena Console, Bob Rieder and horns Bradley Tatum and Heidi Wick.

The Timpano Rococo were displayed at PASIC

(Percussive Arts Society International Convention) in Indianapolis, IN, Nov. 2024

With Richard Kvistad, retired Principal Percussion of the San Francisco Opera

John Beck, PAS Hall of Fame, former Principal Timpani, The Rochester Philharmonic and Professor of Timpani and Percussion, Eastman School of Music.

John Tafoya, Professor, Timpani and Percussion at Indiana University Bloomington and former Principal Timpani, The National Symphony, Washington DC

David Freedman, PAS Hall of Fame, founded jazz program the Berlin(Germany) University of the Arts.

Raynor Carroll, retired Principal Percussion of the Los Angeles Philharmonic

Hessiche Barockpauken

Hessische Barockpauken (Hessian Baroque Timpani)

FEATURES

Hessische Barockpauken™ (Hessian Baroque Timpani) are carefully measured copies of actual Baroque drums dating from approximately 1700 - from the Hessian Statethat includes Darmstadt, Germany. These instruments are historically appropriate for the music of Bach, Handel and other composers of the Baroque era. When you look at a violin, you don’t know if it’s a great sounding Stradavarius until you hear it played! Such was the case with a pair of Baroque timpani I got to see, play on and hear a few years ago. HESSISCHE BAROCKPAUKEN™ are replicas of those great sounding drums. They match the originals in measurement and shape with the same kind of hardware and materials used by Baroque craftsman.

Protective Covers

Tuning Keys

Natural Skin Heads

Covers with felt backing and locking snaps are provided.

Two tuning keys are provided.

The drums come appropriately fitted with goatskin heads.

Quadrapod Stands

Folded and ready for travel.

Easy Set Up Stands

The bronze circle holds the quadrapod permanently at the proper fixed height.

Legs Attached

Three iron legs permanently attached so the Hessiche Barockpauken won't roll away!

Friends of Hessiche Barockpauken

Tom Pfotenhauer, Duncan Campbell, Peter Kogan & Bob Rieder

At St Mary's Chapel, University Of St. Thomas

She-E Wu

Sam Bacco

Thomas Schneller

Jack Brennan

Michael Rosen

William Moersch

John Tafoya

Morris Lang with Alan Abel and Mrs.Abel

Morris Lang

John Beck

Randy Rudolph

Frank Epstein

Tony Cirone

Ndugu Chancler

Peter Erskine and Bill Platt

PASIC Booth 2017

Michael Baker, Peter Kogan and Richard Weiner

Bill Wiggins

Jonathon Haas

Stan Leonard

Dave Hagedorn

Brian Spurgeon

Dave Hagedorn

Brian Spurgeon

PASIC Booth 2017

Matt Strauss

Richard Wiener

Tom Akins

Michael Baker and Bill Youhass

Alan Otte

Blacksmith Joel Miller fabricating hardware and Schalltrichter.

Klassischewienerpauken

Classical Viennese Timpani

Klassischewienerpauken™

Klassischewienerpauken™ are appropriately sized based on the latest scholarship, and designed to sound really good! The drums are not replicas of specific instruments. They are rather what might have been built using the available technology of the late 1700’s. The hardware is primarily brass and bronze castings designed in 18th Century style by sculptor Brian Leo. The mounting system and goatskin heads are in the Viennese tradition. The stands and covers are also appropriately styled. Our “T” handles are removable for a more ancient look (and more challenging tuning) if desired.

In the 20th Century we saw the harpsichord become a standard instrument in orchestral and opera performances of classical works. In recent years Classical era pianofortes have started replacing the giant Steinways in the Mozart Concertos. Baroque Era timpani are being built in Europe and the U.S. for “original instrument” ensembles. For Classical Era performances there is now Klassischewienerpauken™

About

A note from Peter Kogan

PRINCIPAL TIMPANI 1986-2015,

THE MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA

For most of my career I have used smaller timpani with skin heads for Classical and Baroque music. In recent years I have mounted goat skins on my old Slingerland hand screws which seemed to improve the appropriateness of their sound, but I knew that the drums were a little too large to be authentic. So I decided to try building my own drums sized accurately for the Classical Era, but using everything I knew about timpani sound production to produce a beautiful tone.The first set of Klassischewienerpauken™ made their debut with the Minnesota Orchestra in Haydn Symphony No. 101 on May 21, 2009, winning great praise from my colleagues and conductor. I hope you will enjoy them too!

A note from Brian Leo

Crafted with Care.

My background is in sculpture and in recent decades the making of hardware and other decorative projects large and small. I realized when getting into this work, that by carefully going through the large holdings I have in antique period designs, we could use a few motives to aid and implement the current challenge: that of suggesting an 18th century timpani design with the decorative flourishes that would have been common then, but with a smoothly working mechanism for the contemporary timpanist to feel fully confident in using. And so we began to work on the project, using bronze cast elements, steel interfaces wherever needed, and machined surfaces where best suited. The several parts of the overall mechanism were crafted with care and have been tested for reliability and durability. We are proud of the partnership here, and as a music lover myself since my youth, I am proud to have the opportunity to add to the musical richness and authenticity that can help to advance this one part of the musical landscape.

Our Guarantee

Five Year Guarantee

Klassischewienerpauken™ are guaranteed for five years against defects in parts and workmanship. This does not include inappropriate use, such as dropping the drums, or other accidents. In such cases we will replace and repair based on cost and labor. The goatskin heads are guaranteed for one year, but should last for many years with normal use. Not covered by the warrantee are dents in the bowls.

Please be careful when setting the drums down — using the stands, not the floor. Copper is a soft metal and is easily dented.

We want our customers to be completely happy with Klassischewienerpauken™.

We are at your service,

Peter Kogan & Brian Leo

I played 2 beautiful concerts with the Bach Society of Minnesota on May 19th and 20th, 2023 with my Hessische Barockpauken playing both (father and son) CPE and JS Bach Magnificats. The photo is from after the last concert at Saint Thomas More Catholic Church, St Paul, MN with my bandmates - trumpeters Bob Rieder and Tom Pfotenhauer, Maestro Matthias Maute, lead trumpet Kathryn Adduci, and Bradley Tatum, horn.

Friends

Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Ordway Concert hall

Barry Bauguess, Peter Kogan and Rick Murrell

Trey Wyatt

Stanley Leonard

Stanislaw Skoczynski

Stan Leonard and

Ed Stephan

Salvatore Rabbio

Richard Wiener

Richard Brown

Morris Lang

Mark Yancich and

Robin Engleman

Mark Guthrie and

Mark Yancich

Mark Guthrie

Jauvon Gilliam

James Strebing

Jack Brennan

Bill Wiggins

Bill Cahn

Allen Otte

Peter Kogan and

Alan Abel

Peter and Alan

Alan Abel

PRICING INFORMATION

Hessische Barockpauken

CLICK HERE FOR PRICING INFO

Klassischewienerpauken

CLICK HERE FOR PRICING INFO

Restoration and Repair

Jim Baker, percussionist of the New York City Ballet, recently contacted us to have a pair of Baroque timpani rebuilt. He was very pleased with the work. Below are his comments and photos of the rebuilding process.

Hi Peter,

I have had an opportunity to play a lot of Bach on the drums so far and they are fantastic! They really sound great in the repertoire I use them for. At Trinity Baroque Orchestra here in New York we play cantatas every week so I am getting a chance to hear and feel them in context and its really wonderful. I will be playing a bunch of Messiahs and Bach's Christmas music coming up so they are being well used! The props department guys at my theater, who are each master craftsmen (carpenters, welders, etc.) are all knocked out by the craftsmanship of the drums and are very impressed! The drums sound great and work wonderfully well. The look of them is also really special. I am very happy.

Thanks so much again.

Regards,

Jim

LEEDY RESTORATION

The restoration of these 2 Leedy timpani included tapping out dents in the bowls, slightly enlarging the air holes to accommodate sponges (DewDads tm) and tucking and mounting goatskin heads.

The larger bowl measures 27&1/2 inches - which is an unusual size, and has an etched name on the counter hoop:

LEEDY MFG CO.

INDIANAPOLIS, IND.

The smaller drum measuring 25 inches diameter has a nameplate on the counter hoop with a script version of the same name.

Because both logos indicate Indianapolis, we can assume that these drums were manufactured in two different years before 1930, when the company moved to Elkhart, IN.

The stands are Leedy folding steel tripods with rubber replacing the original hard felts.