Ocarina Musikhaus

Hans & Karin Rotter
Ocarinamusic
The Ocarina Museum Oberkappel
The Ocarina Museum Austria aspires to become a
small replica of the whole ‚world of ocarina‘ – showing
the history of the ocarina, the manufacturing process, its
music and how it has shaped the musical life and activities
of communities in different regions around the world. The
ocarina, or vessel flute made from clay has a tradition of
several thousand years. In ancient China, vessel flutes of
different shapes and with varying numbers of holes were
made as early as 7000 B.C. In South and Central America,
the tradition began about 1000 B.C and is particularly
famous for its animal shaped forms. In Europe, the concert
ocarina (Italian for ‚little goose‘) was invented considerably
later by the Italian Giuseppe Donati (1836-1925)
in the 19th century. Towards the end of the same century,
Heinrich Fiehn started producing ocarinas in Austria. His
company was highly successful and, in its prime, produced
as many as 28 different models, even some with additional
key stops. The outbreak of World War II, however,
Ocarina Music House & museum
Falkensteinerstraße 16
A-4144 Oberkappel
Mobil.: +43 (0)676 4518822
Fax: +43 72 84/ 230
info@ocarina.de, www.ocarinamusic.com
Opening hours: variable – please call beforhand
Ocarinas,
Sheet Music, CDs,
Ocarina-Seminars
Falkensteinerstraße 16
4144 Oberkappel
Tel.: +43-(0) 676 – 45188 22
Fax: +43-(0) 7284 - 230
info@ocarina.de
www.ocarina.de
www.ocarinashop.com
put an end to ocarina production both in Austria and in
Germany. The firm Ocarinamusic (Oberkappel/Austria)
carries on the tradition of Heinrich Fiehn and now produces
a wide range of different ocarinas. The Ocarina Museum
Austria displays the huge ocarina collection which
Johann Rotter has assembled from all over the world during
the last 20 years. Its highlights are various complete
sets, single ocarinas of unique design, and one of the
largest and most comprehensive collections of Fiehn ocarinas
worldwide. Moreover, a large sound archive (Mp3,
CD, LP and shellac records) illustrates the multifaceted
sound of ocarinas from different continents and times.
Johann Rotter first became acquainted
with vessel flutes made from clay on
his travels through Southern Asia in the
1980s. During his time in South India, he
made his first attempts at making his own
ocarinas. After some years as an ocarina
maker in Great Britain, he finally moved
to Oberkappel/Austria. Since 1998 Karin
Rotter has played a major part in the work
of the company ocarinamusic. The spacious
company building in
Oberkappel comprises
not only the workshop
and the shop,
but also rooms and
facilities for weekend
seminars, the Ocarina Museum
Austria, and a music
publisher, which edits sheet
music tailored to the different
ocarina models and a new, comprehensive
ocarina tutor book (by Tobias Klein).
Since 2012, ocarina weekend courses are
offered twice a year by the members of ocarinamusic.
Over the years, the company has
gained a good national and international
reputation and is now selling its products
throughout Europe and also worldwide. The ocarinas made by Ocarinamusic are
available in different forms, sizes and pitches.
There are four distinct designs: 4-hole,
7-hole, 10-hole, and 12-hole. Their pitch ranges
vary from a sixth, over one, and one and
a half octaves, to almost
two octaves respectively.
All models
taken together, therefore,
cover the whole range of
musical uses from musical education of
small children at the nursery to the professional
music-making of the trained musician.
Thus, although the ocarina had almost been
forgotten in Austria, ocarinamusic has played
a vital role in its revival during the last decades