By ZMI Blog | May 18, 2020 at 12:10 AM EDT |
No Comments
The Chatfield Instruments are a matched string quartet of instruments made by Frank S. Chatfield in Oconomowoc. They were given to the Oconomowoc Area School System in 1937, and were made partially of wood from the Lac LaBelle area.
The instruments were played for decades in the school system, until they needed repair and were retired from use. The instruments were in restoration for 3 years, the work done by luthier Scott Sleider, and were largely completed in 2019. The cello was present, but not playable yet.
They were 'unveiled' at the Oconomowoc Chamber Orchestra Concert in April 2019, and an orchestral piece written for them by Brian Wilbur Grundstrom was premiered. They later were featured at an OCO String Quartet Recital on November 3rd, 2019, where the quartet was heard together for the first time in decades. A String Quartet version of the Variations on Fanfare for Lake Country based on the orchestral original by Crawford Gates, and written for these instruments, debuted at this concert. Videos for both concerts are due for release in the Summer of 2020. Their release will be posted here and at oconchamberorch.org, facebook.com/oconorch and facebook.com/zenithmusicstudio.
There are a number of videos which feature both the Chatfield Instruments, the Chatfield Instrument Restoration Project, and Frank S. Chatfield. You can find these on YouTube.com.
OCO Chatfield Award - Introduction video
This short video tells the story of Mr. Chatfield, the instruments, and takes us into Scott Sleider's workshop, where the instruments have just arrived and are at the beginning of the Restoration project. The OCO named their annual OCO Chatfield Award after Frank S. Chatfield, who gave the equivalent of over 1/2 year of work, working full time, to create the instruments and a matching hand carved rosewood presentation case. Roberta Carpenter, OCO Music Director, hosts the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3dBt30no54
The Art of Luthiership and the Chatfield Instrument Restoration Project
This 6 minute video shares some history and perspective about the art of violin & stringed instrument making (Luthiership) including the work of Master & local craftsmen. We return to Scott Sleider's workshop as he gives us a close up look at the restoration work that has been to the Chatfield Instruments. The video was filmed and created by Kyra Arndt of Milwaukee, and is hosted by Roberta Carpenter, OCO Music Director. The music underlying this video is the Fanfare for Lake Country - Orchestral Version, performed by the Oconomowoc Chamber Orchestra. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XB3SfYex1v4
ZMI 1938 Chatfield Violin Short Demo w Photos
This video is a Meet & Greet of the 1938 Chatfield Violin. The instrument is one of the matched string quartet of instruments which recently was restored and first returned to playing condition in November 2019. We can hear its voice, see its aestheic personality and take in the path of repair that brought it back into performance capability. Several short violin excerpts are performed and photos of the areas of restoration are shown. Roberta Carpenter demonstrates. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYG0XKmZaGw
