In 2004 our trombone section in the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra decided that it would be great if we could play the German romantic and classical repertoire on German trombones. The intention was to find a sound that was more blending rather that dominating the orchestra for such wonderful and delicate as the works by Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, Schumann, Schubert and Mendelssohn.

We invited the Thein brothers to Aalborg during a production of Bruckner 9th Symphony together with Schubert's unfinished. The Ideal program for trying German Style Instruments.

During a work period of 3 days they individually adjusted an instrument for each of us by listening to our individual playing as well as the complete section in the orchestra. The outcome was so fulfilling that we decided: "these are the instruments we want to have".

Finally after the concert with Bruckner and Schubert, the music director Mathias Aeschbacher, who comes from the old German Kapellmeister tradition, was so exited about the sound of our brass section that he announced: "It sounds so beautiful we just have to buy these instruments".

The happy trombone section got a new German style alto, two tenors and a bass trombone.

That's where my personal story with Thein started and contunued in a long collaboration with Max and Heinrich Thein as well as deep personal friendship.

My Instruments